Adam Peaty Makes Sizzling Start At World Championships With 57.5 Gaunlet To Own WR & Belief In Project 56

Adam Peaty is on the hunt for a sub-57 in the 100 breaststroke after an easy 57.5 in the heats. Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA

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The opening morning of the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju got off to a fast start with 400m freestyle title defenders Katie Ledecky, of the United States, and Chinese controversy Sun Yang claiming lane 4 for finals, and Britain’s Adam Peaty throwing a 57.59 gauntlet to rivals and his own world record in the 100m breaststroke.

“I knew a lot of them would be on 59s, into the 58s. That didn’t faze me. I was just having fun this morning,” Peaty said from the mixed zone. “I was quite rushed going out there because we have a time on the board (countdown clock for athletes) and it said half an hour to go but then they suddenly said (early) ‘right, go now’.”

The rush meant that Peaty was unable to complete his usual, immediate pre-race prep but that was “part of it” said Peaty. “It felt good, just to get the feeling. It felt similar to the Olympics – but I’m carrying about 4kg more muscles. I’m here to have fun and put on a show.”

Asked if he thought he could challenge the world record in Gwangju, Peaty said: “I don’t go to a meet NOT thinking I could challenge it. That’s the mindset I’ve got now. It’s a mark that’s really hard to reach. I wasn’t in the best shape for me at Europeans [in 2018] and I know that deep down. I’ve had much better preparation for this meet but sport is sport … and you never know what’s going to happen.”

Still breathless in Rio from his Olympic victory, Peaty revealed “Project 56”, his ambition and work with coach Mel Marshall aimed at a 56sec swim at some stage in his career.

Under 57 seconds at this meet? “If I chase it, it’s not going to come to me but if it comes to me, naturally, down that first 50, before putting pressure on that back end, it’s going to come to me and that’s the who way I’ve got to think now,” said Peaty. “I can’t go out there hunting it. It’s kind of like it’s going to have to come to me.”

Australia and the United States are on top of the women’s and men’s 4×100 free relay heats respectively.

The run of morning heats, with contributions from Craig Lord, John Lohn, Liz Byrnes, with Becca Wyant on photos.

Men’s 100 Breast

Great Britain’s Adam Peaty swam yet another 57 in the heats of the 100 breaststroke on Sunday at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju. Peaty is easily the top seed at 57.59, just missing his championships record of 57.47 from 2017. Peaty is over a second ahead of second place Ilya Shymanovich of Belarus (58.87).

Peaty now has the 15 fastest times ever over 100m breaststroke, his 57.59 from this morning just 0.04sec why of the swiftest prelims effort ever, namely the British ace’s 57.55 world record he set in Rio 2016 heats en route to the new standard he punched out for gold in 57.13.

In 2017 heats in Budapest, Peaty clocked 57.75 and black in 2015 in Kazan it was 58.52. Assuming all goes well in semis, Peaty will rise to his blocks for the final tomorrow eyeing the prospect of becoming the first man in history to claim the 100m crown three times.

Japan’s Yasuhiro Koseki (58.91) is the third seed for the semifinals as only three men broke 59 in the heats.

China’s Yan Zibei (59.13) is the fourth seed while fellow Brit James Wilby (59.15) is seeded fifth. Wilby is a strong favorite to join Peaty on the medal stand at the final tomorrow night.

Australia’s Matthew Wilson (59.17) looked strong in his swim for the sixth seed. Brazil’s Joao Gomes (59.25) and USA’s Andrew Wilson (59.26) also qualified for the semifinals.

Russia’s Anton Chupkov (59.31) and Kazakhstan’s Dmitriy Balandin (59.56) also qualified for the semifinals. USA’s Michael Andrew notably missed out of the semi finals with a 1:00.45.

1	PEATY	Adam	GBR	57.59	0.62
2	SHYMANOVICH	Ilya	BLR	58.87	0.62
3	KOSEKI	Yasuhiro	JPN	58.91	0.64
4	YAN	Zibei	CHN	59.13	0.63
5	WILBY	James	GBR	59.15	0.71
6	WILSON	Matthew	AUS	59.17	0.63
7	GOMES JUNIOR	Joao	BRA	59.25	0.71
8	WILSON	Andrew	USA	59.26	0.66
9	CHUPKOV	Anton	RUS	59.31	0.67
10	PRIGODA	Kirill	RUS	59.32	0.58
11	KAMMINGA	Arno	NED	59.39	0.68
12	WANG	Lizhuo	CHN	59.44	0.67
13	BALANDIN	Dmitriy	KAZ	59.56	0.67
14	MARTINENGHI	Nicolo	ITA	59.58	0.65
15	SCOZZOLI	Fabio	ITA	59.61	0.61
16	SIDLAUSKAS	Andrius	LTU	59.75	0.67

Men’s 4×100 Free Relay

caeleb-dressel- warmup-2019-world-championships-4

Caeleb Dressel – Photo Courtesy of Becca Wyant

The United States, swimming out of heat 1, posted the top seed in the men’s 4×100 free relay. The American team of Townley Haas (48.60), Blake Pieroni (47.32), Michael Chadwick (47.92) and Zach Apple (47.47) will swim in lane four tonight. They are expected to add Caeleb Dressel and Nathan Adrian to the finals team tonight.

Great Britain, which hasn’t swam a 4×100 free relay at the international level in a number of years, is the second seed at 3:12.42. The team of Duncan Scott (48.18), James Guy (47.77), Ben Proud (48.43) and Scott McLay (48.04) have a chance to win a medal in this relay.

The quickest splits outside the top two came from Russia’s Vladislav Grinev (47.43), Italy’s Alessandro Miressi (47.60), Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo (47.83) and Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (47.96).

Russia is the third seed at 3:12.64 while Australia (3:12.65) and Italy (3:12.66) are right there in a line. Brazil (3:12.97), France (3:13.04) and Hungary (3:13.90) also qualified for the final.

1	USA	3:11.31	Haas (48.60)	Pieroni (47.32)	Chadwick (47.92)	Apple (47.47)
2	GBR	3:12.42	Scott (48.18)	Guy (47.77)	Proud (48.43)	McLay (48.04
3	RUS	3:12.64	Rylov (48.31)	Minakov (48.94)	Kolesnikov (47.96)	Grinev (47.43)
4	AUS	3:12.65	McEvoy (48.29)	Lewis (47.99)	Graham (48.39)	Chalmers (47.98)
5	ITA	3:12.66	Condorelli (48.67)	Frigo (47.90)	Bori (48.49)	Miressi (47.60)
6	BRA	3:12.97	Chierighini (48.20)	Spajari (48.14)	Calvelo de Souza (48.44)	Correia (48.19)
7	FRA	3:13.04	Mignon (48.26)	Stravius (48.21)	Paco Pedroni (48.41)	Metella (48.16)
8	HUN	3:13.90	Kozma (48.92)

Hungary’s eighth place relay had Dominik Kozma (48.92), Nandor Nemeth (48.36), Richard Bohus (48.79) and Szebasztian Szabo (47.83).

Women’s 4×100 Free Relay

Australia had the fastest morning time in the women’s 4×100 free relay with a 3:33.39. The Australians boldly put Cate and Bronte Campbell on the book ends of the relay as the Aussies are the heavy favorites to win the gold medal tonight in the final. Cate led off with a 52.44 while Bronte finished in a 53.39. Brianna Throssell (53.66) and Madison Wilson (53.90) swam the second and third legs to give Australia the middle lane in the final.

Australia is likely to bring in Emma McKeon to swim the final tonight. The Aussies are dealing with the absence of Shayna Jack from this relay, as Jack revealed just before the meet that she was withdrawing due to personal reasons.

Canada is the second seed at 3:34.73 with the likes of Kayla Sanchez (53.61), Penny Oleksiak (52.75), Rebecca Smith (54.37) and Maggie MacNeil (54.00) swimming for them this morning. Canada will bring in Taylor Ruck for the final and will be serious medal contenders.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom had the quickest split of the heats with a 51.91 going second for Sweden while Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands was a 52.60 going second for the Dutch.

The Americans were fourth with Allison Schmitt (55.04), Abbey Weitzeil (53.07), Margo Geer (53.61) and Lia Neal (54.41) swimming. They are expected to bring in Simone Manuel and Mallory Comerford into tonight’s final.

Sweden is the third seed at 3:36.03 while the United States (3:36.13), Japan (3:36.17) and the Netherlands (3:36.62) were all 3:36s.

China (3:37.89) and Germany (3:38.55) also qualified for the final.

1	AUS	3:33.39	Campbell 52.44	Throssell 53.66	Wilson 53.90	Campbell 53.39
2	CAN	3:34.73	Sanchez 53.61	Oleksiak 52.75	Smith 54.37	MacNeil 54.00
3	SWE	3:36.03	Coleman 54.33	Sjostrom 51.91	Eriksson 55.70	Hansson 54.09
4	USA	3:36.13	Schmitt 55.04	Weitzeil 53.07	Geer 53.61	Neal 54.41
5	JPN	3:36.17	Omoto 54.21	Aoki 54.01	Sato 53.98	Shirai 53.97
6	NED	3:36.62	Busch 55.39	Heemskerk 52.60	Toussaint 54.32	Kromowidjojo 54.31
7	CHN	3:37.89	Zhu 54.56	Wu 54.99	Wang 54.76	Yang 53.58
8	GER	3:38.55

Germany’s eighth place relay had Annika Bruhn (55.35), Reva Foos (54.85), Julia Mrozinski (54.28) and Jessica Steiger (54.07).

Women’s 400 Free

USA’s Katie Ledecky cruised to the top time in the heats of the women’s 400 free with a 4:01.84 as she has set herself up to duel with Australia’s Ariarne Titmus (4:02.42). Titmus swam her fastest heat time of her life as she will have lane 5 in the final next to Ledecky. It could take a world record to win and Ledecky has that at 3:56.46.

Ledecky said after the race. “It felt good. I wanted to get the first swim out of the way and get accustomed to the pool and feel good and get ready for tonight.”

She was well aware of Titmus’ swim in the prior heat.

“It is going to be a great race tonight. It s going to be lot of fun. Hopefully we’ll both put up some really great times.”

Hungary’s Ajna Kesely had a very quick heats swim to put herself in lane 3 at 4:03.51. Kesely gave Titmus a good race on the back half in their heat although Titmus shut it down on the second 200.

China’s Wang Jianjiahe also cruised through to the fourth spot at 4:03.97 as she looked strong in her swim. USA’s Leah Smith is the fifth seed at 4:04.53 and it looks like the bronze will come down to Wang, Smith and Kesely. Titmus and Ledecky are expected to be the class of the field as they will vie for the gold medal.

Russia’s Veronika Andrusenko (4:06.28), Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas (4:07.05) and Russia’s Anna Egorova (4:07.10) also qualified for the final.

Notably, reigning Worlds bronze medalist Li Bingjie of China finished in ninth at 4:07.88 and did not qualify for the final. Great Britain’s Holly Hibbott placed tenth at 4:07.92.

1	LEDECKY	Katie	USA	4:01.84	0.69
2	TITMUS	Ariarne	AUS	4:02.42	0.77
3	KESELY	Ajna	HUN	4:03.51	0.75
4	WANG	Jianjiahe	CHN	4:03.97	0.74
5	SMITH	Leah	USA	4:04.53	0.74
6	ANDRUSENKO	Veronika	RUS	4:06.28	0.78
7	KAPAS	Boglarka	HUN	4:07.05	0.72
8	EGOROVA	Anna	RUS	4:07.10	0.72

Men’s 50 Fly

USA’s Caeleb Dressel and the Ukraine’s Andriy Govorov put up the only sub-23 second swims on Sunday morning at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju with 22.84’s apiece. Govorov is the world record holder and the reigning bronze medalist from 2017 while Dressel was fourth two years ago. This is just one of the many events that Dressel is scheduled to swim this week in Korea.

Russia’s Oleg Kostin is the third seed in the heats with a 23.01. The gold medal looks to be wide open this week in this event as a lot of big names have qualified to swim in the semi finals. Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo (23.07) is the fourth seed as he made his World Championships debut this morning.

USA’s Michael Andrew made his long course Worlds debut with a 23.09 as he is the fifth seed moving forward to the semi finals.

Estonia’s Daniel Zaitsev (23.26), Russia’s Andrey Zhilkin (23.27) and Trinidad’s Dylan Carter (23.33) also qualified for the semi finals.

Notably, Great Britain’s Ben Proud (23.35) and Brazil’s Nicholas Santos (23.48) eased through the heats in ninth and eleventh place respectively. Santos has the top time in the world this year in this event and Proud is the reigning World Champion.

1	DRESSEL	Caeleb	USA	22.84	0.63
1	GOVOROV	Andrii	UKR	22.84	0.62
3	KOSTIN	Oleg	RUS	23.01	0.70
4	SZABO	Szebasztian	HUN	23.07	0.60
5	ANDREW	Michael	USA	23.09	0.68
6	ZAITSEV	Daniel	EST	23.26	0.61
7	ZHILKIN	Andrey	RUS	23.27	0.67
8	CARTER	Dylan	TTO	23.33	0.63
9	PROUD	Benjamin	GBR	23.35	0.60
10	GROUSSET	Maxime	FRA	23.36	0.59
11	SANTOS	Nicholas	BRA	23.48	0.68
12	CHERUTI	Meiron Amir	ISR	23.49	0.59
13	GKOLOMEEV	Kristian	GRE	23.51	0.71
14	CODIA	Piero	ITA	23.52	0.63
15	SAMEH	Abdelrahman	EGY	23.54	0.67
16	CZERNIAK	Konrad	POL	23.63	0.71

Women’s 100 Fly

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was in control of her morning swim in the 100 fly at 56.45. She easily got the top spot for the semifinals as she is ahead of Australia’s Emma McKeon (56.90) and Canada’s Maggie MacNeil (57.10). Sjostrom is looking to become the first woman to win the same event five times at the World Championships. Sjostrom won this event in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2017.

McKeon was the only other swimmer to break 57 seconds in the heats and she is the reigning silver medalist from 2017. McKeon could be in line to win a slew of medals in Korea this week, as her full schedule also includes the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and plenty of relay duty. Italy’s Elena Di Liddo had a solid morning swim as she qualified through to finals in fourth at 57.18.

The Americans were able to get both swimmers through to the semifinals with Kelsi Dahlia (57.22) and Katie McLaughlin (57.67) qualifying in fifth and eighth place, respectively. Dahlia is the reigning bronze medalist from Budapest two years ago. France’s Marie Wattel (57.23) and Sweden’s Louise Hansson (57.50) also qualified for the semifinals in seventh and eighth.

1	SJOESTROEM	Sarah	SWE	56.45	0.67
2	MCKEON	Emma	AUS	56.90	0.71
3	MACNEIL	Margaret	CAN	57.10	0.63
4	DI LIDDO	Elena	ITA	57.18	0.69
5	DAHLIA	Kelsi	USA	57.22	0.61
6	WATTEL	Marie	FRA	57.23	0.74
7	HANSSON	Louise	SWE	57.50	0.75
8	MC LAUGHLIN	Katie	USA	57.67	0.73
9	NTOUNTOUNAKI	Anna	GRE	57.88	0.65
9	THROSSELL	Brianna	AUS	57.88	0.68
11	KOHLER	Angelina	GER	57.92	0.72
12	ZHANG	Yufei	CHN	58.02	0.72
13	CHIMROVA	Svetlana	RUS	58.10	0.71
14	SMITH	Rebecca	CAN	58.20	0.68
15	BIANCHI	Ilaria	ITA	58.26	0.69
16	MAKINO	Hiroko	JPN	58.33

Men’s 400 Free

The Chinese supporters were told to quiet down while the final heat swimmers were on the blocks. The final heat notably had Sun Yang in lane 4, and the controversial figure cruised to the top seed despite having to get up and down on the blocks before his start. Sun is the top seed and will have lane four for the final at 3:44.10 while Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys is second at 3:44.31. Rapsys held back for the majority of his heat swim and kicked it into high gear on the final 100.

Australia’s Jack McLoughlin is the third seed at 3:44.79 and is looking to become the first Australian to win the 400 free world title since Grant Hackett in 2005. Australia will have two finalists as reigning Olympic Champion Mack Horton is seeded fifth at 3:45.51. He was the silver medalist in 2017. Italy’s Gabriele Detti, who won the bronze medal in 2017, is seeded fourth at 3:45.49.

While Horton failed to automatically qualify for the World Championships at the Aussie Trials, he was named to the Dolphins roster as a discretionary pick, a move that looks wise based on what unfolded in the morning. The reigning Olympic champion proved that he is in considerably better form than Trials and will challenge for a place on the podium.

USA’s Zane Grothe (3:45.83) is another swimmer with an outside shot at a medal as he is the sixth seed for tonight’s final. Italy’s Marco de Tullio (3:45.99) and China’s Ji Xinjie (3:46.34) also qualified for the final.

1	SUN	Yang	CHN	3:44.10	0.75
2	RAPSYS	Danas	LTU	3:44.31	0.62
3	MCLOUGHLIN	Jack Alan	AUS	3:44.79	0.72
4	DETTI	Gabriele	ITA	3:45.49	0.74
5	HORTON	Mack	AUS	3:45.51	0.72
6	GROTHE	Zane	USA	3:45.83	0.70
7	DE TULLIO	Marco	ITA	3:45.99	0.61
8	JI	Xinjie	CHN	3:46.34	0.71

Women’s 200 IM

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu wasted no time in getting her World Championships off to a good start. She is well in front of the rest of the field with a comfortable 2:07.02. Hosszu finished two seconds ahead of second place Ye Shiwen of China. The last two Olympic Champions are on top of the qualifiers heading into the semifinals.

Hosszu’s time of 2:07.02 is the fastest heats time in the history of the event. She will be chasing her world record of 2:06.12 from 2015. Hosszu’s time was also the seventh-fastest in history, with the Hungarian owning five of the seven-quickest. Since winning her latest world title on home soil in 2017, Hosszu has publicly endured personal struggles, namely a divorce from Shane Tusup, also her former coach. Hosszu, along with Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the 100 fly, is looking to become the first woman to win four consecutive world titles in the same event.

The USA’s Melanie Margalis is the third seed heading into semifinals with a 2:09.69 as she is ahead of Canada’s Sydney Pickrem (2:10.34) and Japan’s Rika Omoto (2:10.54). Canada’s Kelsey Wog (2:10.54), Great Britain’s Siobhan O’Connor (2:10.99) and USA’s Ella Eastin (2:11.06) also successfully qualified for the semifinals.

Top seed Yui Ohashi out of Japan shut it down on the final 50 to claim 9th at 2:11.09 while Korea’s Kim Seoyeong (2:11.45) is 10th to the delight of the Korean crowd.

1	HOSSZU	Katinka	HUN	2:07.02	0.70
2	YE	Shiwen	CHN	2:09.45	0.68
3	MARGALIS	Melanie	USA	2:09.69	0.67
4	PICKREM	Sydney	CAN	2:10.34	0.70
5	OMOTO	Rika	JPN	2:10.50	0.66
6	WOG	Kelsey Lauren	CAN	2:10.54	0.68
7	O’CONNOR	Siobhan	GBR	2:10.99	0.69
8	EASTIN	Ella	USA	2:11.06	0.76
9	OHASHI	Yui	JPN	2:11.09	0.67
10	KIM	Seoyeong	KOR	2:11.45	0.65
11	GORBENKO	Anastasia	ISR	2:11.92	0.71
12	CUSINATO	Ilaria	ITA	2:12.16	0.73
13	LESAFFRE	Fantine	FRA	2:12.34	0.76
14	UGOLKOVA	Maria	SUI	2:12.35	0.69
15	GUNES	Viktoria	TUR	2:12.42	0.70
16	YU	Yiting	CHN	2:12.98	0.74

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Liz Matthews

4 years ago

Lauren Matthews

Yossi Laluja

4 years ago

Noam Laloya

László Debreczeni

4 years ago

Miért nem fodítják le a szöveget érthetően ??

David Couturier

4 years ago

Incredible !????