Simone Quadarella Celebrates What It Feels Like To Be Katie Ledecky In Lonely Lane To World Title
by CRAIG LORD
23 July 2019, 04:10am
World Swimming Championships
Gwangju, Day 3 finals
Simone Quadarella Photo Courtesy:
Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Women’s 1500m freestyle
Simone Quadarella had hoped to race for gold in a battle with the superstar of 30-lap racing but illness put Katie Ledecky out of the fight and the Italian was left to experience what the American often has: a race against the clock to a gold far ahead of her rivals.
The world title went to the Italian 19-year-old in a national record of 15:40.89, silver to Sarah Kohler, of Germany, in 15:48.83, the bronze to China’s Wang Jianjiahe in 15:51.00. American Ashley Twichell was next home in 15:54.19.
Quadarella’s win marked the second gold for Italy in the event’s history since 2001, Alessia Filippi having won at home in Rome back in 2009 in 15:44.93. Into the race as 9th fastest all-time, Quadarella emerged fourth fastest, the 10th anniversary of the ban on shiny suits in Rome an apt one for the new champion to leapfrog an old one who had held the Italian record for a decade.
“I’ve discovered at noon that Ledecky was out, the next hours has been the the worst of my life: I was so nervous,” Quadarella said.
On 8:17.95 at the 800m mark, Quadarella held a 7m lead over Kohler, the battle for bronze a further 5m and more back led by Wang. And that, give or take, is how it stayed until the close of business.
On the list of the best 25 efforts ever over 1500m, topped by eight swims from Ledecky, Quadarella was the only one to feature going into the final tonight: 23rd on a best time of 15:48.84 from the Seven Hills meet in Rome several weeks ago in the waters of the Foro Italico where Filippi claimed her world title.
Quadarella moved up from 23rd to 12th on the all-time list of performances and is in a fine place a year out from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at which the 1500m for women will be raced for the first time in Games history going back to Stockholm 1912 for the girls, the (old) boys having got the party started in 1896.
Delighted, someone overcome by the win and the events of a day that did not unfold as she and the defending champion had expected arriving at the door of the championships last weekend, Quadarella was asked a couple of questions on the deck for broadcast to the in-house crowd. Between sobs and smiles, she managed to say: “Yes, it was fun” and “Yes, I was very grateful to the crowd” for cheering for her and celebrating her win.
“I keep on crying…too much emotion. Before the race, the news of Ledecky, then anxiety of the start, then the voice of my family while I was swimming and the italian anthem…. I’m overwhelmed,” Quadarella said.
Quadarella and Kohler are old sparring partners, both in Europe and at the Universiade in Taipei 2017, when the Italian setting a World Student Games record of 8:20.54 a second ahead of Kohler two days after claiming the 1500m crown in 15:57.90 to the German’s 15:59.85.
1
QUADARELLA
Simona
ITA
15:40.89
2
KOHLER
Sarah
GER
15:48.83
3
WANG
Jianjiahe
CHN
15:51.00
4
TWICHELL
Ashley
USA
15:54.19
5
GOUGH
Maddy
AUS
15:59.40
6
KESELY
Ajna
HUN
16:01.35
7
MELVERTON
Kiah
AUS
16:01.38
8
BELMONTE
Mireia
ESP
16:02.10
Kylie Masse Retains World Title in 100 Back While Continuing Canadian Momentum
by JOHN LOHN
23 July 2019, 05:16am
World Swimming Championships (Kylie Masse)
Gwangju, Day 3 finals
Women’s 100 backstroke
The surge of Canadian prominence continued on Tuesday night as Kylie Masse retained her title in the 100 backstroke at the World Championships, rallying from fourth at the midway point to grab the gold medal in 58.60. Masse’s medal raised Canada’s count to four, and complemented the surprise victory of teammate Maggie MacNeil in the 100 butterfly from Monday night.
Masse had some room to make up down the second lap but stayed smooth with her stroke and gradually pulled into the lead and held off Australia’s Minna Atherton (58.85) and the United States’ Olivia Smoliga (58.91). Canada’s Taylor Ruck just missed the podium, finishing fourth in 58.96.
The first three days of competition have been nothing short of exceptional for Canada, which has watched its women’s program consistently progress over the past few years. As recently as the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the Canadian women were shut out of the medals. A year later, at the World Championships in Barcelona, a bronze medal from Hilary Caldwell in the 200 backstroke was all Canada could muster, with the World Champs of 2015 also producing just one medal.
Fortunes began to change, however, at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where Masse and Penny Oleksiak stepped forward to lead a new generation of Canadian women. Since that roll started in South America, it hasn’t stopped, and Canada has established itself as a consistent player on the global stage.
Xu Jiayu Wins Stacked Men’s 100 Back Final Over Rylov, Larkin
by CRAIG LORD
23 July 2019, 05:19am
World Swimming Championships
Gwangju, Day 3 finals
Xu Jiayu successfully defended his 100 Back Title.
Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA
Men’s 100m backstroke
It was a race that featured the last three World Champions as well as the reigning Olympic Champion and world record holder. But at the end of the day, China’s Xu Jiayu successfully defended his 100 back world title with a 52.43. It wasn’t a particularly fast time as Xu has been under 52 seconds in the past, but the gold medal will last forever as he now joins Aaron Peirsol as the only swimmers to successfully defend the 100 back at World Championships. Peirsol won three titles from 2003-2007 in this event.
2013 World Champion Matt Grevers, 2015 World Champion Mitch Larkin and 2016 Olympic Champion and world record holder Ryan Murphy were a part of the stacked race, but could not dethrone the Chinese champion. In fact, it was Russia’s Evgeny Rylov with the silver medal at 52.67 while Australia’s Mitch Larkin won the bronze medal at 52.77. Larkin returns to the podium for the first time since winning gold in 2015.
USA’s Murphy went out fastest at 25.05 and was under his world record pace. He was leading for about 75 meters before he tightened up the final 25 and finished in fourth, 0.01 off the podium at 52.78. Grevers finished in fifth at 52.82. Grevers (silver) and Murphy (bronze) will not return to the podium in 2019 for this event. This is the first time the men’s 100 back podium won’t feature an American since 2011.
Japan’s Ryosuke Irie, competing in his sixth straight World Championships final in the 100 back, placed sixth at 53.22. Irie only has one medal in this event as he won bronze in 2011.
Brazil’s Guilherme Guido (53.26) and Romania’s Robert Glinta (54.22) placed seventh and eighth in the final.
1
XU
Jiayu
CHN
52.43
2
RYLOV
Evgeny
RUS
52.67
3
LARKIN
Mitchell
AUS
52.77
4
MURPHY
Ryan
USA
52.78
5
GREVERS
Matt
USA
52.82
6
IRIE
Ryosuke
JPN
53.22
7
GUIDO
Guilherme
BRA
53.26
8
GLINTA
Robert
ROU
54.22
King Fights Off Efimova Surge To Retain 100m Breaststroke Title: Russian Moves Level With Jones’ Medal Haul
by LIZ BYRNES
23 July 2019, 06:00am
World Swimming Championships
Gwangju, Day 3 finals
Lilly King Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Women’s 100m breaststroke
Lilly King is never shy of giving you an opinion but tonight she let her swimming do the talking as she retained her 100m breaststroke title after once more eclipsing familiar foe Yuliya Efimova.
The American turned first at halfway on 30.29secs and although the Russian seemed to be on the brink of overhauling King, she fought back to touch in 1:04.93 with Efimova second on 1:05.49.
With victory King became the fourth woman to have claimed two 100m breaststroke titles while Efimova equalled 2008 Olympic champion Leisel Jones’ five-strong medal haul in this event.
Italian Martina Carraro won bronze in 1:06.36 after turning in seventh only to unleash a second 50 of 34.79, a split bettered only by King.
The American’s time was the fastest in the world in 2019 and sits sixth all-suits all-time, 0.80secs behind the world record she set at the 2017 worlds.
Top times all-suits
1 1:04.13 WORLDS17 King, Lilly, 1997, USA
2 1:04.35 WORLDS13 Meilutyte, Ruta, 1997, LTU
3 1:04.36 WORLDS17 Efimova*, Yulia, 1992, RUS
4 1:04.45 USOPNAUG Hardy, Jessica, 1987, USA
5 1:04.84 WORLDS09 Soni, Rebecca, 1987, USA
6 1:05.03 WORLDS17 Meili, Katie, 1991, USA
King, of Indiana University, moved level with Jones, China’s Luo Xuejuan and Rebecca Soni of the United States in winning two 100m breaststroke world titles.
more to follow
Duncan Scott Joins Mack Horton In Podium Protest After “You Loser” Rant From Sun Yang
by CRAIG LORD
23 July 2019, 06:35am
World Championships,
Gwangju Day 3 finals
Photo Courtesy: Patrick B. Kraemer
The world got a view of the infamous temper of Chinese controversy Sun Yang when Britain’s Duncan Scott staged a silent podium protest in support of Fair Play tonight at the Nambu pool here in Gwangju.
Passions already running high after Australian Mack Horton courted a FINA warning for refusing to stand on the podium with Sun after the 400m freestyle final on Sunday, tension was added to the mix when Lithuanian Danys Rapsys won the 200m final but had his celebrations cut short by disqualification for moving on his blocks at the start. That left Sun to shine as champion once more.
Whatever happened on the way to the medals, once on the podium, a dark cloud washed over Sun’s mood: after he accepted the gold medal, he then turned to the shared bronze medallists to his left and shouted loudly in Scott’s face “you loser, I am the winner”.
The booing and jeering that started when Rapsys was denied, switched camps from crowd and athletes’ stands to Chinese fans when Scott then stood well aside and refused to pose for medal-winners’ photographs with Sun.
The snaps shot, Sun passed the waiting Scott – who had not inflamed the situation by answering back and simply maintained what he saw as his right to stand in protest – before turning on him once more and repeating: “You loser, me the winner”.
Time to say goodbye to playing along with athletes towing a doping record, says Duncan Scott as he makes his way off the deck top cheers from the crowd and athletes – Photo Courtesy: Patrick B. Kraemer
Once more, Scott stood back as the other three medallists posed for more photos on the deck. He then decided, to boos from Chinese fans but far louder cheering from the rest of the crowd, athletes, coaches and some media, too, to walk away, waving his arm in the air to acknowledge the support raining down on his from the stands, teammates – and on social media.
Now retired from racing, Australian Olympic gold medallist Mel Wright tweeted of Scott: “I hope FINA and the world Anti-Doping authorities are watching the tide swell. More needs to be done and the athletes have had enough. Bravo ”
Agent to Scott and Britain teammate Adam Peaty, Rob Woodhouse, an Olympic medallist for Australia back in 1984, weighed in with: “So proud of @Dunks_Scott stance on medal dais tonight. Brilliant swim and dignified protest. A true champion”.
After emerging from his 50m breaststroke semi-final, Peaty, asked if he had been aware of the podium stand-off, said: “Yes I saw that.
“He is completely right. If people are booing Sun, it’s for a reason. He should be asking himself now – should I really be in this sport when people are booing me? But I know how they are and I know how he is so it’s … yeah … If I was swimming I wouldn’t even get on the podium for that matter.”
Had there been a conversation about a potential protest in the British camp? “Not really no,” said Peaty.
“I think the most important thing as a sports person is that you have a right to a voice and Duncan showed his voice tonight and so did the crowd. It’s completely fair that what ever is going on behind the scenes now is not going right because if the fans aren’t wanting it then why is he even here?”
FINA leaders watched the incident unfold underneath the big screen flanked by giant posters of the championship motto: Dive into Peace.
It found none last night and now has another headache in its closet of nightmares, some of them involving Sun, his status as a swimmer towing a doping positive since 2014 and accusations of bad behaviour with that. He once served a short stint in jail for driving with a licence after the Porsche he was taking for a spin collided with a bus in China, while in 2015 at the Work Championships he kicked in a locker in a dispute with team officials who had withdrawn him from the 1500m freestyle final on health grounds and was the subject of a complaint from a Brazilian woman swimmer who said he had hit her in the warm-up pool.
In a warning letter to Swimming Australia over Horton’s protest, the international federation said: “While FINA respects the principle of freedom of speech, it has to be conducted in the right context. As in all major sports organisations, our athletes and their entourages are aware of their responsibilities to respect FINA regulations and not use FINA events to make personal statements or gestures.”
There was no question that “statements or gestures” came into play tonight when Sun screamed “loser” in Scott’s face on a world-championship podium. The question is, therefore, will British Swimming get a warning from FINA? And if so, will the Chinese Swimming Association get one for Sun at a time of anti-doping case pending at the Court of Arbitration for sport?
Earlier in the day Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) has called on FINA, the international federation, to follow the example of the International Swimming League and take a zero-tolerance approach to anti-doping “… rather than issue meaningless letters of warning against clean athletes who take a stand”.
The letter was that about Horton after he refused to step up on the podium next to China’s Sun Yang after the 400m freestyle final at the World Championships here in Gwangju, Korea.
Horton decided to make a stand against Sun’s presence at a championship at a time when an anti-doping case against him is pending at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
A tentative September date has been set for a hearing into the World Anti-Doping Agency‘s March challenge to a FINA Doping Panel hearing into troubling events that unfolded at an out-of-competition test near Sun’s home last September, the events surrounding which were revealed by the Sunday Times in January.
It was March before WADA lodged a case with the CAS to challenge a FINA Doping Panel ruling that let Sun go free but handed him a series of stern rebukes for his behaviour during four hours of argument with out-of-competition testers who called at his home on September 4 last year.
Last weekend, Sun’s lawyers protested their client’s innocence in a statement that said the Olympic 200m freestyle champion had requested that the CAS hold its hearing in public in the interests of transparency.
Horton’s silent protest has earned plaudits from international peers in the pool and on the deck, while in China, his stance has faced heavy criticism and abuse from fans of Sun Yang.
Scott, too, was treated to a wave of social-media support from the swimming and sports community around the world (more on that later).
In the mixed zone, Scott did not elaborate when asked how he had felt about the controversy as he headed into the 200m final with Sun. He indicated that no words were needed from him, noting as he pointed at this author: “You do quite a job of making sure everyone continues to know about it and so I guess that’s all I have got to say about it.”
Xu Jiayu Posts CR in 100 Back Semis at World Swimming Championships (Full Semifinals Wrap)
by DAVID RIEDER
22 July 2019, 03:20am
Gwangju 2019
Day two semifinals
Men’s 100 Back
After issues with the backstroke starting ledges in prelims that first ruled out their use in the finals sessions and then meant that they must be used on one setting, the expected favorites rose to the top of the pack in the 100 back. China’s Xu Jiayu took the top spot in 52.17, breaking Aaron Peirsol’s championship record (52.19) set 10 years ago. Xu and world record-holder Ryan Murphy went out right on world record-pace in the second semi-final, only for Murphy to fall back as Xu won the heat.
Murphy ended up tying for second with Russia’s Evgeny Rylov, the defending world champion in the 200 back, in 52.44. The USA’s Matt Grevers, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, was fourth in 52.82, followed closely by 2015 World Champion Mitch Larkin of Australia (52.91).
Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov, who won last year’s European title in 52.53 and holds the world record in the 50 back, missed the final as he finished ninth in 53.44.
Top eight qualifiers:
1. Xu Jiayu (CHN), 52.17
2. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 52.44
2. Ryan Murphy (USA), 52.44
4. Matt Grevers (USA), 52.82
5. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 52.91
6. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 53.13
7. Guilherme Guido (BRA), 53.23
8. Robert Glinta (ROU), 53.40
Women’s 100 Breast
Russia’s Yuliya Efimova posted the top time in the first semifinal at 1:05.56, and that held up as the top overall time as the USA’s Lilly King swam a 1:05.66 in heat two. Efimova will again look to dethrone King, the Olympic and world champion and world record-holder, in Tuesday’s final. King’s world record stands at 1:04.13, and Efimova’s lifetime best is 1:04.36, both from the 2017 World Championships in Budapest.
Japan’s Reona Aoki was the best of the rest, qualifying third in 1:06.30, with Italy’s Martina Carraro fourth in 1:06.39.
Belgium’s Fanny Lecluyse and Italy’s Arianna Castiglioni tied for eighth in 1:06.97, setting up a potential swim-off for the last lane in the final. Australia’s Jessica Hansen barely missed out on joining that swim-off, finishing just one hundredth behind in 1:06.98.
Castiglioni won the swim-off at 1:06.39 to get lane eight for the final. Lecluyse was a 1:07.22.
Top seven qualifiers:
Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:05.56
Lilly King (USA), 1:05.66
Reona Aoki (JPN), 1:06.30
Martina Carraro (ITA), 1:06.39
Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:06.61
Molly Renshaw (GBR), 1:06.73
Yu Jingyao (CHN), 1:06.85
Arianna Castiglioni (ITA), 1:06.97
Women’s 100 Back
Canada’s Kylie Masse, the reigning world champion in the 100 back, will look to reclaim the world record from the USA’s Kathleen Baker in the final after she qualified first in 58.50. Masse won this title in 2017 in 58.10 to set the world record, only for Baker to break that mark with a 58.00 at U.S. Nationals last summer. The first 57-second swim could be on offer Tuesday night.
Young Australian Kaylee McKeown put up an impressive lifetime best, 58.60, to win the first semifinal heat and earn lane five for the final. Canada’s Taylor Ruck also got under 59 to qualify third in 58.83, followed by Baker in 59.03. Australia’s Kaylee McKeown (59.13) and the USA’s Olivia Smoliga (59.36) were the next two qualifiers. Smoliga won the short course world title last December, and she has been as fast as 58.73 this year.
Top eight qualifiers:
Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.50
Minna Atherton (AUS), 58.60
Taylor Ruck (CAN), 58.83
Kathleen Baker (USA), 59.03
Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 59.13
Olivia Smoliga (USA), 59.36
Daria Vaskina (RUS), 59.46
Natsumi Sakai (JPN), 59.71
Men’s 200 Free
Australia’s Clyde Lewis swam in lane one of the first semi-final, and he uncorked a shocking 1:44.90, crushing his previous lifetime best (1:45.88) to record the top seed for Tuesday’s final. Lewis became the first man in two years to break 1:45 in the event.
China’s Sun Yang, the reigning world and Olympic champion, will go for his second gold of the meet after earlier winning the 400 free, qualified second in 1:45.31, and Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys closed strongly to finish third in 1:45.44.
The rest of the final was tightly packed, led by a tie for fourth between Great Britain’s Duncan Scott and Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto at 1:45.56. Italy’s Filippo Megli was the last man in at 1:45.76.
The semifinal was most notable for who didn’t make the final, with four big names left out. Great Britain’s James Guy, the 2015 world champion and the top qualifier out of prelims, took 11th in 1:45.95. Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, the 100 free Olympic champion who was fourth-best in prelims, ended up 13th in 1:46.21.
Chalmers was followed by the two American swimmers, 2017 world silver medalist and 2018 Pan Pacs champion Townley Haas (1:46.37) and 2018 Pan Pacs silver medalist Andrew Seliskar (1:46.83). That meant that of eight U.S. swimmers in Monday’s semifinals, only five advanced to finals.
Top eight qualifiers:
1. Clyde Lewis (AUS), 1:44.90
2. Sun Yang (CHN), 1:45.31
3. Danas Rapsys (LTU), 1:45.44
4. Duncan Scott (GBR), 1:45.56
4. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN), 1:45.56
6. Dominik Kozma (HUN), 1:45.57
7. Martin Malyutin (RUS), 1:45.60
8. Filippo Megli (ITA), 1:45.76
Caeleb Dressel Flies To 22.35 American And World-Championship-Record Triumph
Caleb Dressel – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
by LIZ BYRNES
22 July 2019, 04:20am
FINA World Swimming Championships (Caeleb Dressel)
Gwangju 2019
Day 2 finals
Men’s 50m butterfly
Caeleb Dressel claimed his second gold of the championships with a roaring 22.35 American and Championship record that dominated the butterfly dash, Oleg Kostin, of Russia, taking silver in 22.70 and Brazilian veteran Nicholas Santos the bronze in 22.79, American Michael Andrew locked out by 0.01sec.
Britain’s defending champion Ben Proud was off his best in the rounds but was first off his blocks over on the wing in 1. His reaction of 0.57sec compared to Dressel’s 0.62 but the American rolled like thunder into his stroke and never let up all the way to the second-fastest time in history.
The 22.27 world record of Ukraine’s Andrey Govorov lived to fight another day but Govorov was back in sixth on 22.91 today, while another former world champion, Proud finished seventh in 23.01.
Dressel, a member of the victorious USA 4x100m freestyle quartet yesterday, collected a world-championship record seven gold medals two years ago in Budapest and is on course to keep his tally golden.
He said: “Two years ago I was fourth so I looked up and was surprised. I knew it was going to be a fast heat. It certainly was so I was a bit surprised. I thought my semifinal swim…I didn’t think I was going to get much faster than that to be honest and I did so I was happy to improve on that.
“Of course you have those self-doubts pop into your mind every now and then but it’s nice to overcome them. It’s kind of just an individual success I feel like that I do with myself to just kind of shut those things out and just race, that’s what you’ve gotta do at the end of the day.”
1
DRESSEL
Caeleb
USA
22.35
2
KOSTIN
Oleg
RUS
22.70
3
SANTOS
Nicholas
BRA
22.79
4
ANDREW
Michael
USA
22.80
5
SZABO
Szebasztian
HUN
22.90
6
GOVOROV
Andrii
UKR
22.91
7
PROUD
Benjamin
GBR
23.01
8
ZHILKIN
Andrey
RUS
23.11
Dressel became the first American to take the 50 fly crown, something he had been unaware of until told by two reporters.
It’s good, he said. “I am glad to be a part of it. I don’t think it is something we were too worried about. The 50 strokes are a little weird in the US, it’s not particularly something of importance, we don’t really do them that much. We are starting to do them more and more but it’s not really a thing. I guess it’s good we got one guy in there, I’m glad it was me.”
He added: “It shakes it up. It’s just a fun event, that’s what I was telling the guys after the race that it was a fun one. It really was. They’re all supposed to be like that but the 50 fly for me, it just brings something different. It’s a lot less…stress is not the right word but it’s the only thing I can think of that comes to mind. It’s just good old- fashioned racing in an event that is just as Worlds so it seems to just not have that same pressure on it.”
Santos claimed his third medal, 18 years after making his World Championship bow in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2001.
It was unexpected given the 39-year-old had not been selected by Brazil but instead was invited by FINA after he set a new South American record of 22.6 in the FINA Champions Series in Budapest, Hungary.
He said: “It’s amazing for me. My third medal in the long-course world championships so I am pretty happy. Especially because FINA invited me to be here – not my federation, my country – so I am 39-years-old and I won a medal, it’s amazing.
“I am very focused, I take care of my body, my nutrition, genetics – that’s not my control – but I do the hard work.”
Of who he was thinking of on the podium, he said: “I think I was doing it for me, my family and my sponsors that support me and are with me and it is good for Brazil as well and I hope to help the others from Brazil to get the other medals here.
FINA Issues Warning To Swimming Australia Over Mack Horton’s Silent Protest On Sun Yang
Mack Horton – Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr/Swimming Australia Ltd.
by CRAIG LORD
22 July 2019, 04:10am
FINA has sent a warning letter to Swimming Australia over Mack Horton‘s silent protest against the presence of Sun Yang, of China, yesterday. Sun retained the world title here in Gwangju, with Olympic champion Horton second and Italian Gabriele Detti third.
Horton then decided to make a stand against Sun’s presence at a championship while and anti-doping case against him is pending at the Court of Arbitration. A tentative September date has been set for a hearing into the World Anti-Doping Agency‘s March challenge to a FINA Doping Panel hearing into troubling events that unfolded at an out-of-competition test near Sun’s home last September.
Swimmers have been very vocal in their view that the case should have been dealt with before action started in Gwangju, while CAS revealed to Swimming World last week that no parties to the case, neither Sun’s entourage, FINA nor WADAS had requested an expedited process.
During finals on day 2 in Gwangju, FINA issued the following statement:
The FINA Executive met today in Gwangju (KOR) to analyse the situation related with the men’s 400m free victory ceremony and has decided to send a warning letter to Swimming Australia Ltd and to athlete Mack Horton (AUS).
While FINA respects the principle of freedom of speech, it has to be conducted in the right context.
As in all major sports organisations, our athletes and their entourages are aware of their responsibilities to respect FINA regulations and not use FINA events to make personal statements or gestures.
The matter over which Mack Horton was allegedly protesting is currently under review by CAS and therefore it is not appropriate for FINA to prejudice this hearing by commenting further.
End of statement.
Sun’s lawyers issued a statement this week to say that the swimmer has requested that CAS hold a public hearing into his case in the interests of transparency.
Maggie MacNeil Stuns Sarah Sjostrom in the 100 Fly, Medalists Honor Rikako Ikee on Podium
by ANDY ROSS
22 July 2019, 04:50am
FINA World Swimming Championships: (Maggie MacNeil)
Emma McKeon, Maggie MacNeil, and Sarah Sjostrom send best
wishes to Rikako Ikee as she fights leukeumia.
Gwangju 2019
Day 2 Finals
In a race that almost everyone in the venue expected to go Sarah Sjostrom’s way, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil rose to the occasion and won the 100 fly gold medal at 55.83 on Monday night at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
But after last night’s women’s 400 free when Australia’s Ariarne Titmus stunned Katie Ledecky in the final to give Ledecky her first international loss in a race over 400 meters in her career, how could anything go as expected? Sjostrom has been relatively untouchable this decade, winning every world and Olympic title in the event since 2013. Like Ledecky, she had shown signs of invincibility in this event, but had some pressure this week in Gwangju.
Maggie MacNeil swam in Sjostrom’s semifinal heat on Sunday night and was with her stroke for stroke. If anyone could beat Sjostrom, maybe it could be MacNeil?
But this is Sarah Sjostrom we are talking about. She was the world champion at 15 in 2009. She’s won this event four times at Worlds and was aiming for an unprecedented fifth title and fourth straight to become the first woman to do so in a single event. Sjostrom also held the 11-fastest performances in the event and was the only woman to break 56 seconds in the last seven years. So one would be betting house money if they were going against the Swede.
But MacNeil went out and won the race.
“It’s unbelievable. I really didn’t expect that,” MacNeil said afterward. “My second 50 tends to be my stronger part of the race so I was definitely was able to utilize that today.”
As for if she could beat Sjostrom, she said she was just hoping to get on the podium. But Sjostrom was gracious in defeat.
“She congratulated me and was just super-nice and so great and I have looked up to her forever so it means the world.”
MacNeil moved up to second all-time in the event and became the third woman under 56. Sjostrom was second in the final at 56.22. Australia’s Emma McKeon won the bronze medal at 56.61. She won her second medal in this event after winning the silver in 2017.
This has been an incredible 12 months for MacNeil. Her best time in 2018 was a 58.44 from the Pan Pac Trials. She moved to Ann Arbor to start her freshman year at the University of Michigan where she finished second at the NCAAs in March to become the third fastest swimmer all-time in the 100-yard butterfly. She ends her 2019 as a world champion and the sky is now the limit for MacNeil.
But what led to this meteoric rise for MacNeil? She was unsure what to attribute it to.
This is a surprising outcome for Sjostrom, who will not be hearing her national anthem for the 100 fly for the first time since 2011. It is a rare defeat and like Ledecky, many will be itching to see how she rebounds. She has the 100 and 50 free later in the week as well as the 50 fly, where she is the reigning world champion.
Italy’s Elena Di Liddo (57.07) finished fourth while Australia’s Brianna Throssell (57.09) was fifth.
USA’s Kelsi Dahlia (57.11), Sweden’s Louise Hansson (57.16) and France’s Marie Wattel (57.29) also swam in the final.
Australia has now medaled at 10 of the last 12 World Championships in this event. MacNeil’s gold is Canada’s first medal in this event at Worlds since Wendy Quirk won bronze in 1978.
1MACNEIL Maggie CAN 55.83AM
2SJOSTROM Sarah SWE 56.22
3MCKEON Emma AUS 56.61
4DI LIDDO Elena ITA 57.07
5 THROSSELL Brianna AUS 57.09
6 DAHLIA Kelsi USA 57.11
7 HANSSON Louise SWE 57.16
8WATTEL Marie FRA 57.29
All-Time Performers:
55.48, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
55.83, Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2019)
55.98, Dana Vollmer, USA (2012)
56.07, Liu Zige, CHN (2009)
56.08, Rikako Ikee, JPN (2018)
All-Time Performances:
55.48, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
55.53, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
55.64, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2015)
55.68, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2016)
55.74, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2015)
55.76, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
55.77, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2017)
55.83, Maggie MacNeil, CAN (2019)
Medal Ceremony
The final notably did not feature Japan’s Rikako Ikee, who swam the fastest time in the world in 2018 at 56.08. She was diagnosed with leukemia in February and has been unable to compete this year. Medalists McKeon, MacNeil and Sjostrom wrote on their hands, “never give up” for Ikee.
It was a touching moment and a great act of sportsmanship by the three women.
“It’s just to let her know we are thinking of her and we support and love her,” bronze medalist Emma McKeon said after the race.
It was Sjostrom who suggested to MacNeil and McKeon that they all write Ikee’s name on their hands. Ikee resumed light exercise in June and is hoping to get back on form next year.
Adam Peaty, A Record Third Title In Pantheon, And James Wilby Punch Great Britain 1-2 At World Championships
by CRAIG LORD
22 July 2019, 04:49am
World Swimming Championships (Adam Peaty)
Gwangju, Day 2 Finals
Adam Peaty – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Men’s 100m breaststroke
Great Britain celebrated gold and silver in the 100m breaststroke as Adam Peaty led teammate James Wilby home 57.14sec to 58.46. The battle for bronze went to China’s Yan Zibei, on an Asian record of 58.63, Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki locked out in 58.93.
Triumph made Peaty the first man to win the 100m crown three times. Although the gap between him and the rest has not narrowed since 2017, the draw of the British Olympic champion is clear: Wilby is now equal third fastest ever alongside 2012 Olympic champion Cameron Van Der Burgh, while Yan moved up to fifth swiftest ever.
One 57 and three 58 efforts in a final that closed in 59.19 made the 2019 showdown the fastest ever seen in world-championship history and the first to witness four men inside 59 sec.
“Project 56” confined to Peaty’s pantheon with a 56.88 sec sledgehammer of a world record in his semi-final, the test was all about the title today for the British Olympic champion, although he said he feels a low 56 is within his capabilities.
Out in 26.63 yesterday, Peaty turned inside record pace on 26.60 with an advantage of half a body and more on rivals. The race was his, all eyes on the clock. It was not until about 15m to go that tightness was tangible in the defending champion as he raced to a record third world crown, after wins in 2015 and 2017, when he drew level with Hungarian Norbert Rosza (1991, ’94) and American Brendan Hansen (2005/ ’07), who claimed two titles each.
Asked if he was disappointed in a time just 0.01sec shy of the global standard he set for Olympic gold in 2016, Peaty smiled broadly and said:
“Its still a 57.1, which is about a second and a half faster than the rest of them. I’m very happy: that constant expectation I put upon myself leaves me a little bit disappointed in me but I think that will fuel me for next year because I know how bad I want to go low 56, even faster now, and I know exactly how to do it. Obviously, I’ve run out of opportunities here but yeah, just enjoy it – enjoy the moment.”
He added: “Whether I go in first, second or last, it’s all about what I do in my lane, tunnel vision and enjoying the crowd. I paced it a little bit differently as Mel said to go for it in the first 50 and I ran out of steam a little bit on the back end, but I’m still learning the event and learning about myself and it’s still 57.1.”
Such is the expectation of pioneering speed from Peaty that he feels obliged to point out the magnitude of what he had just achieved and what that meant to him “This is still very special to me, winning a World Championship title and faster than I’ve ever done it before.
“It’s obviously a little bit slower than last night as I made a tiny little error with speed on the first 50, but I think the most important thing going into next year is that I’m still learning about myself; it’s not like I’ve gone 56 and I’ve got no more learning to do. I’m ecstatic to come away with a world title. I’m very happy, but that constant expectation I put on myself … there’s a little bit of disappointment in me, but I think that’ll fuel me for next year as I want to go even faster now.”
James Wilby, left, Britain teammate Adam Peaty and
Yan Zibei of China – Photo Courtesy: Patrick B. Kraemer
Peaty was delighted for Wilby, too: “It’s not just a British 1-2 but a Loughborough 1-2! We’re training partners, well he trains in a different group but we train in the same centre, and I’m stoked for him. It’s looking like Britain is a stronghold for breaststroke and it has been for a long time now.”
Now as fast as Van Der Burgh at London 2012, Wilby said: “I’m really happy. After the Commonwealths and Europeans last year this was always the next major international and the one last stepping stone towards Tokyo, so I’m really happy to get that silver medal and a Britain one-two means an awful lot to us as well. I’m buzzing for the 200 as well, because I focus on them both and that 100 makes me excited to see what I can do in the 200 now.
“After the World Championships in 2017, which was a bit of a shock for me as I wasn’t quite full prepared for it mentally, I sat myself down and thought ‘right, I’m not going to be in this game forever so it’s time to go’. I just really got myself motivated and have been keeping it going ever since and constantly learning.”
The Trail To Tokyo
In 2016, still breathless from Olympic gold in Rio, Peaty climbed out of the pool and declared his next target straight away: Project 56.
It was a reference to his ambition to become the first man to go under 57 seconds for the 100m breaststroke, the event in which he is more dominant than any swimmer in any other event in history.
Adam Peaty – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Yesterday, with a year to go to the defence of his Olympic title in Tokyo, he smashed that barrier with a performance that may well have been the greatest breaststroke swim ever seen and among the finest in any event by a British swimmer, up there with David Wilkie‘s 2:15.11 world-record Olympic victory over 200m breaststroke in 1976 and Becky Adlington‘s 8:14.10 triumph over 800m freestyle at the Beijing Games in 2008.
Only three other men this year have been faster than Peaty’s two half-way splits in a straight 50m dash, a race in which Peaty is world champion. His defence of that title starts tomorrow. Beyond that there are medal shots in the 4x100m medley relays, mixed and men.
No man had retained the world title at the biennial championships before Peaty did so in 2017; victory today would be three in a row. Two years on from Budapest 2017, the gap to Peaty and the best of the rest on the day remains precisely 1.32sec, American Kevin Cordes that much away two years ago, Wilby, a rival who trains a few lanes away from Peaty almost every day at the Loughborough Performance Centre, that much away today.
The Gwangju 2019 result:
1PEATYAdamGreat Britain GBR57.14
2WILBYJamesGreat Britain GBR58.46
3YANZibeiPeople’s Republic of China CHN58.63
4KOSEKIYasuhiroJapan JPN58.93
5PRIGODAKirillRussian Federation RUS59.09
6WILSONAndrewUnited States of America USA59.11
7BALANDINDmitriyKazakhstan KAZ59.14
8CHUPKOVAntonRussian Federation RUS59.19
Wilby knows the size of the challenge ahead to close that gap on the way to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games but benefits from the magnet in his midst, his coach David Hemmings exchanging knowledge and sharing the expertise of scientists from the English Institute of Sport and British Swimming on a regular basis with Peaty’s mentor Mel Marshall.
Adam Peaty – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
The world record had been 58.46 sec when in 2015 Peaty began a series of swims that have made him one of the outstanding figures in the sport.
He is 1.41sec faster than the second-fastest man in history, which means that as he stops the clock, the closest man to him has his fingertips at Peaty’s toes.
Peaty said one key factor in passing the target he set himself was becoming a little less desperate in his pursuit of it. “I look back at pictures of myself I have in my dining room and I don’t even recognise that guy because you are so inexperienced to a real athlete,” he said.
“Going through these past two, three years I have learnt the most important asset is my mental health and focus everything around that. So if I am chasing 56 or I am chasing 57, it’s unhealthy. So I said this morning I wasn’t going to chase 56, I was going to let it come to me and it’s exactly what we’ve done.”
In a single event, Peaty is the most dominant man in modern swimming history on this measure: his heats time yesterday morning, 57.59sec, and his world record last night mean that he had the 16 fastest 100m breaststroke swims in history. His 57.14sec win today, the fourth best of his career, make it 17, just one shy of the record 18 best efforts ever in one event at one moment in time held by Katie Ledecky, of the USA, over 800m freestyle.
Adam Peaty – Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
If Peaty wins gold next year in Tokyo, he will become the first British swimmer to defend his Olympic title in a four-year cycle, Henry Taylor having won the 1500m freestyle at the 1906 intercalated Games and then at London 1908.
Peaty’s advantage over the rest of the world is not about to make him take his foot off the brake: if he retains the crown in Tokyo, he will put much of his success down to “a terrific team around me and the support staff and Mel, obviously, who has been there since ten years ago on a very special journey”.
Scientists at the English Institute of Sport and British Swimming’s performance centre at Loughborough are leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of speed, a mould of Peaty’s head part of an armoury of weapons.
The face produces some of the biggest resistance to speed in swimming, more so in breaststroke than any other event. The angle of the head is critical.
Getting it right “could mean 0.1sec faster”, says Marshall – of a man with a 1.4sec lead on the world.
Peaty’s five biggest world-record milestones:
April 2015 – 57.92sec – First man inside 58 seconds at the national championships – London
August 2016 – 57.55 – First man inside 58 sec at an Olympic Games, in the heats – Rio de Janeiro
August 2016 – 57.13 – Wins Olympic gold – Rio
August 2018 – 57.10 – Defends his European title – Glasgow
Yesterday – 56.88 – First man under 57sec – Gwangju
… and the best of the rest:
I Shymanovich (Bela, 2019) 58.29
C van der Burgh (SA, 2012) 58.46
J Wilby (GBR, Gwangju 2019) 58.46
B Rickard (Aus, 2009) 58.58*
Yan Zibei (CHN, Gwangju 2019) 58.63
*time registered in a bodysuit which has been banned since 2010
More to follow soon