World Junior Championships: Petar Mitsin & Leah Hayes Feature In Day 1 Prelims
Petar Mitsin, Leah Hayes, Miroslav Knedla and Oleksandr Zheltyakov safely negotiated the prelims as the World Junior Championships got under way in Netanya, Israel.
The meet runs from 4-9 September and features almost 650 athletes from 94 countries.
Men’s 400m Freestyle
Mitsin set a WJR of 3:44.31 en-route to gold at the European Juniors in July and he lined up in the final of seven heats.
The Bulgarian headed the prelims in 3:50.52 ahead of European Junior silver medallist Alessandro Ragaini (3:50.65) and Canada’s Lorne Winnington (3:50.72).
Also through was Vlad Stancu, European junior bronze medallist, in 3:51.14.
Women’s 50m breaststroke
Jefimova dominated the prelims in 30.19, 0.11secs outside the 16-year-old’s Estonian record of 31.08.
Behind her came Alexanne Lepage of Canada who was the only other woman inside 31 in 30.82.
Men’s 100m backstroke
Miroslav Knedla – winner of the 50 back at the European Juniors – headed the field into the semis over two lengths.
The Czech Republic swimmer clocked 54.17 ahead of European Junior champion Oleksandr Zheltyakov of Ukraine (54.46).
Women’s 400m Individual Medley
Leah Hayes – who won 200IM bronze at the senior worlds in Budapest in 2022 – dominated the heats to book lane four for Monday evening’s final in 4:41.49.
The American – who was third in the US Nationals – will be alongside Ella Jansen of Canada who clocked 4:44.26.
Men’s 100m breaststroke
Watson Nguyen of the USA posted the top time of 1:01.60 ahead of Puerto Rico’s Xavier Ruiz who clocked 1:01.73.
Women’s 100m backstroke
The first four through comprised two apiece from the USA and Australia.
US pair Erika Palaez (1:00.06) and Teagan O’Dell (1:00.24) were the first two through ahead of Iona Anderson (1:00.26) and Jaclyn Barclay (1:00.73), the quartet the sole swimmers inside 1:01.
Men’s 4×100 freestyle relay
The Italian quartet led the way into the final in 3:18.57 – swifter than Romania’s winning time last year – and will be alongside the USA who clocked 3:19.04.
A 48.69 anchor by Edward Sommerville – the quickest split in the field – steered Australia to third in 3:20.01.
Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
Jamie Perkins‘ lead-off leg of 1:58.23 – the fastest in the entire field – guided Australia into lane four in 7:59.36.
The USA will be alongside after clocking 7:59.97 and it appears to be a head-to-head between the two with Canada next into the final in 8:02.21.
