USA’s Ian Finnerty broke the first meet record of the 2019 World University Games with a 59.51 in the 100 breast on Thursday in Naples, Italy. Finnerty lowered the Universiade Record of 59.53 from Igor Borysik of the Ukraine in 2009. Finnerty was out in a very quick 27.73 and held on over the second 50 to break the meet record from 10 years ago.
Finnerty won the first semi-final of the 100 breaststroke in Naples as he is the top seed for tomorrow’s final. He is also the second fastest American in 2019 behind fellow Indiana Hoosier Cody Miller (59.24). Finnerty was the only American to advance to the semi-finals after Connor Hoppe was 22nd at 1:01.97.
Finnerty is now 15th in the world rankings for 2019 as he is looking to gain some momentum heading into the Olympic year. He has won two NCAA titles in his career as he was the first man to break 50 seconds in the 100 breast in short course yards.
Finnerty is ahead of South Africa’s Michael Houlie (59.64) and Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas (59.80) into tomorrow’s final.
Japan’s Yuya Hinomoto (59.92), Great Britain’s Craig Benson (59.93) and Russia’s Kirill Prigoda (59.96) should all factor into the medals tomorrow as well as it could take another meet record to win the gold medal.
France’s Theo Bussiere (1:00.18) and Turkey’s Berkay Ogretir (1:00.48) also qualified for the final tomorrow.
Results:
- Ian Finnerty, USA, 59.51, UR
- Michael Houlie, RSA, 59.64
- Andrius Sidlauskas, LTU, 59.80
- Yuya Hinomoto, JPN, 59.92
- Craig Benson, GBR, 59.93
- Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 59.96
- Theo Bussiere, FRA, 1:00.18
- Berkay Ogretir, TUR, 1:00.48
- Ilya Khomenko, RUS, 1:00.54
- Christopher Rothbauer, AUT, 1:00.71
- Federico Poggio, ITA, 1:00.92
- Mauro Castillo, MEX, 1:01.04
- Pedro Cardona, BRA, 1:01.20
- Alessandro Pinzuti, ITA, 1:01.37
- Johannes Skagius, SWE, 1:01.39
- Grayson Bell, NZL, 1:01.69
Way to go Ian!!
Congratulations Ian