FINA World Cup: Daiya Seto and Emma McKeon Post Doubles to Close Kazan Stop
Daiya Seto continued his good form at the FINA World Cup stop in Kazan, Russia, Saturday by winning the 400 individual medley.
Seto’s time of 3:57.85 bested the field by more than five seconds. It also put him within six tenths of his World Cup record, set in 2018 in Eindhoven. Seto also owns the world record in the event at 3:51.81.
It’s been a busy three-day meet in Kazan for Seto, who took down the Japanese and Asian records in the 100 IM on Thursday, then set a World Cup record in the 200 IM on Friday.
Ilia Borodin was a distant second to Seto, with Daniil Pasynkov in third.
Emma McKeon threw down a fast 100 butterfly to win the event in 55.63 seconds. The seven-time medalist in Tokyo was within .33 seconds of the Australian record set in 2013 by Alicia Coutts. Maria Ugolkova of Switzerland was second in 56.89.
Szebasztian Szabo won a speedy 50 fly in 21.97 seconds. That time is just .11 off his lifetime best, which stands as the Hungarian record. Second was Tom Shields in 22.19, while Kyle Chalmers, fresh off his world record in the 100 free on Friday, took third in 22.33. Chalmers’ time is .09 off his lifetime best, which stands as the Aussie record.
Leah Neale led wire-to-wire in winning the women’s 800 free in 8:22.53. Kira Toussaint eased her way to victory in the 200 backstroke in 2:03.51, nearly four seconds ahead of Daria K. Ustinova.
Kliment Kolesnikov prevailed over a Russian-heavy field in the 100 back, winning in 49.47. Second was Pavel Samusenko in 50.44, while Grigory Tarasevich rode a fast final 50 to vault from fifth to third.
An All-Russian final of the women’s 50 breaststroke resulted in the narrowest of victories for Nika Godun, who touched in a time of 29.64. That performance supplied a .01 triumph over veteran Yuliya Efimova.
Seto picked up his second victory of the session when he rallied in the 200 breaststroke to reel in Dutchman Arno Kamminga over the last lap. Kamminga led from the start through 150 meters, but Seto split 30.87 for the last 50 meters, more than a second quicker than Kamminga, to win in 2:01.49. Kamminga touched in 2:02.13.
Just after Seto wrapped up his double, McKeon won her second event of the evening when she just missed her World Cup record in the 100 freestyle. McKeon blew away the field with a mark of 50.67, good for No. 4 all-time, which wasn’t far off her World Cup record of 50.58, set a few weeks ago in Budapest. Sweden’s Michelle Coleman was the runnerup in 51.94.
A furious finish by Danas Rapsys enabled the Lithuanian to secure a tie with South African youngster Matthew Sates in the 200 freestyle. Rapsys and Sates both stopped the clock in 1:41.73, with Rapsys closing in 25.17 to pull even with the rising star. Earlier in the meet, Sates got the best of Rapsys in the 400 freestyle.
Closing out individual competition was Switzerland’s Maria Ugolkova with a victory in the 200 individual medley over Turkey’s Viktoria Gunes. Ugolkova managed a time of 2:06.59 to edge Gunes (2:06.72).
Seto and McKeon have the same birthday !