2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup Series – Incheon: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Incheon

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

It’s the second prelims session of the Incheon stop of the 2024 Swimming World Cup series. Last night (this morning for fellow eastern time folks) we saw the first world record of the stop fall courtesy of Kate Douglass, who broke Rebecca Soni’s super-suited record in the 200 breaststroke. The multi-talented Douglass is entered in the 50 butterfly today, where she could take aim at another 2009 record.

This session also features the 400 IM, 1500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 100 backstroke, and 100 breaststroke for the women. The men will contest the 50 backstroke, 200 IM, 50 breaststroke, 100 freestyle, and 200 butterfly.

The prelims session should be viewable to most fans on the World Aquatics Recast page (for a fee), which can be accessed below. For more information, read here.

Women’s 400m Individual Medley – Timed Final

Top Finishers (Early Heat):

1. Hwang Nahee (CLB) – 4:47.51
2. Weng Chi Cheang (MAC) – 4:58.85
3. Alisa Huang (USA) – 5:01.87
4. Hannah Oh (USA) – 5:02.41
5. Eden Chuang (USA) – 5:05.54
6. Tran Doan (USA) – 5:16.17
7. Emma Gyorkos (USA) – 5:18.71

Hwang Nahee came in with the fastest time in the heat, and there was no question she would take the win. She dropped almost 12 seconds from her entry time of 4:59.16 for the top time this morning. She cemented her lead in the backstroke leg and continued to pull away down the stretch, finishing in 4:47.51.

Weng Chi Cheang joined Hwang under the 5:00-barrier, dropping over 10 seconds from her entry time. She and Alisa Huang, who finished 3rd, were less than a second apart at the back to breast turn. However, Cheang outsplit Huang significantly on the third leg to cinch her second place finish.

There were only seven athletes in the heat; Hwang was the youngest at 15-years-old.

Women’s 1500m Freestyle – Timed Final

Top 8:

1. Kim Chaeyun (KOR) – 16:43.29
2. Lai Wa Ng (HKG) – 16:56.15
3. Nikoleta Trnikova (SVK) – 17:03.32
4. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK) – 17:21.84
5. Altannar Amgalan (MGL) – 18:37.28

Only five athletes entered the longest event at this stop. Kim Chaeyun ran away with the win, lapping two of her competitors on the way. Kim held a pace of mid-t0-high 16s per lap, only slipping above 17 seconds a few times throughout the race. She was about seven seconds above her entry time, but it was plenty for the win.

Lai Wa Ng dropped over 20 seconds from her entry time to also dip under the 17-minute barrier. She was in a close race with 3rd-place finisher Nikoleta Trnikova for the early portion of the race, but managed to pull away to touch over seven seconds ahead.

Only three athletes had entry times in this event. 5th-place finisher Altannar Amgalan was the third (besides Kim and Ng), and dropped over eight seconds to better her best time from February.

Men’s 50m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 22.11 — Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2022)
• World Cup Record: 22.58 — Isaac Cooper, AUS (2024)
• World Junior Record: 22.52 — Isaac Cooper, AUS (2022)

Top 8:

1. Isaac Cooper (AUS) – 22.87
2. Pieter Coetze (RSA ) – 23.23
3. Kacper Stokowski (POL) – 23.24
4. Marius Kusch (GER) – 23.32
5. Imgyu Song (CLB) – 23.37
6. Ralf Tribuntsov (EST) – 23.28
7. Thierry Bollin (SUI) – 23.44
8. Grigori Pekarski (NIA) – 23.63

After setting the World Cup record in Shanghai, Isaac Cooper showed once again he’s the man the beat with the only sub-23 time of the session and 0.36-seconds ahead of the second place finisher. The rest of field is incredibly close with a spread of just 0.4-seconds between 2nd and 8th.

Pieter Coetze and Kacper Stokowski qualified just one-hundredth of a second apart and will flank Cooper tonight. Coetze was the silver medalist in Shanghai, while Stokowski finished 4th. Marius Kusch and Thierry Bollin also return from the Shanghai final. Both were right on their finals times this morning.

Top seed Lorenzo Mora missed the final, falling to 10th. So did Shanghai finalist Dylan Carter (9th) and the United States’ Michael Andrew (12th).

Women’s 200m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 1:49.63 — Siobhan Haughey, HKG (2021)
• World Cup Record: 1:50.32 — Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
• World Junior Record: 1:52.59 —  Bella Sims, USA (2022)

Top 8:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN) – 1:55.81
2. Milla Jansen (AUS) – 1:57.00
3. Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS) – 1:57.39
4. Siobhan Haughey (HKG) – 1:57.68
5. Jo Hyunju (KOR) – 1:58.49
6. Kasia Wasick (POL)  – 1:59.74
7. Lee Won (CLB) – 2:00.40
8. Lee Chaeyeong (CLB) – 2:00.58

Mary-Sophie Harvey continues to have a strong showing at this year’s series. Though she was swifter in her Shanghai prelims outing, she still claimed the top morning time by over a second in a field that includes world record holder Siobhan Haughey.

Haughey sits down in 4th, around three-tenths slower than she was in Shanghai. Be on the lookout for her to have a major drop tonight.

Milla Jansen and Brittany Castelluzzo qualified 2nd and 3rd, giving Australia two representatives in tonight’s final. Going off of the World Aquatics database, Jansen’s time appears to be a huge personal best. She was entered in 2:00.53 and is now knocking on the door of another barrier with her 1:57.00 performance.

Jo Hyunju‘s time of 1:58.49 was good for 5th, and appears to be her first personal best in the event since 2015 (according to the World Aquatics database). She shaved 0.01-seconds off of her time.

Besides Harvey and Haughey, Kasia Wasick is the only other returning finalist from Shanghai.

Men’s 200m Individual Medley – Prelims

• World Record: 1:49.63 — Ryan Lochte, USA (2012)
• World Cup Record: 1:50.30 — Leon Marchand, FRA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 1:51.45 — Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Leon Marchand (FRA) – 1:54.17
2. Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 1:54.54
3. Daiya Seto (JPN) – 1:54.65
4. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:54.85
5. Duncan Scott (GBR) – 1:55.25
6. Kieran Smith (USA) – 1:55.26
7. Mark Szaranek (GBR) – 1:55.39
8. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 1:55.97

It was a slower morning session than Shanghai, but Leon Marchand is once again the top seed (1:54.17). Danas Rapsys charged home on the final leg to finish 2nd, splitting 26.75 to Marchand’s 28.91. From the first heat, Daiya Seto also put up a strong performance to qualify 3rd.

Alberto Razzetti, Duncan Scott, and Kieran Smith all return from the Shanghai final. Compared to the last stop, it was a steep cutoff from 8th to 9th this morning, with almost a second of separation (compared to 0.01-seconds).

Noe Ponti, who snagged bronze in Shanghai, no-showed the event.

Women’s 100m Backstroke – Prelims

• World Record: 54.56 — Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2024)
• World Cup Record: 54.89 — Regan Smith, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 55.74 —  Bella Sims (2022)

Top 8:

1. Regan Smith (USA) – 56.35
2. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) – 57.36
3. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 57.47
4. Mizuki Hirai (JPN) – 57.83
5. Ingrid Wilm (CAN) – 57.96
6. Hannah Jane Fredericks (AUS) – 58.14
7. Song Jaeyun (CLB) – 58.53
8. Beata Nelson (USA) – 58.72

Regan Smith cruised to the top time by over a second, clocking 56.35 in the final heat. She was about a third of a second slower than she was in Shanghai, but look for another drop tonight where she has a chance to take over total ownership of the American record.

Anastasiya Shkurdai was a touch faster than she was in Shanghai prelims as she once again claims the #2 seed. Swedish record holder Louise Hansson finished 3rd.

Japan’s Mizuki Hirai punched a new best time to finish 4th. Better known for her butterfly abilities as the 100 LCM fly WJR holder, she lowered her best time by over a second (according to the World Aquatics database). Hirai is committed to swim for Tennessee starting in Fall 2025.

Silver medalist Beata Nelson just sneaked into the final in 8th. She is also entered in the 50 butterfly this session.

Men’s 50m Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 24.95 — Emre Sakci, TUR (2021)
• World Cup Record: 25.25 — Cameron van der Burgh  (2009)
• World Junior Record: 25.85 —  Simone Cerasuolo (2021)

Top 8:

1. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) – 25.68
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 26.25
3. Caspar Corbeau (NED) – 26.38
4. Choi Dongyeoi (KOR) 26.57
5. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 26.68
6. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.84
7. Andrius Sidlauskas (LTU) – 26.88
8. Joshua Yong (AUS) – 26.92

It looks like it’ll be another stacked men’s breaststroke event in the 50. Ilya Shymanovich is your top seed, bettering his Shanghai prelims effort by 0.01-seconds for the top seed. He was the only man to break 26-seconds, but expect Qin Haiyang to give him a race in finals.

Caspar Corbeau, Nicolo Matinenghi, and Joshua Yong all return from the Shanghai final. Andrius Sidlauskas was 11th out of prelims at the last stop, but matched his time exactly for 7th here. Choi Dongyeoi is the other newcomer here, dropping nearly 0.4-seconds from seed to qualify 4th.

In his second swim of the session, Michael Andrew earned a finals berth after missing the 50 backstroke.

Women’s 50m Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 24.38 — Therese Alshammar, SWE (2009)
• World Cup Record: 24.38 — Therese Alshammar, SWE (2009)
• World Junior Record: 24.55 —  Claire Curzan, USA (2021)

Top 8:

1. Kate Douglass (USA) – 24.78
2. Lily Price (AUS) – 25.44
3. Sara Junevik (SWE) – 25.50
4. Beata Nelson (USA) – 25.75
5. Yang Junxuan (CHN) – 25.97
6. Louise Hansson (SWE) – 26.05
7. Jeong Soeun (KOR) – 26.15
8. Isabella Boyd (AUS) – 26.23

Kate Douglass was dominant in the 50 butterfly, posting the only 24-point time of the heats. Her next closest competitor was Lily Price, who tied for bronze in Shanghai. She qualified just ahead of Sara Junevik, who was 5th.

Beata Nelson and Louise Hansson both qualified for their second final of the session after the 100 back.

Yang Junxuan, who opted for the 100 back at the last stop, qualified 5th in 25.97. That appears to be her first time sub-26. She will be China’s only representative in the final tonight, as Shanghai silver medalist Zhang Yufei finished 10th and missed the final.

Men’s 100m Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• World Cup Record: 44.84 — Kyle Chalmers, AUS (2021)
• World Junior Record: 45.64 —  David Popovici (2022)

Top 8:

1. Kim Youngbeom (CLB) – 46.78
2. Jamie Jack (AUS) – 47.07
3. Pieter Coetze (RSA) – 47.13
4. Andrei Minakov (NIA) – 47.24
5. Jack Dolan (USA) – 47.28
6. Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 47.34
7. Yang Jaehoon (KOR) – 47.41
8. Hwang Sunwoo (KOR) – 47.42

Kim Youngbeom swam the fastest time in prelims, upsetting Pan Zhanle in the final heat. Pan actually finished 3rd in that heat, and 6th overall.

Pieter Coetze qualified for his second final after claiming the #2 seed in the 50 backstroke earlier in the session. Coetze, along with Pan, Jamie Jack and Jack Dolan all return from the Shanghai stop.

Hwang Sunwoo almost missed the final altogether, as 7th and 9th were separated by just 0.02-seconds. Dylan Carter once again found himself on the outside looking in after narrowly missing the 50 back final earlier in the session. Carter was 6th in Shanghai.

Shanghai champ Thomas Ceccon missed qualifying as well, finishing in 13th with a 47.62. So did 5th place finisher Matt Temple (11th, 47.48).

Leon Marchand was just 0.04-hundredths shy of a finals berth after posting a 47.46 from heat 4 (of 7).

Women’s 100 Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013) / Alia Atkinson, JAM (2014/2016)
• World Cup Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013) / Alia Atkinson, JAM (2016)
• World Junior Record: 1:02.36 — Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)

Top 8:

1. Tang Qianting (CHN) – 1:03.76
2. Benedetta Pilato (ITA) – 1:05.16
3. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 1:05.23
4. Sophie Angus (CAN) – 1:06.04
5. Ko Haru (KOR) – 1:06.22
6. Sophie Hansson (SWE) – 1:06.45
7. Park Sieun (KOR) – 1:06.79
8. Andrea Podmanikova (SVK) – 1:06.86

Tang Qianting dominated the 100 breaststroke heats, posting 1:03.76 to lead the field by over a second. Tang wasn’t quite as speedy as she was in Shanghai, but she should still be the favorite going into finals.

Tonight’s competitors will look very familiar, as six of eight athletes also swam the final in Shanghai. The newcomers are Ko Haru amd Park Sieun, both from South Korea.

Benedetta Pilato will be on the hunt for her first 100 breaststroke medal of this series. She also qualified 2nd out of prelims in Shanghai, but fell to 5th in the final.

Andrea Podmanikova was faster than her prelims outing in Shanghai, impressively so after swimming the 1500 free earlier in the session.

Men’s 200 Butterfly – Prelims

• World Record: 1:46.85 — Tomoru Honda, JPN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 1:48.56 — Chad le Clos, RSA (2013)
• World Junior Record: 1:49.61 — June Chen, CHN (2022)

Top 8:

1. Trenton Julian (USA) – 1:54.83
2. Moon Seungwoo (CLB) – 1:55.61
3. Alberto Razzetti (ITA) – 1:55.70
4. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 1:56.58
5. Kregor Zirk (EST) – 1:56.82
6. Lewis Clareburt (NZL) – 1:56.93
7. Jack Dahlgreen (USA) – 1:56.97
8. Lee Hyeonbin (CLB) – 1:59.40

Trenton Julian dominated the first heat, swimming a 200 fly time that would stand as the top seed (1:54.83).

Chad le Clos, Kregor Zirk, and Lewis Clareburt duked it out in the second heat, finishing within a half second of each other. Le Clos fell behind at the midway mark, but used the second-best closing speed in the field to get to the wall first.

Alberto Razzetti also closed hard in the ultimate heat, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Moon Seungwoo‘s lead.

All three medalists return from Shanghai, as well as most of the field.