Host country China got off to a strong start in the first session of the inaugural FINA Champions Swim Series in Guangzhou, winning seven events in the first of two timed finals sessions. There were plenty of strong swims in the second stop of the series, with Ye Shiwen posting a surprise world-leading time in the 200 breast, Sun Yang topping the world rankings in the 400 free, and Great Britain’s Ben Proud just missing the top mark in the 50 free.
The meet format features two sessions of timed finals over two days, with only four swimmers competing in each event. All athletes were invited to compete. In addition to nine Olympic gold medalists on the meet roster, there will also be 16 World Championships gold medalists and 42 Olympic or World Championships medalists competing.
Links to the live results for the FINA Champions Swim Series are below, as are the results and recaps for each event. The meet can also be viewed live on the Olympic Channel.
Men’s 400 Freestyle
Sun Yang opened this series with the fastest time in the world this year in the 400 free, posting 2019’s first sub-3:43 swim. Sun swam a strategic race that saw him break away from the rest of the pack over the final 200. The Olympic gold medalist actually negative split the race (1:51.57 / 1:51.18).
In second was former world leader Gabriele Detti from Italy, who couldn’t hold on with Sun when he broke away around the 250 mark. He ended up touching in 3:46.45, followed by Australia’s Jack McLoughlin (3:47.89), who dropped about a second from his season best to finish third.
Women’s 50 Freestyle
This one one of the most anticipated races heading into the meet, with four of history’s best sprinters all meeting to contest the 50 free. It was Cate Campbell who took a win, improving on her season best in the 50 free by .30 to post a 24.00 in her first individual swim of the Champions Series. Just behind her was Sarah Sjostrom in 24.11, who is the current world leader in the 50 with a 23.91 from just a couple weeks ago at the Stockholm Open.
Olympic gold medalist Pernille Blume had a strong swim for third (24.28), her first 50 of 2019 within the world rankings . Fourth went to Ranomi Kromowidjojo, who had a PB in the 100 fly yesterday, with a 24.47.
Men’s 100 Butterfly
In an incredibly close race for the top three, Russia’s Andrei Minakov came away with the win to move up to #6 in the world rankings for 2019. He was followed closely by China’s Li Zhuhao and South Africa’s Chad le Clos, who both finished in matching 51.66’s to tie for second. That knock’s about 2-tenths off of Li’s season best, and was just a tenth slower than le Clos’ best this year.
American Michael Andrew was actually the leader at the 50 wall (23.89), but couldn’t hold on in the back half and faded back to fourth in 52.49.
Women’s 50 Butterfly
Sjostrom, Campbell, and Kromowidjojo were all back in the water shortly after the 50 free for the splash and dash in the butterfly event, and this time is was Sjostrom who got her hands to the wall first. The world record holder was two-tenth’s off of her season-best but still won by a comfortable margin in 25.55.
Just behind her was American Kelsi Dahlia, who joined Sjostrom under 26 seconds and was just about a tenth off her season best. That gives Dahlia a sweep of the silver medals in the butterfly events at the first Champions Series stop.
Men’s 200 Breaststroke
World leader Anton Chupkov used an incredible back half to grab the win in the 200 breast, touching first just off his #1 ranked time in the world with a 2:07.48. Chupkov was actually sitting in last through the first 100 of the race, turning fourth at the halfway point in 1:03.06 before rocketing home with closing splits of 31.96/32.45. Those were faster than anyone else in field by more than a second. In second was China’s Qin Haiyang, who moves up to #8 in the world with his 2:08.31.
World record holder and current #2 in the world Ippei Watanabe was third here in 2:09.33, while defending Olympic gold medalist Dmitriy Balandin was fourth in 2:09.37.
Women’s 200 Backstroke
Katinka Hosszu won a close 200 back over Peng Xuwei of China, 2:09.05 to 2:09.61. The two were separated by just .01 at the 100 mark, but Hosszu gained a half second on Peng on the third 50 to pull away and grab the win. That moves Hosszu within the top 10 in the world rankings, putting her at #9. She was followed by teammate Liu Yaxin (2:10.73).
Emily Seebohm, who posted on social media that she was hit with a bout of food poisoning prior to the meet, finished in fourth place for the third time in the backstroke events at this meet.
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Great Britain’s Ben Proud put up a very strong 21.48 in the 50 free, just .01 away from Bruno Fratus’ world leading time from this month’s Brazil Trophy. That improves on Proud’s season best from nationals that was posted the same day at Fratus’ swim (21.50) at British Championships.
Russian Vlad Morozov was second in 21.60, which was .05 off his own season best in the event. The Americans finished third and fourth in this event, with Michael Andrew dipping under 22 with a 21.97 and veteran Anthony Ervin touching fourth in 22.90.
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
Ye Shiwen won her second breaststroke event of this series stop, touching first in 2:22.53 to move up to #1 in the world rankings ahead of Sidney Pickrem and post a new lifetime best in the event. Similar to Chupkov in the men’s event earlier, Ye had an incredible back half here that helped her pull away from the rest of the field.
Second and third went to Ye’s teammates Yu Jingyao (2:25.85) and He Yun (2:27.51).
Men’s 50 Backstroke
Russia Kliment Kolesnikov won his first event of the series, posting a very quick 24.58 that moves him up to #2 in the world. Robert Glinta was just .01 behind him in 24.59, while Andrew was back in the water for his third race of the evening to also post a sub-25 swim (24.95). Morozov was also back in the water shortly after the 50 free, finishing fourth in 25.50.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Sjostrom posted her second win of the night in the second match-up between three of the best sprinters in history. Sjostrom used a strong second 50 to grab the win in 52.82, posting the only sub-53 second time with the only sub-27 second closing split. That is less than a tenth off of Sjostrom’s season best that has her ranked #2 in the world behind Cate Campbell.
Campbell herself was second in this race, touching the wall in 53.00 after leading at the 50. Campbell had split a 51.94 in yesterday’s mixed 400 free relay, but this was her third event in a much busier day for the Aussie. Pernille Blume was third in 53.68.
Men’s 200 Freestyle
Sun Yang recorded his second win of the day in the 200 free, finishing just outside his season best in 1:46.12. Sun was sitting third through the 100 mark, but threw down a 27.04 third 50 to take the lead and just sneak by Danas Rapsys at the finish. Rapsys himself had an amazing closing split of 26.16 and ended up second in 1:46.28, moving him up to #8 in the world.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Great Britain’s Imogen Clark won the women’s sprint breaststroke event in 30.71, just a few hundredths off of her season-best swim from February earlier this year. World leader Molly Hannis was second here in 30.94, about half a second off of her season best.
Men’s 100 Breaststroke
Fabio Scozzoli held off a charging Anton Chupkov to post a win in the 100 breast. Scozzoli, who is currently tied for #10 in the world with a 59.52 from Italian Champs, was out fast in 27.62, a full second ahead of Chupkov. But the 200 breast champion turned on the gas in the second 50, crawling back to a 31.21 to just miss getting his hands to the wall first. Scozzoli ended up first in 59.74, while Chupkov was second in 59.83.
Arno Kamminga was just behind in third with a 1:00.23, while Michael Andrew finished fourth with a 1:02.78 in his fourth event of the session.
Women’s 200 IM
Katinka Hosszu ended her individual events with her strongest swim yet, just missing her season best in the 200 IM with a very solid 2:08.72. Hosszu took control of the race during the breaststroke leg and didn’t look back, using a monster 37.08 split to take the lead. In second was Kim Seoyeong, who improved on her season best by 2 seconds to move to #9 in the world with a 2:10.35.
Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay
The mixed 400 medley relay team of Ranomi Kromowidjojo (1:02.62), Joao Gomes (59.46), Kelsi Dahlia (57.85), and Ben Proud (48.62), were the winning team in the final event of the first stop of the Champions Series. The foursome was sitting in fourth or third throughout the race before Proud’s closing split, which made up a 7 second deficit behind the leading team of Seebohm, Andrew, Nicholas Santos, and Campbell. Notably, Dmitiry Balandin (59.35) and Felipe Lima (59.26) both had strong 100 breast splits.
