World Championships, Day One Prelims (Men): Adam Peaty and Ahmed Hafnaoui’s Early Performances
It’s just six months before the upcoming Olympic Games, and swimmers from all over the world are competing in Doha for the World Championships. The competition schedule has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to adjustments being made to the global competition calendar. Despite some of the world-class swimmers deciding not to participate in the meet, the event in Doha still boasts an impressive lineup of talented athletes. The first day of the championships saw a series of prelims, including races in the men’s 400 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 breaststroke, and 400 freestyle relay.
During the 400 freestyle prelims, there was an early upset as reigning Olympic champion and World Championships silver medalist Ahmed Hafnaoui from Tunisia failed to qualify for the final. He finished 17th in the prelims, clocking 3:48.05, which was almost eight seconds off his personal best. The top seed for the final was clinched by Australian swimmer Elijah Winnington, who completed the race in 3:44.37, followed closely by Germany’s Lukas Martens in 3:44.77. Other swimmers who advanced to the final included Korea’s Kim Woomin and Ireland’s Dan Wiffen. The 50 butterfly prelims saw the Netherlands’ Nyls Korstanje and American Michael Andrew leading the field, closely followed by a strong lineup of competitors. The event featured a tight field, with Dutch swimmer Isaac Cooper securing the third spot for the semifinals, and Dylan Carter of Trinidad & Tobago posting a strong performance. Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro and Norway’s Nicholas Lia also showed promising swims.
The 100 breaststroke featured impressive performances from the swimmers, including the three men who shared silver at the last World Championships. United States’ Nic Fink led the way in the event, followed by Italian Nicolo Martinenghi and Dutchman Arno Kamminga. While world-record holder Adam Peaty of Great Britain secured the third slot entering the semifinals, the pace is expected to intensify in the next round. The United States emerged as the top seed for the final of the 400 freestyle relay, with a strong performance from Hunter Armstrong, Jack Aikins, Luke Hobson, and Carson Foster. The team set a time of 3:12.32, giving them the lead going into the final. Italy and Great Britain also demonstrated their strength, setting the stage for an exciting final race. Great Britain is eager to make up for their disqualification at the last World Championships and secure a spot in the Olympic Games.
