2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Incheon Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – INCHEON

The 2024 World Cup has already seen several world records, with one coming on each of the first two days in Incheon via Americans Kate Douglass and Regan Smith. With both swimmers slated to compete again on day 3, along with newly minted 50 butterfly world record holder Noe Ponti, there are bound to be sparks flying on the final day of action.

After breaking the world record in the 100 backstroke on day 2, Smith will be looking to challenge Kaylee McKeown‘s 200 backstroke world record of 1:58.94. At the previous stop of this series in Shanghai, Smith won the event, coming about 2 seconds off of McKeown’s mark, but she has already proven to be much faster here.

Douglass is entered in both the 50 butterfly and 200 IM and is the favorite to take home gold in both of them. On day 1, Douglass dropped the hammer in the 200 breaststroke, shattering Rebecca Soni’s world record from 2009.

Coming off of his world record in the event, Ponti will take on the 50 butterfly again. At the previous stop in Shanghai, Ponti popped a WR of 21.67 in prelims before coming within .01 of that time in finals. Given his consistency in the event, that record will likely remain in-danger through the remainder of the series.

There will be plenty of excitement in the other events as well. Specifically, in the men’s 400 IM, where long course world record holder Leon Marchand will face-off against SCM world record holder Daiya Seto. Though Marchand won the event in Shanghai, he was significantly slower than expected, swimming a time of 4:00.03. With Seto most recently put up a time of 3:59.79 in the 400m IM at a domestic meet, the race is shapping up to be very close.

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.

MEN’S 400 IM – Early Heats

• • • World Record: 3:54.81 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2019
    • World Cup Record: 3:57.25 – Daiya Seto (JPN), 2018
    • World Junior Record: 3:56.47 – Ilya Borodin (RUS), 2021

The early heat of the men’s 400 IM this morning saw a great race between American Brian Raghunathan and Philippines’ R.C.C. Domingo. Raghunathan, just 15 years old, won the race, swimming the SCM 400 IM officially, at least, for the first time in his young career. He clocked a 4:34.70, beating out Domingo by 0.24 seconds. Raghunathan took the lead on breaststroke and managed to hold on through the freestyle leg.

WOMEN’S 100 FLY – Prelims

• • • World Record: 54.05 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2022
    • World Cup Record: 54.78 – Maggie MacNeil (CAN), 2022
    • World Junior Record: 55.39 – Claire Curzan (USA), 2021

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Laura Lahtinen (Finland) – 56.08
2. Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 56.56
3. Anastasiya Kuliashova (NIA) – 57.11
4. Yu Yiting (China) – 571.9
5. Kim Seoyeong (South Korea) – 57.21
6. Lily Price (Australia) – 57.24
7. Brittany Castelluzzo (Australia) – 57.48
8. Sara Junevik (Sweden) – 57.65

Finland’s Laura Lahtinen clocked a 56.08 to lead prelims of the women’s 100 fly by nearly half-a-second. It was a highly encouraging morning swim for Lahtinen, coming in exactly half-a-second off her own Finnish Record of 55.58, which she swam last week.

While Sweden’s Louise Hansson was 2nd overall this morning in 56.56, she had the fastest opening 50m split in the field. Hansson was out very fast this morning, splitting 26.27 on the first 50.

MEN’S 50 FLY – Prelims

• • • World Record: 21.67 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
    • World Cup Record: 21.67 – Noe Ponti (SUI), 2024
    • World Junior Record: 22.28 – Ilya Kharun (CAN), 2022

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Noe Ponti (Switzerland) – 21.88
2. Nyls Korstanje (Netherlands) – 22.24
3. Marius Kusch (Germany) – 22.38
4. Isaac Cooper (Australia) – 22.41
5. Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 22.59
6. Teong Tzen Wei (Singapore) – 22.64
7. Ji Yuchan (South Korea) – 22.66
8. Grigori Pekarski (NIA) – 22.69

Noe Ponti was within striking range of his own World Record in the men’s 50 fly tonight, clocking a 21.88. Not only was he the fastest in the field by nearly half a second, Ponti’s time of 21.88 was only 0.21 seconds off his WR mark of 21.67.

The field is pretty tight behind Ponti, but it was Dutchman Nyls Korstanje who came in 2nd with a 22.24 this morning.

WOMEN’S 200 BACK – Prelims

• • • World Record: 1:58.94 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2020
    • World Cup Record: 1:59.35 – Daryna Zevina (UKR), 2016
    • World Junior Record: 2:00.03 – Missy Franklin (USA), 2011

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Anastasiya Shkurdai (NIA) – 2:04.81
2. Regan Smith (United States) – 2:05.78
3. Ingrid Wilm (Canada) – 2:05.83
4. Bella Grant (Australia) – 2:06.04
5. Beata Nelson (United States) – 2:06.65
6. Hannah Fredericks (Australia) – 2:07.07
7. Lee Yunjung (CLB) – 2:08.94
8. Song Jaeyun (CLB) – 2:09.44

Belarusian Anastasiya Shkurdai, competing under the ‘Neutral Independent Athletes’ banner, beat out American Regan Smith in the women’s 200 backstroke this morning. Shkurdai clocked a 2:04.81, swimming a very consistently split race. She was out in 1:02.05 on the first 100m, then came home in 1:02.76 on the back half. Shkurdai has room to go faster tonight, as she holds the Belarusian Record in the event with her career best of 2:00.15.

Regan Smith, fresh off a World Record in the 100 back yesterday, clocked a 2:05.78 for 2nd this morning. Smith actually doesn’t hold the American Record in the women’s 200 back currently. That record is still held by Missy Franklin, who went 2:00.03 at the World Cup back in 2011. Given Smith’s 54.40 100 backstroke yesterday, it seems pretty likely she stands a great chance of taking down that record t0night in finals.

Canadian Ingrid Wilm was right there in the mix this morning as well, swimming a 2:05.83. Wilm actually negative split the race, going out in 1:03.75 and coming home in 1:02.08, which indicates she can go quite a bit faster tonight in finals.

MEN’S 100 BACK – Prelims

• • • World Record: 48.33 – Coleman Stewart (USA), 2021
    • World Cup Record: 48.84 – Shaine Casas (USA), 2022
    • World Junior Record: 48.90 – Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 2017

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Kacper Stokowski (Poland) – 50.08
2. Pieter Coetze (South Africa) – 50.54
3. Raif Tribuntsov (Estonia) – 50.80
4. Thomas Ceccon (Italy) – 50.82
5. Song Imgyu (CLB) – 50.96
6. Thierry Bollin (Switzerland) – 51.12
7. Enoch Robb (Australia) – 51.31
8. Lorenzo Mora (Italy) – 51.44

Poland’s Kacper Stokowski posted a 50.08 to earn the top seed for the men’s 100 backstroke tonight. Stokowski was out the fastest of everyone in the field, splitting a quick 24.27 on the opening 50m. He put himself within a second of the Polish Record, which stands at 49.23.

South Africa’s Pieter Coetze was 2nd this morning in 50.54. Coetze holds the African Record in the event with a 49.35, which he swam last week in Shanghai.

In his 2nd race of the morning, Italian Thomas Ceccon came in 4th in the 100 back, swimming a 50.82. The World Record holder in the LCM 100 back, Ceccon doesn’t hold the Italian Record in the SCM race. He was out in 24.49 on the opening 50m this morning, which will need to be faster tonight if he wants to compete for gold. Ceccon also finished 5th in the men’s 50 fly prelims earlier in the session.

WOMEN’S 50 BREAST – Prelims

• • • World Record: 28.37 – Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 2022
    • World Cup Record: 28.56 – Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2018
    • World Junior Record: 28.81 – Benedetta Pilato (ITA), 2020

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Tang Qianting (China) – 29.57
2. Benedetta Pilato (Italy) – 29.82
3. Sophie Hansson (Sweden) – 30.16
4. Alina Zmushka (NIA) – 30.29
5. Sophie Angus (Canada) – 30.59
6. Park Sieun (South Korea) – 30.69
7. Kim Hyejin (CLB) – 30.89
8. Kim Sewon (CLB) – 31.03

China’s Tang Qianting led the way in prelims of the women’s 50 breast this morning, swimming a 29.57. She was the fastest swimmer in the field this morning on both 25s of the race.

Italian Benedetta Pilato wasn’t far behind this morning, swimming a 29.82. It appears the race tonight will be between Tang and Pilato, though Sweden’s Sophie Hansson (30.16) could make some noise as well.

MEN’S 200 BREAST – Prelims

• • • World Record: 2:00.16 – Kirill Prigoda (RUS), 2018
    • World Cup Record: 2:00.48 – Daniel Gyurta (HUN), 2014
    • World Junior Record: 2:03.23 – Akihiro Yamaguchi (JPN), 2012

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Caspar Corbeau (Netherlands) – 2:05.30
2. Joshua Yong (Australia) – 2:05.79
3. Cho Sung Jae (South Korea) – 2:06.38
4. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA)/Adam Chillingworth (Hong Kong) – 2:06.91 (TIE)
5. –
6. Joshua Collett (Australia) – 2:06.95
7. Josh Gilbert (New Zealand)/Qin Haiyang (China) – 2:07.00 (TIE)
8. –

In a tight prelims of the men’s 200 breast, 1st and 8th* (actually 7th) was separated by just 1.70 seconds. Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau clocked the top time of the morning with a 2:05.30. Corbeau was the only swimmer in the field to go out under 1:00 on the opening 100m of the race, splitting 59.42. He either paid a bit for that early speed, or shut it down on the back half of the race, as he came home in 1:05.88.

Australian Joshua Yong was 2nd this morning in 2:05.79, touching as the only other swimmer under 2:06.

China’s Qin Haiyang, a powerhouse in the LCM breaststroke race, made it into tonight’s final by the skin of his teeth. Qin went 2:07.00, tying for 7th with New Zealand’s Josh Gilbert. Notably, Qin holds the World Record in the LCM 200 breast with a 2:05.48, indicating he has the ability to be massively faster in the SCM race than he was this morning.

WOMEN’S 100 FREE – Prelims

• • • World Record: 50.25 – Cate Campbell (AUS), 2017
    • World Cup Record: 50.58 – Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017 & Emma McKeon (AUS), 2021
    • World Junior Record: 51.45 – Kayla Sanchez (CAN), 2018

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Katarzyna Wasick (Poland) – 53.21
2. Yang Junxuan (China) – 53.23
3. Milla Jansen (Australia) – 53.27
4. Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong) – 53.29
5. Sara Junevik (Sweden)/Li Sum Yiu (Hong Kong) – 53.57 (TIE)
6. –
7. Brittany Castelluzzo (Australia) – 53.75
8. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) – 54.00

The women’s 100 free prelims was the tightest race we’ve seen so far this morning, with 1st and 8th being separated by just 0.79 seconds. Polish 32-year-old Katarzyna Wasick led the way, swimming a 53.21. While that’s not a particularly fast top time for the morning, it does set up what should be a really fun race tonight in finals.

China’s Yang Junxuan was very close behind Wasick, touching in 53.23, while Australian Milla Jansen was 53.27, and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey was 4th in 53.29. All 4 women split the race nearly identically this morning, so it will be interesting to see how the race strategies might shift for tonight.

MEN’S 200 FREE – Prelims

• • • World Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009
    • World Cup Record: 1:39.37 – Paul Biedermann (GER), 2009
    • World Junior Record: 1:40.65 – Matt Sates (RSA), 2021

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Duncan Scott (Great Britain) – 1:42.35
2. Danas Rapsys (Lithuania) – 1:42.58
3. Kieran Smith (United States) – 1:42.74
4. Hwang Sunwoo (South Korea) – 1:43.27
5. Lee Hojoon (South Korea) – 1:43.53
6. Rafael Miroslaw (Germany) – 1:43.94
7. Jack Dahlgren (United States) – 1:44.12
8. Lewis Clareburt (New Zealand) – 1:44.14

Great Britain’s Duncan Scott and Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys put up a great race in the 5th heat of the men’s 200 free this morning. Scott won out, swimming a 1:42.35, which wound up being the top time of the morning as well. Rapsys was close by in 1:42.58, which earns him the 2nd seed for tonight’s final. The duo never got more than 0.36 seconds apart during their race this morning.

American Kieran Smith was also under 1:43 this morning, swimming a 1:42.74, which earns him the 3rd seed for tonight.

South Korea’s Hwang Sunwoo was 4th overall this morning in 1:43.27, however, he was out the fastest of anyone in the field, splitting 49.92 on the opening 100m.

WOMEN’S 200 IM – Prelims

• • • World Record: 2:01.86 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014
    • World Cup Record: 2:02.13 – Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 2014
    • World Junior Record: 2:04.48 – Yu Yiting (CHN), 2021

TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:

1. Mary-Sophie Harvey (Canada) – 2:08.45
2. Tara Kinder (Australia) – 2:09.02
3. Yu Yiting (China) – 2:10.45
4. Waka Kobori (Japan) – 2:10.48
5. Lee Hee Eun (South Korea) – 2:11.55
6. Isabella Boyd (Australia) – 2:12.97
7. Laura Lahtinen (Finland) – 2:13.22
8. Nikoleta Trnikova (Slovakia) – 2:15.09

Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey put up a 2:08.45 200 IM to earn the top seed for tonight’s final. One of two swimmers to go under 2:10 this morning, Harvey, was 27.84 on fly, 31.24 on back, 37.73 on breast, and 31.66 on free. Harvey was out the fastest of anyone, recording the fastest fly and back splits in the field this morning.

Australian Tara Kinder was the only other swimmer in the field under 2:10 this morning, swimming a 2:09.02. She was home the fastest of anyone in the field this morning, clocking a 30.18 on the final 50.

MEN’S 800 FREE – Early Heats

• • • World Record: 7:57.42 – Katie Ledecky (USA), 2022
    • World Cup Record: 7:57.42 – Katie Ledecky (USA), 2022
    • World Junior Record: 7:59.44 – Wang Jianjiahe (CHN), 2018

In the early heat of the men’s 800 free, Won June put up a 7:55.53, taking 13 seconds off his seed time. Just 16 years old, Won put together a great race, taking control of the heat and expanding that lead through the swim.