Swimming

2024 World Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

February 14, 2024

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 11th – February 18th
Doha, Qatar
LCM (50m)
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Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap

It’s day four of the World Championships and we are already halfway through the meet. Today’s preliminary session will feature just five events: the women’s 50 back, men’s 100 free, men’s 200 IM, women’s 200 fly, and the mixed 4×100 medley relay.

The first event on the docket, the women’s 50 backstroke, will be a quick one. The top entry into the event is Great Britain’s Lauren Cox, who claimed the bronze medal at the Fukuoka World Championships in July. She holds a best time of 27.20 in the event, just 0.01 outside Kathleen Dawson‘s British record from 2021. Dawson will also feature in the field, but hasn’t approached her best times in the backstroke events since before the Tokyo Olympics.

American Claire Curzan is also slated to compete after scoring gold in yesterday’s 100 back. Curzan rarely competes in this 50m distance, as she seems to prioritize the 100 and 200 in the long course pool. Nonetheless, given she took her 100 out in 28.25 yesterday, it seems she has the capability to dip well into the 27-second realm. Her best time in the event is from 2022, and it rests at 28.09.

Australia’s Iona Anderson is another name to keep an eye on. Perhaps her best event, she recently posted a time of 27.52 in the event at the Western Australia State Champs in December. A few months prior to that swim, she secured gold at the World Junior Championships. European record holder Kira Toussaint will also feature in the field, and her best time of 27.10 is faster than anyone in the field. She has not neared that mark since 2021, but that time could very well earn her Doha gold if she can match it.

The men’s 100 freestyle will be highlighted by the newly minted world record holder, Pan Zhanle of China. He opened China’s gold medal winning 4×100 freestyle relay on day one in 46.80, taking down David Popovici’s 46.86 mark from 2022. Alessandro Miressi of Italy and 2023 200 free World Champion Matthew Richards of Team GB will also feature, and so will Hungary’s Nandor Nemeth. Nemeth opened Hungary’s 5th place 4×100 free relay on day one with a time of 47.89, so he seems to be in form to challenge for the podium. China’s Wang Haoyu is another name to keep a watchful eye on. Wang missed the semifinals in Fukuoka, but has split sub-47 on a relay before.

The men’s 200 IM should be a fun battle here in Doha, with the top entrant being Duncan Scott of Great Britain. The 2022 silver medalist, Carson Foster, will be in the hunt for gold if he can approach his 1:55.71 best time. Foster’s Team USA and Texas teammate Shaine Casas will also swim the event, after placing 4th last year in Fukuoka. Of note, Scott grabbed silver in Fukuoka and Foster placed 5th. Casas owns a best time of 1:55.24, which is faster than both Scott (1:55.28) and Foster.

The women’s 200 fly is missing the entire podium from Fukuoka, but 4th place finisher Lana Pudar enters as the top seed here. Her entry time is 2:06.26, and the only other swimmer with a sub-2:07 on the entry lists is Team GB’s Laura Stephens (2:06.62).