World Cup Athens, Day 1 Prelims: Michael Andrew Dominates in 50 Free & 100 Fly
The World Aquatics World Cup entered its second stop in Athens, Greece, on Friday, with Michael Andrew asserting his dominance in the morning prelims of the 100 fly and 50 free events. After their remarkable performances in the opening leg of the World Cup in Berlin last week, Kaylee McKeown and Qin Haiyang took the lead in the women’s and men’s leaderboards, respectively. Let’s dive into the details of how the morning prelims unfolded on day one in Athens.
Women’s 400m Freestyle:
In Berlin, Erika Fairweather had set a stunning World Cup record of 4:01.09, and once again, the New Zealander emerged as the frontrunner in 4:07.96. Lani Pallister, who had claimed silver last week, followed closely behind in second place with a time of 4:10.72.
Men’s 400m Freestyle:
Henrik Christiansen took the lead in the men’s 400m freestyle event with an impressive time of 3:52.07. He was closely followed by Kieran Smith, the bronze medallist in Berlin, who finished in 3:55.02. The second to eighth positions were fraught with intense competition, with a mere 0.59 seconds separating the swimmers. Danys Rapsys, last week’s champion, secured the fourth position with a time of 3:55.13.
Women’s 50m Backstroke:
Kaylee McKeown, who had set a new World Cup record of 27.24 in Berlin, continued her stellar form by securing lane four with a time of 27.65. Kylie Masse, the reigning world champion, was the sole contender to break the 28-second mark, touching the wall at 27.85. Another Canadian, Maggie MacNeil, finished in third place with a time of 28.31. In a gripping swim-off, Kira Toussaint, the 2020 European champion, triumphed over Hanna Rosvall to claim the eighth and final spot.
Men’s 200m Backstroke:
Pieter Coetze emerged as the leader in the men’s 200m backstroke event, clocking in at 2:00.87. Thomas Ceccon, the winner in Berlin, closely trailed him with a time of 2:00.99. Mitch Larkin, the silver medallist in Rio 2016, secured the eighth and final spot with a time of 2:02.87.
Women’s 200m Butterfly:
Zhang Yufei, who had clinched the victory in Berlin, earned lane four with a time of 2:12.26. Katie Grimes, who had finished fourth last week, finished closely behind with a time of 2:13.55.
Men’s 100m Butterfly:
There was a mere 0.86-second difference between the first and eighth positions in the highly competitive 100m butterfly event. Michael Andrew, aiming to replicate his success in Berlin, led the pack in 52.11. Cody Simpson secured a spot beside him in lane five, clocking in at 52.13, while Chad le Clos claimed the final spot with a time of 52.97.
Women’s 200m Breaststroke:
Denmark’s Thea Blomsterberg showcased her prowess in the pool by booking lane four with a time of 2:25.61. Jenna Strauch finished just 0.02 seconds ahead of Berlin’s winner, Tes Schouten, with times of 2:26.41 and 2:26.43, respectively.
Men’s 100m Breaststroke:
Qin Haiyang continued his remarkable winning streak in 2023, first at the World Championships in Fukuoka, then the World University Games, and finally the Asian Games. After setting a World Cup record of 57.69 in Berlin, he claimed lane four with a time of 59.52. Arno Kamminga, the double Olympic silver medallist, was the only other swimmer to break the 60-second barrier, finishing in 59.74. Adam Peaty secured the sixth position with a time of 1:00.31.
Women’s 50m Freestyle:
The thrilling one-length sprint in Berlin saw Sarah Sjostrom claim the gold with a time of 23.95, followed by Cate Campbell. Once again, Sjostrom showcased her incredible skill, stopping the clock at 24.28. Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell closely followed, finishing in 24.76 and 24.99, respectively.
Men’s 50m Freestyle:
Michael Andrew continued his impressive performance in the prelims, securing first place in the 50m freestyle event with a time of 22.04. Dylan Carter and Shinri Shioura finished in second and third place, touching the wall at 22.25 and 22.28, respectively. Isaac Cooper, the Berlin champion, fought his way through a swim-off, clocking in at 22.24 to claim the final spot, narrowly beating Sean Niewold’s time of 22.39.
