World Cup Toronto: Kyle Chalmers, Shaine Casas, Madison Wilson Grab Top Seeds During Day Two Prelims
The second morning of preliminaries at the FINA World Cup stop in Toronto set up several enticing matchups for the evening session. Leading the way will be the clash between the United States’ Shaine Casas and South African Matt Sates in the 200-meter individual medley. Casas advanced as the top seed in 1:54.23, just ahead of the 1:54.27.
Casas and Sates enjoyed strong opening days in Toronto, as Casas doubled in the 200 backstroke and 100 individual medley. Sates was the winner of the 400 freestyle, where he used a strong surge down the stretch to catch Kieran Smith. American Trenton Julian qualified in the third position, behind a swim of 1:54.34. Julian later earned the top spot in the 200 butterfly in 1:53.10.
The women’s 200 freestyle featured big names at the top of the results, with Australian Madison Wilson securing the top seed for the final in 1:54.32. She was followed by Katie Ledecky (1:55.52) and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who went 1:56.15. If Ledecky opts to remain in the event, she will race the final just minutes after the 1500 freestyle, where she is expected to press the world record.
World-record holder Kyle Chalmers will pace the field into the final of the 100 freestyle. Chalmers’ morning swim of 46.96 was the only sub-47 effort of prelims and was followed by Brooks Curry’s 47.05. Italian Thomas Ceccon was next in 47.19.
A stacked group will fight it out for gold in the final of the 100 breaststroke after Germany’s Anna Elendt paced prelims in 1:04.54, with Olympic champions Lilly King (1:04.62) and Lydia Jacoby (1:04.70) in the second and third spots. Qualifying fourth was Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte in 1:04.74.
The men’s 50 backstroke is shaping up as a three-man battle between connections of North Carolina State. Kacper Stokowski is the top seed in 23.30, followed by Coleman Stewart (23.35) and Justin Ress (23.42). Meanwhile, three women went sub-57 in the morning in the 100 backstroke, led by the Netherland’s Kira Toussaint in 56.58. Canadians Maggie Mac Neil (56.79) and Kylie Masse (56.80) will play major roles in the final, and Mac Neil also qualified as the No. 1 seed in the 50 butterfly, going 25.35.
Nic Fink was easily the top qualifier in the 50 breaststroke in 26.15.
Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh will be in action during the night session, racing the 400 individual medley as part of the fastest heat. McIntosh is coming off a World Junior Record in the 400 freestyle, where she edged Ledecky in a down-to-the-wire battle.