2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup – Singapore: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – SINGAPORE

And just like that we’re onto the final stop of the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series with action kicking off tonight from Singapore.

The fields from the previous 2 stops have remained relatively intact, which means we’ll be treated to performances by the likes of Frenchman Leon Marchand, Swiss ace Noe Ponti, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, and Americans Regan Smith and Kate Douglass.

Refresh this post often to stay updated on the latest and greatest swims being put up in the quest for medals and cash in the cup race.

Women’s 400m Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 3:51.30 – Li Bingjie, CHN  (2022)
• World Cup Record: 3:52.80 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)
• World Junior Record: 3:52.80 – Summer McIntosh, CAN (2022)

GOLD – Katie Grimes (USA), 3:57.61
SILVER – Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAN), 3:58.21
BRONZE – Claire Weinstein (USA), 4:00.17

18-year-old American Olympic medalist Katie Grimes denied Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey a repeat victory from Incheon in this women’s 400m free.

Grimes stopped the clock at 3:57.61, a new lifetime best, to reap gold by less than a second.

Harvey settled for silver this evening in 3:58.06, well off the 3:56.78 that garnered her gold last week.

Grimes’ teammate Claire Weinstein rounded out the podium at 4:00.17.

As for Grimes, here 3:57.61 now checks the teen in as the 4th-fastest American performer in history.

Top 5 American Women’s SCM 400 Free Performers All-Time

1. Katie Ledecky – 3:52.88, 2022
2. Allison Schmitt – 3:55.89, 2009
3. Katie Hoff – 3:57.07, 2010
4. Katie Grimes – 3:57.61, 2024
5. Leah Smith – 3:57.78, 2016

Men’s 400m Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 3:32.25 – Yannick Agnel, FRA (2012)
• World Cup Record: 3:32.77 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – Matthew Sates, RSA (2021)

GOLD – Duncan Scott (GBR), 3:34.46
SILVER – Kieran Smith (USA), 3:36.97
BRONZE – Pan Zhanle (CHN), 3:38.79

Olympic multi-medalist Duncan Scott busted out the 400m swim of his life to grab the gold tonight in the men’s race.

The versatile 27-year-old crushed a lifetime best of 3:34.46 to get to the wall first, ripping a new British national record in the process. The previous British standard stood at the 3:36.35 James Guy put on the books a decade ago so Scott hacked nearly 2 seconds off that performance.

Remarkably, Scott’s outing also overtook the longstanding Commonwealth Record. That time rested at the 3:34.58 Aussie icon Grant Hackett established over 20 years ago in 2022.

American Kieran Smith was next to the wall in 3:36.97, the fastest performance across the 3 stops. Smith hit 3:38.44 in Shanghai followed by 3:37.15 in Incheon. His lifetime best remains at the national record-setting 3:34.38 logged at the 2022 Short Course World Championships.

Reigning men’s 100m free Olympic champion and world record holder Pan Zhanle held on for 3rd tonight, turning in a time of 3;38.79. He wowed the field last week in Incheon when the 20-year-old scorched a winning effort of 3:36.43.

Of note, Marchand was entered in this event but scratched this morning’s heats.

Women’s 50m Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 25.25 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2022)
• World Cup Record: 25.36 – Kaylee McKeown, AUS (2024)
• World Junior Record: 26.08 – Sara Curtis, ITA (2024)

GOLD – Regan Smith (USA), 25.48
SILVER – Iona Anderson (AUS), 25.95
BRONZE – Ingrid Wilm (CAN), 25.98

Olympic multi-medalist Regan Smith topped the women’s 50m back field decisively, producing a podium-topping time of 25.48.

That’s by far her fastest performance across the 3 stops, beating the 25.70 from Shanghai that gave her silver and the 25.71 from Incheon. Her time fell just .11 outside of Gretchen Walsh’s American Record of 25.37 posted earlier this month at an NCAA dual meet.

Iona Anderson turned in the first sub-26-second time of her young career, registering 25.95 for silver just .03 ahead of Canadian Ingrid Wilm‘s 25.98.

Men’s 200m Backstroke – Final

• World Record: 1:45.63 – Mitch Larkin, AUS (2015)
• World Cup Record: 1:46.11 – Arkady Vyachanin, RUS (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:48.02 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2017)

GOLD – Pieter Coetze (RSA), 1:49.88
SILVER – Lorenzo Mora (ITA), 1:51.07
BRONZE – Jack Dahlgren (USA), 1:52.80

20-year-old Pieter Coetze of South Africa dominated this men’s 200m back, getting to the wall over a second ahead of the pack.

Coetze’s victory in 1:49.88 sealed his threepeat, having topped the podium in this event both in Shanghai and Incheon ahead of tonight’s race. His time of 1:49.12 from the former represented a huge lifetime best and his first-ever foray under the 1:50 barrier. Ahead of this World Cup series, his previous PB rested at the 1:51.51 from the 2022 Short Course World Championships.

Italy’s Lorenzo Mora snagged the silver here in 1:51.07, well off his national record of 1:48.43 from last year’s European Championships.

Former Mizzou standout Jack Dahlgren bagged the bronze in 1:52.80, a shiny new personal best.

Of note, Lee Juho of South Korea sliced .10 off his national record from Incheon, placing 4th in 1:52.85.

Women’s 200m Fly – Final

• World Record: 1:59.61 — Mireia Belmonte Garcia, ESP (2014)
• World Cup Record: 2:00.78 — Liu Zige, CHN (2009)
• World Junior Record: 2:02.96 — Suzuka Hasegawa, JPN (2017)

GOLD – Brittany Castelluzzo (AUS), 2:03.44
SILVER – Bella Grant (AUS), 2:03.92
BRONZE – Laura Lahtinen (FIN), 2:06.83

23-year-old Brittany Castelluzzo of Australia ripped a new lifetime best en route to winning this women’s 200m fly.

The Tea Tree Gully athlete registered 2:03.44 to erase her former PB of 2:03.93 logged at last month’s Australian Short Course Championships. She’s now the 7th-swiftest Aussie performer of all time.

Right behind her was countrywoman Bella Grant who punched a result of 2:03.92 en route to silver. Grant won this event last week in Incheon, hitting a quicker mark of 2:03.13 to upset American Smith.

Finnish ace Laura Lahtinen earned the bronze this time around, posting 2:06.83. Her time in Incheon was much quicker in 2:03.79 and she was even faster at the first stop in a new national standard of 2:03.13.

Men’s 100m Fly – Final

• World Record: 47.78 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 48.40 – Noe Ponti, SUI (2024)
• World Junior Record: 49.03 – Ilya Kharun, CAN (2022)

GOLD – Noe Ponti (SUI), 48.60
SILVER – Nyls Korstanje (NED), 49.12
BRONZE – Teong Tzen Wei (SGP), 49.37

The top 3 performers in this men’s 100m fly all easily cleared the 50-second barrier, led by national record holder and 50m fly world record holder Noe Ponti of Switzerland.

Ponti clocked a time of 48.60 to successfully wrap up a trifecta of wins in the event across all 3 stops. The 23-year-old’s effort was within .20 of the European Record-setting time of 48.40 established last week in Incheon but was ahead of the 48.81 he put up in Shanghai.

Nyls Korstanje of the Netherlands was within striking distance of his national record, posting 49.12 for silver. His Dutch standard of 48.99 was notched in Incheon to make the former NC State swimmer the fastest-ever from his nation.

Singapore’s Teong Tzen Wei rounded out the podium in 49.37 for a new national record, hacking half a second off his previous personal best of 49.88 from the 2021 Singaporean Swimming Championships.

Women’s 200m Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: 2:14.16 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Cup Record: 2:14.16 – Kate Douglass, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 2:14.70 – Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (2022)

GOLD – Kate Douglass (USA), 2:12.72 *WORLD RECORD
SILVER – Alina Zmushka (NIA), 2:18.79
BRONZE – Tara Kinder (AUS), 2:19.08

What is there to say after a swim like that by American Kate Douglass.

The 22-year-old Olympic champion blasted one of the most impressive swims of all time, hitting an other-worldly result of 2:12.72 to take the gold. She entirely skipped the 2:13’s en route to surpassing her previous WR of 2:14.16 put on the books just days ago in Incheon.

Tonight she beat the field by over 6 seconds….6 seconds! Alina Zmushka of Belarus, competing as an independent athlete, touched in 2:18.79 and Aussie Tara Kinder secured bronze in 2:19.08.

Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Final

• World Record: 55.28 – Ilya Shymanovich, NIA (2021)
• World Cup Record: 55.61 – Cameron van der Burgh, RSA (2009)
• World Junior Record: 56.66 – Simone Cersuolo, ITA (2021)

GOLD – Qin Haiyang (CHN), 55.61 *World Cup Record
SILVER – Ilya Shymanovich (NIA), 55.72
BRONZE – Caspar Corbeau (NED), 56.67

Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich led this men’s 100m breast through the 75m mark before China’s Qin Haiyang raced a blistering 14.63 final 25m to grab the gold.

Qin’s time of 55.61 tied South African Cameron van der Burgh’s World Cup Record of 55.61 established over a decade ago in 2009. His result also checks in as a new national and Asian continental record, outperforming the 55.73 he produced on his home soil in Shanghai.

Shymanovich settled for silver in 55.72, his first outing under the 56-second barrier across the 3 stops. His PB remains at the current World Record of 55.28 he swam in 2021.

Caspar Corbeau earned his 2nd consecutive bronze, touching in 56.67, just off his 56.59 from the Incheon stp.

Women’s 50m Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Cup Record: 22.93 – Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED (2017)
• World Junior Record: 23.69 – Anastasyia Shkurdai, NIA (2020)

GOLD – Kasia Wasick (POL), 23.23
SILVER – Yang Junxuan (CHN), 23.89
BRONZE – Siobhan Haughey (HKG), 24.00

32-year-old Kasia Wasick completed her trio of World Cup victories in this women’s 50m freestyle, handily defeating tonight’s field in Singapore.

Poland’s Wasick put up a time of 23.23 to get to the wall over half a second ahead of the pack. The next-closest competitor was Yang Junxuan of China who hit 23.89.

Hong Kong’s Olympic multi-medalist Siobhan Haughey finished 3rd in 24.00.

Wasick’s result was within range of her Polish standard of 23.10 turned in during last year’s circuit, so the veteran was just .13 off that time.

Men’s 50m Freestyle – Final

• World Record: 20.16 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 20.48 – Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2018)
• World Junior Record: 20.98 – Kenzo Simons, NED (2019)

GOLD – Dylan Carter (TTO), 20.82
SILVER – Isaac Cooper (AUS), 21.01
BRONZE – Marius Kusch (GER), 21.04

28-year-old Dylan Carter was just off his personal best and TTO national record en route to claiming gold in the men’s edition of the splash n’ dash.

Carter posted a winning effort of 20.82, just .12 off his 20.70 PB from the 2022 Short Course World Championships. He was 21.06 at the first stop in Shanghai to earn his 2nd gold during the series.

Aussie sprinter Isaac Cooper was next in 21.01, slightly quicker than his silver medal-garnering performance of 21.07 in Incheon.

Germany’s Marius Kusch rounded out the podium in 21.04. He was also the bronze medalist in Shanghai in 21.09.

Women’s 100m IM – Final

• World Record: 55.98 – Gretchen Walsh, United States (2024) *pending ratification
• World Cup Record: 56.51 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2017)
• World Junior Record: 57.59 – Anastasyia Shkurdai, NIA (2020)

GOLD – Kate Douglass (USA), 56.57
SILVER – Yu Yiting (CHN), 57.44
BRONZE – Beata Nelson (USA), 57.53

Not long after her World Record-setting feat in the 200m breast, Douglass was back at it, diving in for the women’s 100m IM.

Douglass mustered an impressive 56.57 gold medal-earning swim to beat out China’s Yu Yiting and fellow American Beata Nelson.

Yu scored silver in 57.44 to eke out 2nd place ahead of Nelson’s 57.53.

Douglass’ performance represents a new personal best, surpassing the 56.97 posted in Incheon. She remains the #2 American performer ever, with only Gretchen Walsh’s 55.98 World Record positioned ahead of her.

Yu’s time is a new Chinese Record and Asian Record, slicing .07 off the 57.51 from Shanghai.

Men’s 100m IM – Final

• World Record: 49.28 – Caeleb Dressel, USA (2020)
• World Cup Record: 50.26 – Vladimir Morozov, RUS (2018)
• World Junior Record: 50.63 – Kliment Kolesnikov, RUS (2018)

GOLD – Leon Marchand (FRA), 49.92 *World Cup Record
SILVER – Noe Ponti (SUI), 50.39
BRONZE – Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 51.35

Frenchman Marchand ripped a time of 49.92 to establish a new World Cup Record and secure his 3rd World Cup victory in the men’s 100m IM.

Marchand’s outing also checks in as a new European Record, making him the first-ever man from his continent to dip under the 50-second barrier.

In fact, he’s just the 2nd man from anywhere in the world to hit a 49-point time, now ranked the #2 performer all-time behind American Caeleb Dressel’s World Record of 49.28.

Fresh off his 100m fly victory, Ponti posted 50.39 for a new Swiss national record while Italy’s Thomas Ceccon notched 51.35 for bronze.