World Junior Championships: Tomoyuki Matsushita Sets Meet Mark in 200 IM for Day 2 Prelims
The second day of the World Junior Championships got off to a flying start in Netanya, Israel, Tuesday, thanks to Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita.
Matsushita took down the meet record set in the 2019 edition of the meet by Carson Foster. Matsushita clocked in at 1:58.42, the only swimmer under two minutes, to clip .04 seconds off Foster’s record.
The full action from the preliminary session.
Men’s 200 individual medley
Matsushita went 1:58.42 to lead the pack by 2.27 seconds. He delivered the quickest opening 50 of the field at 25.00 seconds and the lone sub-30 backstroke leg in 29.46.
Second was America’s Daniel Diehl in 2:00.69. He and countryman Maximus Williamson are easily into the final in 2:01.11, Williamson tied with the second Japanese swimmer, Riku Yamaguchi.
China’s Zhang Zhanshuo charged to the finish in 28.23 to get into the final in seventh. Canada’s Lorne Wigginton was fifth in 2:01.53, just a tenth off his best.
Women’s 100 freestyle
Aussies 1-2 in a women’s sprint event? Applies for the junior ranks, too.
Olivia Wunsch led the prelims with a time of 54.22 seconds. Her teammate, Milla Jansen, was second in 54.42. The top 16 advance to the semifinals.
Both Americans were safely through. Anna Moesch finished third in 54.57. Erika Pelaez touched fourth in 55.14, .03 ahead of Sara Curtis of Italy. It was nearly a half-second back to the sixth-place finisher, Maria Daza Garcia of Spain.
Men’s 100 butterfly
Denmark’s Casper Puggaard led the way in the men’s 100 fly with a time of 52.38 seconds. He was ahead of the pack by a half-second.
Second was Filip Senc-Samardzic of Canada in 52.90, ahead of China’s Wang Xizhe by .05 seconds. Third went to Tai Pearson of South Africa. The top 10 comprised swimmers from 10 different countries.
It was a rough showing for the Americans. Jacob Wimberly tied for eighth, getting into semifinals in 53.84. That was better than Ethan Harrington, who crashed out in 21st place.
Women’s 200 butterfly
Bella Grant of Australia led the way in prelims of the 200 fly, edging out Lana Pudar in the process. Grant went 2:09.55, a half-second up on the Bosnia and Herzegovina swimmer tipped as one of the favorites. Pudar went 2:10.11.
More than a second back was American Hannah Bellard in 2:11.46. Teammate Bailey Hartman was fifth, sandwiching Canada’s Clare Watson. The top eight qualify for the final.
Men’s 200 freestyle
Italy’s Alessandro Ragaini set the quickest time in what should be a scintillating final, with the top eight advancing directly.
Ragaini posted the top time in 1:48.06, a half-second clear of the field. Second was Petar Mitsin in 1:48.59. Both Americans are in the mix – Jason Zhao was third, Cooper Lucas fourth – with Australian Flynn Southam fifth.
