World University Games, Day 3: Zhang Yufei Claims Gold in 100 Freestyle; Kotryna Teterevkova Shines in 100 Breaststroke
The third day of the World University Games in Chengdu offered China the opportunity to continue its roll as the host nation. Through two days, China had packaged several impressive performances, led by its World Championships stars, Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang. Here is an event-by-event breakdown of the Day Three evening action.
Men’s 200 Butterfly (Semifinals)
China’s Chen Juner and Japan’s Takumi Terada led four men under the 1:57 barrier and into the final. Chen topped the semifinals with a swim of 1:56.71, with Terada right behind in 1:56.73. Also figuring into the chase for the podium will be Taiwan’s Wang Kuan-Hung, who touched in 1:56.76. The fourth athlete to go sub-1:57 was Japan’s second entry, Genki Terakado (1:56.97).
Photo Courtesy:
Women’s 200 Individual Medley (Semifinals)
Hungary’s Dalma Sebestyen maintained her country’s longstanding tradition in the medley events by qualifying as the No. 1 seed for the final. Sebestyen turned in a semifinals time of 2:14.09 to finish more than a half-second ahead of Mei Ishihara of Japan, who went 2:14.65. The United States’ Caroline Theil put herself in position to chase the podium with a swim of 2:14.70.
Photo Courtesy:
Men’s 200 Breaststroke (Semifinals)
China’s Qin Haiyang, who set a world record in the event at the recent World Championships, cruised through to the final in 2:10.16. Qin set the world record at 2:05.48 in Fukuoka, a mark that sliced a half-second off the previous standard. Italian Alessandro Fusco was more than a second back as the No. 2 qualifier, behind a mark of 2:10.46, while Japan’s Yamato Fukasawa went 2:11.63 for third.
Photo Courtesy:
Men’s 200 Freestyle (Final)
Poland’s Kamil Sieradzki made a charge from third place at the 150-meter mark to capture gold, his time of 1:47.60 clipping the 1:47.73 of Lithuania’s Tomas Navikonis. The Lithuanian had the lead with a lap remaining but a closing split of 27.29 from Sieradzki propelled him to the top of the podium. The bronze medal went to Italy’s Giovanni Caserta in 1:48.01.
Photo Courtesy:
Women’s 100 Backstroke (Semifinals)
Poland has enjoyed a strong meet through the first three days, and Adela Piskorska kept the momentum going by taking the top seed in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.61, the only sub-1:01 effort of the semifinals. Moving through as the second seed for the final was Portugal’s Camila Rodrigues-Rebelo in 1:01.09. Just behind in 1:01.11 was Italy’s Federica Toma.
Photo Courtesy:
Men’s 50 Backstroke (Semifinals)
The Italian duo of Simone Stefani and Michele Lamberti will chase a gold-silver finish over one lap of backstroke after leading the semifinals. Stefani was the lone athlete to break the 25-second barrier, going 24.98. Lamberti followed him in second place in 25.04. Romania’s Denis-Laurean Popescu earned the third seed, touching in 25.18.
Photo Courtesy:
Women’s 100 Breaststroke (Final)
Following countrywoman Ruta Meilutyte’s triumph in the event at the World Championships, Lithuania’s Kotryna Teterevkova claimed gold in the 100 breaststroke, leading two women under 1:07. Teterekova registered a mark of 1:06.74 to fend off South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett, who was charging down the stretch and moved up from third over the closing 50 meters. The bronze medal went to Poland’s Dominika Sztandera in 1:07.19.
Photo Courtesy:
Women’s 100 Freestyle (Final)
Coming off a world championship in the 100 butterfly, China’s Zhang Yufei picked up a title at the World University Games in the 100 freestyle. In dominant fashion, Zhang prevailed by more than a second, her winning mark of 53.34 good for a meet record. Zhang was out in 25.20 and came home in 28.14 to easily beat silver medalist Erin Gallagher of South Africa. Gallagher turned in a performance of 54.39 to finish ahead of bronze medalist Kalia Antoniou of Cypress, who touched in 54.82.
Photo Courtesy:
Men’s 200 Individual Medley (Final)
Portugal’s Gabriel Almeida Lopes was the sole swimmer to go under two minutes, putting together a winning mark of 1:59.12. That effort handed Almeida Lopes a margin over nearly a second over silver medalist Wang Hsing-Hao of Taiwan, who went 2:00. The third spot on the podium went to Germany’s Marius Zobel in 2:00.56.
Photo Courtesy:
Men’s 1500 Freestyle (Final)
Italy’s Ivan Giovannoni picked up the gold medal behind a swim of 15:11.81, which was nearly three seconds clear of the 15:14.60 of Japan’s Kaito Tabuchi. Rounding out the podium was the United States’ Chris Nagy, who covered his 30 laps in 15:19.23.
Photo Courtesy: