Look no further for all updates from Day Two Prelims of the FINA World Cup stop on Tokyo, Japan. Click here for the Finals Recap from Day One, and check in later for the Finals session recap.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
Rikako Ikee (CLB) led all qualifiers through the heats, touching with the fastest time out of Heat 4. Right next to her was second qualifier American Natalie Coughlin, who will also be in the middle lanes for the finals session after touching just behind in 55.33. Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu was just one-hundreth behind in 55.34 to nab the third qualifying spot, setting the stage for what is sure to be a close race to kick off the finals session later on.
Top rest of the top 8 will be Melanie Wright (AUS), Miki Uchida (CLB), Felicia Lee (USA), Tomomi Aoki (CLB), and Misaki Yamagughi (CLB).
Men’s 200 Freestyle
Yuuki Kobori (CLB) will have the center lane in tonight’s final of the Men’s 200 Freestyle after posting the top time of 1:49.42. Right behind him with matching 1:49.80’s were American Zane Grothe and Nalto Ehara (CLB) from heat’s four and five, respectively.
The rest of the final will be made up of Reo Sakata (CLB), Ewan Jackson (NZL), Takeshi Matsuda (CLB), Naoya Tsuruga (CLB), and Alex Graham (AUS).
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Alia Atkinson of Jamaica led all qualifiers from heat 3 of the women’s 50 breaststroke, touching in a swift 30.86. Right behind her was American Molly Hannis in 30.93. Hannis will surely be looking to channel the momentum from her close win the 100 breaststroke on the first night of finals.
The rest of the final will be comprised of Jennie Johansson (SWE), Leiston Pickett (AUS), Satomi Suzuki (CLB), Misaki Sekiguchi (CLB), Laura Sogar (USA), and Jessica Hansen (AUS).
Men’s 100 Breaststroke
Jake Packard (AUS) put on a show in Heat 4 of the Men’s 100 Breaststroke, just out-touching Cameron Van Der Burgh (RSA) in the next lane 1:01.44 to 1:01.47. This was a close event all around, with the top 8 qualifiers all between 1:01.44 and 1:01.97. This could really be anybody’s race tonight.
In a strange twist, Yoshiki Yamanaka (CLB) and Takatoshi Ikeshita (CLB) tied for 4th in 1:01.87 while Hayato Watanbe (CLB) and Kevin Cordes (USA) tied for 7th in 1:01.97. The rest of the final will include Yuuta Oshikiri (CLB) who qualified 3rd and Kazuki Hayashi (CLB) who was sixth.
Men’s 100 Butterfly
American Tom Shields was the only man in the heats to break 53-seconds, leading all qualifiers in 52.64. Shields took it out about a half second faster than everyone else in the field but still brought it back with the fastest second 50 of all qualifiers.
Sharing the middle lanes with Shields in finals will be Austrailian Christopher Wright who was second in 53.13 and Yuuki Kobori (CLB) who qualified third in 53.18. The rest of the top 8 includes Zheng Wen Quah (SIN), Takeshi Kawamoto (CLB), Masayuki Unemoto (CLB), Nikolay Skvorstsov (RUS), and Masato Sakai (CLB).
Women’s 100 Backstroke
Emily Seebohm cruised to the top seed in the women’s 100 backstroke out of the final heat with a 1:00.88. Seebohm was the only qualifier to break 1:01. In second was her fellow Australian Belinda Hocking in 1:01.61. Katinka Hosszu qualified fourth in her second event of the session, posting a 1:01.87 from the fourth heat.
The rest of the top 8 included Miyuki Takemura (CLB), Emi Moronuki (JPN), Masumi Takaba (CLB), Miki Takahashi (CLB), and Yuka Kawayoke (CLB).
Men’s 50 Backstroke
American David Plummer threw down the hammer in heat four of five, posting a blistering 24.62 to lead all qualifiers by roughly 8-tenths of a second. In second was fellow American phenom Michael Andrew, who touched second in 25.47. Third was 100 backstroke champion from the first night of finals Australian Mitch Larkin.
The rest of the top 8 qualifiers include Junya Hasegawa (CLB), Josh Beaver (AUS), Ash Delaney (AUS), Zheng Wen Quah (SIN), and Syunichi Nakao (CLB).
Women’s 200 Butterfly
Natsumi Hoshi will lead all qualifiers in the 200 butterfly with a 2:10.35. She will be joined by ayana Miwa (CLB) and Kona Jujita (CLB) in the middle of the pool during finals.
The rest of the top 8 included Haruno Itou (CLB), Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), Kate Mills (USA), Aine Matsushita (CLB), and Caitlin Leverenz (USA).
Men’s 200 IM
Austrailian Travis Mahoney is the top seed for the men’s 200 IM, leading the way in 2:02.14. Just one-hundreth behind is Hiromasa Fujimori in 2:02.15, while Ippei Watanabe is close in third with a 2:02.22.
The rest of the top eight includes Takahiro Tutumi (CLB), Keita Sunama (JPN), Hiroya Yamada (CLB), Ryo Murakawa (CLB), and Tomoya Takeuchi (CLB).
Women’s 400 Freestyle
In her third even of this prelims sessions, Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu grabbed the top spot heading into finals with a 4:13.06. She was a full second ahead of second and third place qualifiers Chihiro Igarashi (CLB) and Aya Takano (CLB).
The rest of the top 8 will include Wakaba Tsuyuuchi (CLB), Adami Chida (CLB), Chen Yuxi (CHN), Leah Neale (AUS), and Yasuko Miyamoto (CLB).
Men’s 50 Freestyle
Shinri Shioura (CLB) claimed the top spot over Americans Anthony Ervin and Will Copeland by just five one-hundreths. Shioura touched in 22.63, followed by Ervin in 22.68 and Copeland in 22.70.
The rest of the field for the men’s splash and dash include Katsumi Nakamura (CLB), Blake Jones (AUS), Chun-Feng Wu (TPE), Daniel Hunter (NZL), and Jamie Sturgeon (AUS).
Women’s 200 Breaststroke
Rie Kaneto of Japan took the top seed for the women’s 200 breaststroke with a 2:25.09 from heat 4. Kanako Watanabe grabbed second seed just a second back in 2:26.00, while Runa Imai was third in 2:26.43.
The rest of the top 8 include Kierra Smith (CAN), Taylor Mckeown (AUS), Laura Sogar (USA), Sae Saitou (CLB), and Reona Aoki (CLB).
Men’s 200 Backstroke
Last night’s 100 backstroke champ Mitch Larkin (AUS) claimed the top spot going into finals in the 200 back with a 1:59.47. He should be challenged by Ryosuke Irie, who is not far behind with his 1:59.89 from the heat prior. Expect these two to battle it out in the middle of the pool during finals.
The rest of the top 8 is comprised of Hayate Matsubara (CLB), Zheng Wen Quah (SIN), Ashley Delaney (AUS), Kazuki Watanabe (CLB), Masaki Kaneko (CLB), and Yuuma Edo (CLB).
Women’s 50 Butterfly
Mikie Uchida (CLB) nabbed the top spot in the 50 fly over Rikako Ikee (CLB) 26.85 vs. 26.92. The top two were the only two to clear 27.00 and should be the favorites heading into the finals session.
Rounding out the top 8 are Tomoyo Fukuda (CLB), Jessica Hobbin (AUS), Felicia Lee (USA), Anna Santamans (FRA), Rino Hosoda (CLB), and Asuka Kobayashi (CLB).
Men’s 1500 Freestyle
Women’s 400 IM
