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• 🌎Short Course World Champs Day 2🌏

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🌎World Short Course Championships🌏

Day 2 Finals

Mixed 4X50 Medley Relay Final:

What better way to start a finals session than with a sprint relay? The battle between team USA and team Italy was electric and very close. However, from start to finish it was team USA reigning supreme 🥇 with a huge start from Ryan Murphy in a new American Record time of 22.33 (previously 22.53 from ISL season 3 in 2021). Nic Fink took control in a 24.96. Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy split 24.83 which is the fastest in history, but it wasn't enough to overtake Fink's lead.

From there, Kate Douglass took complete control splitting the third-fastest ever 50 fly split in 24.09, and then Torri Huske made the win and massive world record official (see split comparisons below). Team Italy was also under the world record time in 1:36.01 for 🥈 and the Canadians got third for the 🥉

Women's 800m Freestyle:

In the fastest heat of the women's 800m freestyle, it was Australia's Lani Pallister who once again took the win in dominating fashion in 8:04.07 (Seventh fastest performer in history). After winning the 400m freestyle yesterday, Pallister looks to sweep the distance events as she will be the top seed in the 1500m freestyle by 25 seconds on Friday. Second place and silver went to New Zealander, Erika Fairweather (8:10.41), and bronze to Japanese swimmer, Miyu Namba (8:12.98).

Women's 100 Freestyle Semi-Finals:

Big drop in times from the heats as expected for Aussie, Emma McKeon, qualifying first for the final tomorrow in 51.28. It should be an excellent race between McKeon and Hong Kong superstar, Siobhan Haughey (51.69). Americans, Torri Huske (52.11) and Natalie Hinds (52.16), qualified sixth and seventh respectively.

Men's 100m Freestyle Semi-Finals:

Cayman Island/U-Tennesse swimmer, Jordan Crooks let the semi-finals as well in a time of 45.55 ahead of France's Maxime Grousset (45.58) and Aussie, Kyle Chalmers (45.66). Fourth seed is for tomorrow's final is Alessandro Miressi of Italy (45.74) and fifth is the skinny legend himself, David Popovici of Romania (45.91 - World Junior Record 🔥).

Women's 100m Backstroke Final:

It was an Aussie 1-2 finish in the women's 100m backstroke final. Kaylee McKeown won 🥇 in a time of 55.49 while countrywoman Mollie O'Callaghan was 🥈 in 55.62. There was a tie for third 🥉 between American, Claire Curzan, and Canadian, Ingrid Wilm (55.74).

Men's 100m Backstroke Final:

After leading off the American world-record-swimming 4X50 mixed medley, Captain Ryan Murphy was on fire in the 100m backstroke final. After the first 25, fellow American, Coleman Stewart's world record (48.33) looked to be in serious jeopardy. Under world record pace at the 50m mark, Murphy fell off slightly at the finish to just miss the world record but easily secured gold 🥇 in a new championship record time of 48.50.

In second 🥈 was Italy's Lorenzo Mora (49.04) and third 🥉 was Australia's Isaac Alan Cooper (49.52)

Women's 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals:

It's looking like a tight final in tomorrow's final in the women's 100m breaststroke. It was Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte taking the top seed in the heats, and America's Lilly King taking the top seed by .07 of a second in the semi-finals. Reona Aoki of Japan is currently the third seed for tomorrow's final in 1:04.13.

Fun note, in the second semi-final (headlined by Meilutyte and King), there seemed to be some serious mind games going on. When the swimmers were called up onto the blocks, one swimmer "appeared" not to hear the signal, the Queen of Kings, Lilly King. All the swimmers were then asked to step down and the process restarted. Whatever your stance on conspiracy theories, King has a history of throwing off the competition, and I'm here for it.

Men's 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals:

Another close final for tomorrow night. 100 Breaststroke World Champion (LCM) Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy will be tomorrow night's top seed in 56.01. Followed closely by Abu Dhabi (SCM) world champ Nic Fink (USA) in 56.25. Qin Haiyang of China is also showing impressive speed qualifying third in 56.38. Fourth is the Breaststroke 🐐, Great Britain's Adam Peaty swam 56.42.

Women's 50m Butterfly Final:

Such an exciting final for the women's 50m butterfly final. The race ended in a dead heat (tie) between American Torri Huske and Canada's Maggie MacNeil in 24.64 🥇- they'll see each other at NCAAs in March 😈. Zhang Yufei finished third tying the Asian record in 24.71 🥉. Beryl Gastaldello of France finished fourth in 24.85. American Record holder, Claire Curzan tied with Frenchwoman Melanie Henique for fifth in 24.92.

Men's 50m Butterfly Final:

An emotional 50m butterfly final for nerds everywhere. 42 year-old Nicholas Santos of Brazil defended his world championship crown 🥇 in 21.78 - a new world championships record and .03 off the world record he shares with Hungary's Sebasztian Szabo (21.75). Santos has said that this is his last world championship before retirement, so it's likely that the Brazilian men's 4X50 medley relay will be the last time we see the 50 fly 🐐 and 👑 of old swimmers.

Noe Ponti of Switzerland was second in 21.96 and the aforementioned Szabo of Hungary was third.

Women's 4X200m Freestyle Relay Final:

A spectacular finish to this finals session as Australia dominated ANOTHER freestyle relay and smashed ANOTHER world record (this one without Emma McKeon) 🥇. Almost all sub-1:53 splits for the Aussie women which is bananas 🤯. And how about the 400m/800m world champion, Lani Pallister anchoring with the fourth-fastest 200m split of the field (1:52.24)?! 🔥🔥

Canada finished second 🥈with a quick lead-off split for Rebecca Smith (1:52.15 - second fastest in the field) and anchor for Taylor Ruck (1:52.73). The United States finished third 🥉 - a slightly disappointing anchor split for Leah Smith in 1:55.09. Super quick split for Erin Gemmell in 1:52.23 though - that split kept them on the hunt throughout the race.

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