2018 FINA World Cup Budapest: Sjostrom Leads Day Two With Top Seeds In 50 Fly, 200 Free

Sarah Sjostrom -world-championships
Photo Courtesy: R-Sport / MIA Rossiya Segodnya

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The fourth stop of the 2018 FINA World Cup continued this morning in Budapest, Hungary for another round of short course meter racing after a world record from China’s Wang Jianjiahe kicked off the first night of finals yesterday.

American Michael Andrew kicked off the session with a top seed in the 50 backstroke (23.45) ahead of Japan’s Kosuke Matsui (23.71), Ryosuke Irie (23.73), and Russia’s Vlad Morozov (23.86). Wang was back in the pool for the women’s 200 free, clocking a 1:54.97 that was good for the second seed. She was only about a half second behind Sarah Sjostrom, who led all qualifiers with a 1:54.50. Right behind them was Femke Heemskerk (1:55.12) of the Netherlands followed by Americans Melanie Margalis (1:55.21) and Leah Smith (1:55.93), which should make this a good race to watch tonight.

Sjostrom was back in the water in the 50 butterfly, hitting the wall in 25.02 to earn her second top seed for tonight’s finals. Also in the field was American Kelsi Dahlia, who qualified second in 25.27.

Hugo Gonzalez, who recently announced he would not be competing for Virginia Tech this season after transferring from Auburn, was the fastest qualifier in the 200 IM (1:55.40) ahead of Olympian Laszlo Cseh (1:55.88).

Katina Hosszu, fresh off two wins yesterday, will look to add another in the 100 back tonight. She was the fastest qualifier by more than a second, clocking a 56.40 ahead of backstroke aces Emily Seebohm (57.49) and Kathleen Baker (57.50). Baker set the American record in this event last week, and is coming off an American record in the 100 IM that tied Katie Meili’s record. Hosszu, Seebohm, and Baker have been neck and neck in the backstroke events so far this world cup, so this will definitely be one to watch tonight.

Blake Pieroni, who set a world cup record in the long course 100 free last week, took the top seed in the short course version of the event this morning. He hit the wall in 47.04 to finish ahead of Russians Vladislav Grinev (47.25) and Morozov (47.31).

Alia Atkinson will battle a tough field tonight in the 100 breast after leading all qualifier in 1:05.38, with Russian Yulia Efimova (1:06.10) and American Molly Hannis (1:06.17).

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