The 2021 FINA Short Course World Championships continued on Sunday with Day 4 heats from Abu Dhabi.
The session begins with the men’s 200 freestyle relay, then the women’s 50 backstroke, men’s 50 butterfly, women’s 400 freestyle, women’s 100 breaststroke and men’s 800 freestyle relay.
Canada’s Maggie MacNeil was close to the world record in the 50 backstroke, while a tie in a relay started the session out with a bang.
• More meet coverage
• Day 4 Prelims Results
FINA Short Course World Championships: Men’s 200 Freestyle Relay
Day 4 of the short course world championships began with a tie in the heats of the 200 free relay.
Italy and the Russian Swimming Federation both touched the wall in 1:24.95 to tie for the top seed heading into finals.
Italy’s relay consisted of Leonardo Deplano (21.49), Alessandro Miressi (21.12), Manuel Frigo (21.39). and Lorenzo Zazzeri (20.95). Zazzeri was the only anchor to break 21 seconds.
The Russian Swimming Federation had Vladimir Morozov (21.33), Daniil Markov (21.47), Vladislav Grinev (21.01) and Aleksandr Shchegolev (21.14).
The U.S. took the third seed (1:25.61) behind Zach Apple (21.62), Hunter Tapp (21.53), Kieran Smith (21.20) and Tom Shields (21.26).
FINA Short Course World Championships: Women’s 50 Backstroke
The world record in the 50 backstroke could be in jeopardy in finals after the dominant performance by Canada’s Maggie MacNeil in the prelims.
MacNeil touched the wall in 25.98, less than four tenths off the world record of 25.60 set by Kira Toussaint in 2020.
MacNeil was nearly three tenths ahead of a fast field. Sweden’s Louise Hansson took the second seed in 26.27, followed by a third-place tie between Toussaint and Canada’s Kylie Masse (26.30).
Another tie was next for the fifth seed with Maaike de Waard of the Netherlands and France’s Analia Pigree (26.39).
FINA Short Course World Championships: Men’s 50 Butterfly
Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter put together a fast start and took the top seed in the 50 fly, touching the wall in 22.36.
Carter was a half second behind the world record set by both Brazil’s Nicholas Santos and Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo, who swam the race in 21.75.
Nyls Korsantje of the Netherlands took the second seed in 22.40 ahead of Szabo (22.42).
Canada’s Joshua Liendo Edwards and Switzerland’s Noe Ponti tied for the fourth seed in 22.52.
Santos took the ninth seed in 22.66.
FINA Short Course World Championships: Women’s 400 Freestyle
China’s Li Bingjie put together a strong first 100 meters and hung on to take the top seed in the 400 freestyle. Bingjie touched the wall in 4:01.26 to hold off Russian Swimming Federation’s Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (4:01.35).
Canada’s Summer McIntosh took the third seed in 4:01.82, ahead of Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who has already won the 100 and 200 freestyle events, including a world record in the 200. Haughey touched the wall in 4:02.57 and could make a run for another world title in finals.
Russian Swimming Federation’s Anna Egorova took the fifth spot in 4:02.66, ahead of USA’s Paige Madden (4:03.03).
FINA Short Course World Championships: Women’s 100 Breaststroke
Sweden’s Sophie Hansson continued her strong 2021 year by taking the top seed in the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:04.50.
Hansson was just behind Ireland’s Mona McSharry after 50 meters but swam a 34 flat back half to earn the top seed.
McSharry took the second spot in 1:04.59, just nine hundredths back, and two tenths ahead of Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson (1:04.88).
China’s Tang Qianting took the fourth seed (1:04.94) ahead of Great Britain’s Molly Renshaw (1:05.03).
Men’s 800 Free Relay
Russian Swimming Federation’s Nikolay Snegirev (1:44.06), Ivan Girev (1:43.25), Daniil Shatalov (1:44.30) and Mikhail Vekovishchev (1:43.22) combined to take the top seed in the 800 free relay (6:54.83).
Italy’s Alberto Razzetti (1:43.01), Filippo Megli (1:43.44), Marco de Tullio (1:45.06) and Matteo Lamberti (1:45.01) took the second seed in 6:56.52.
Brazil took the third spot (6:56.56).
The U.S. made the finals with a seventh seed.
