Pernille Blume Posts Fastest 50 Freestyle Prelims Time

Photo Courtesy: Danish National Team

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Pernille Blume of Denmark put together the fastest 50 freestyle this morning in 24.23. Francesca Halsall qualified second for tonight’s 50 freestyle semifinal in 24.26, and Belarus’ Aliksandra Herasimenia stopped the clock in 24.42 this morning.

After finishing fourth in the 100 freestyle last night Australian Bronte Campbell was the fourth fastest in prelims with a 24.45.

Defending gold medalist Ranomi Kromowindjojo of the Netherlands raced next to fellow 100 freestyle finalist Abbey Weitzeil of the USA. Weitzeil had the upper hand this morning, finishing in 24.48. Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen posted the same time a heat later.

Simone Manuel of the USA blew by Australia’s Cate Campbell in the final 25 meters of Thursday night’s 100 free final. Swimming side by side in the second to last heat of this morning’s 50, Campbell was faster, qualifying seventh with a 24.52.

Kromowindjojo tied Canada’s Chantal van Landegham with a 24.57 for the eighth seed in tonight’s semifinals.

It was no surprise to see van Landeghem riding an emotional high after watching teammate Penny Oleksiak tie Manuel for gold in the 100 free, and she swam off that adrenaline in this race.

“I had so much inspiration watching Penny last night, and I think that really helped me come in this morning and really just try to throw down my best race possible,” van Landeghem said. “We were watching on TV back in the village, and we all started screaming. There were tears.”

Last night’s bronze medalist Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden was tenth this morning with a 24.66. Her teammate Therese Alshammar placed 12th in 24.73. Slipping between the two was Manuel in 24.71.

In heat nine, Inge Dekker of the Netherlands turned in a 24.77 to make semifinals. Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas and Germany’s Dorthea Brandt made it a three way tie with Dekker.

Brazil’s Etiene Medeiros (24.82) completes tonight’s semifinals.

After questions over if she would swim, China’s Chen Xinyi did not race after news of her positive doping test.

Rank Lane Time Time
Behind Heat Year of R.T.
Birth
1 12 6 BLUME Pernille 1994 DEN 0.63 24.23 Q
2 11 5 HALSALL Francesca 1990 GBR 0.70 24.26 0.03 Q
3 10 6 HERASIMENIA Aliaksandra 1985 BLR 0.70 24.42 0.19 Q
4 12 4 CAMPBELL Bronte 1994 AUS 0.67 24.45 0.22 Q
5 10 5 WEITZEIL Abbey 1996 USA 0.67 24.48 0.25 Q
5 11 6 OTTESEN Jeanette 1987 DEN 0.64 24.48 0.25 Q
7 11 4 CAMPBELL Cate 1992 AUS 0.82 24.52 0.29 Q
8 10 3 Van LANDEGHEM Chantal 1994 CAN 0.69 24.57 0.34 Q
8 10 4 KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi 1990 NED 0.67 24.57 0.34 Q
10 12 5 SJOSTROM Sarah 1993 SWE 0.70 24.66 0.43 Q
11 11 3 MANUEL Simone 1996 USA 0.69 24.71 0.48 Q
12 11 7 ALSHAMMAR Therese 1977 SWE 0.62 24.73 0.50 Q
13 9 7 DEKKER Inge 1985 NED 0.69 24.77 0.54 Q
13 12 3 VANDERPOOL-WALLACE 1990 BAH 0.62 24.77 0.54 Q
13 12 7 BRANDT Dorothea 1984 GER 0.67 24.77 0.54 Q
16 11 2 MEDEIROS Etiene 1991 BRA 0.61 24.82 0.59 Q

Full results are available here.

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