Editorial content for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships is sponsored by FINIS, a longtime partner of Swimming World and leading innovator of suits, goggles and equipment. World Championships, Day 3 Prelims: Qin Haiyang Lowers Asian Record in 50 Breast China’s male breaststroke program looks inevitable once again in the men’s 50 breaststroke, if the morning prelims are any indication. Qin Haiyang, the runaway winner of the 100 breast on Monday night, led the way Tuesday morning with a time of 26.34 in the preliminary heats of the 50 breast. That lowers the Asian and Chinese records that he and Sun Jiajun have batted around this year and is within four tenths of a second of Adam Peaty’s world record. Sun tied for third in prelims. Second went to Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy, one of the triumvirate of silver medalists in the men’s 100 breast. He clocked in at 26.64. His podium mate Nic Fink of the United States finished sixth in 26.91. (The third, Arno Kamminga, is not entered in the 50, more of a 100/200 specialist.) Sun’s time of 26.76 tied Australia’s Sam Williamson for third place. Qin and Sun have been excellent all year for the Chinese program. Qin went 26.63 at the spring championships meet to lower Yan Zibei’s national record, that dated to the 2019 World Championships. Sun chipped .02 off that at Chinese Championships in May. (He also qualified for Worlds in the 100 butterfly at that meet, an exceedingly unusual double.) But Qin, who went 57.69 to set an Asian record and the No. 2 all-time performance in the 100, clubbed time out of that record to 26.34. He may well put the world record on notice by week’s end. Joao Gomes is among those advancing to the semifinals Tuesday night in fifth place for Brazil in 26.81. Lucas Matzerath, who made the 100 breast final, swam seventh in the morning in 26.94. Simone Cerasuolo gave the Italians two in the top eight. Both Austrian swimmers – Bernhard Reitshammer in ninth, Valentin Bayer in 16th – made it through, avoiding the swim-offs that have been all the rage for their countrymen this week. Photo Courtesy:
