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 Five Semifinals: Marrit Steenbergen Paces 100 Freestyle; Mollie O’Callaghan Stalking Repeat Through five days, a look at the medals distribution at the World Championships will not include the name of Marrit Steenbergen. Nonetheless, the Dutchwoman has enjoyed a superb meet, qualifying for the final of 200-meter individual medley and producing several impressive splits in relay duty for her nation. And on Thursday night at the Marine Messe Hall, she turned in another noteworthy performance. Racing in the first semifinal, Steenbergen earned the top seed for the final of the 100 freestyle following a time of 52.82. That swim was slightly quicker than the 52.86 registered by Australian Mollie O’Callaghan in the second semifinal. O’Callaghan is the reigning world champion in the event and coming off a world record in the 200 freestyle. She was also 52.08 leading off Australia’s victorious and world-record setting 400 freestyle relay on Night One of the competition. There’s no question 52-high will not get the job done in the final, but Steenbergen did all that was required at this point: She booked a lane for the medals race. Steenbergen should have something much faster in her arsenal in the final, as she split 51-high earlier in the week in relay action. O’Callaghan, though, will enter Thursday night as the favorite, her backend speed something to behold. Qualifying third and the only other sub-53 performer was Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who touched the wall ion 52.90. Haughey has enjoyed a quality prep season and just missed the podium in the 200 freestyle at Worlds, placing fourth. She was followed in fourth by Olympic titlist Emma McKeon of Australia, who clocked a 53.00. The American tandem of Abbey Weitzeil (53.36) and Kate Douglass (53.38) were fifth and sixth and the field for the final was rounded out by Sweden’s Michelle Coleman (53.41) and China’s Yang Junxuan (53.67).
