2019 FINA Swimming World Cup Jinan: Rapsys, Liu Break World Cup Records; Morozov Swims 21.5 50 Free

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Danas Rapsys broke the world cup record in the 400 free. Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

The first night of finals from the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China had 10 total events. There were two new World Cup records with China’s Liu Xiang breaking the 50 back record and Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys lowering his own 400 free record. Russia’s Vladimir Morozov was 0.01 off his own meet record but he was able to move up to fifth in the world rankings with his win in the 50 free.

Men’s 400 Free

Lithuania’s Danas Rapsys broke the first World Cup record on Thursday night at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China with a 3:43.91 in the 400 free. Rapsys broke his own World Cup record he set last week in Tokyo with a 3:45.57 as he was not far off his season best of 3:43.36. Rapsys was fourth in Gwangju in this event, just missing out on a medal with a 3:43.50. He has shown he can hold a taper a few extra weeks, swimming not far off his rested times from the World Championships. Rapsys notably won the 200 free gold medal before getting disqualified for a false start at the World Championships.

Rapsys won ahead of China’s Ji Xinjie, who also finaled in the World Championships. But Ji was well off his Worlds time with a 3:49.87. He finished ahead of Australia’s Thomas Fraser-Holmes (3:54.20) and China’s Meng Rui (3:55.70).

USA’s Brennan Gravley (3:59.13) finished in fifth place, not far off his 3:57.99 best time from this year. Gravley will be a freshman at the University of Florida this fall.

1	RAPSYS	Danas	LTU	3:43.91	WC
2	JI	Xinjie	CHN	3:49.87
3	FRASER-HOLMES	Thomas	AUS	3:54.20
4	MENG	Rui	CLB	3:55.70
5	GRAVLEY	Brennan	USA	3:59.13
6	YEO	Joshua Wee Chee	SGP	4:06.93
7	TAN	Zhao	CLB	4:07.20
8	CHEN	Chen	CLB	4:07.54

Women’s 50 Back

China’s Liu Xiang won the 50 back on Thursday night at the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China with a 27.35 to break the World Cup record of 27.49 from 2015 by Emily Seebohm. Liu holds the world record that she set last year in this event so it isn’t much of a surprise to see her win. She did not swim at the World Championships though but her time here would have won the silver medal in Korea.

China’s Chen Jie and Fu Yuanhui did swim this event at Worlds but did not make it out of the semifinals. Chen was a 27.88 tonight in Jinan for the silver medal while Fu could not complete the Chinese podium sweep, finishing fourth at 28.03. Australia’s Seebohm slipped in for the bronze with a 27.99. Although she missed her World Cup medal, she put up a good swim considering she did not qualify to swim at the World Championships. Fellow Aussie Holly Barratt (28.13) finished in fifth while Austria’s Caroline Pilhatsch (28.14) was sixth.

1	LIU	Xiang	CHN	27.35	WC
2	CHEN	Jie	CHN	27.88
3	SEEBOHM	Emily	AUS	27.99
4	FU	Yuanhui	CHN	28.03
5	BARRATT	Holly	AUS	28.13
6	PILHATSCH	Caroline	AUT	28.14
7	COLEMAN	Michelle	SWE	28.71
8	CHEN	Szu-Chi	TPE	29.30

Men’s 50 Free

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov had a very strong showing in the 50 free to close out the first night of the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China with a 21.50. The time was very quick for Morozov, who was fourth at the World Championships with a 21.53. Morozov moved up to fifth in the world for 2019 with his swim as he won by a large margin over Michael Andrew (22.16) and China’s Yu Hexin (22.31).

Morozov just missed his meet record of 21.49 that he set last year.

Morozov has shown zero signs of fatigue as he was one of the few swimmers to actually swim faster than he did at the World Championships. He has been around the sport a long time but the 27-year-old is still looking for his first international medal since taking silver in this event at the 2013 Worlds.

Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo swam his second race of the night and finished fourth at 22.37 ahead of USA’s Blake Pieroni (22.39) and Italy’s Santo Condorelli (22.42).

2019 World Rankings:

21.04, Caeleb Dressel, USA
21.31, Bruno Fratus, BRA
21.45, Kristian Gkolomeev, GRE
21.48, Ben Proud, GBR
21.50, Vladimir Morozov, RUS
21.53, Andrea Vergani, ITA
21.62, Michael Andrew, USA
21.67, Pawel Juraszek, POL
21.67, Shinri Shioura, JPN
21.72, Florent Manaudou, FRA

1	MOROZOV	Vladimir	RUS	21.50
2	ANDREW	Michael	USA	22.16
3	YU	Hexin	CHN	22.31
4	SZABO	Szebasztian	HUN	22.37
5	PIERONI	Blake	USA	22.39
6	CONDORELLI	Santo	ITA	22.42
7	YANG	Jintong	CHN	22.70
8	LIU	Shaofeng	CLB	22.95

Women’s 400 Free

USA’s Erica Sullivan swam a new best time in the 400 free to start the first finals session of the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China. Sullivan swam a 4:08.70 in the 400 free to lower her best of 4:09.43 from the 2017 US Open as she won her first event of the World Cup. Sullivan is also a day shy of her 19th birthday as she is the sixth fastest American this year and 33rd in the world.

China’s Bi Wenxin (4:10.23) placed second in the final ahead of fellow Chinese Dong Jie (4:11.32).

1	SULLIVAN	Erica	USA	4:08.70
2	BI	Wenxin	CLB	4:10.23
3	DONG	Jie	CHN	4:11.32
4	GOUGH	Maddy	AUS	4:12.48
5	YANG	Caiping	CLB	4:13.31
6	TAYLOR	Laura	AUS	4:16.03
7	LIU	Xin	CLB	4:16.62
8	LIU	Yaxin	CHN	4:17.79

Men’s 200 Back

Australia’s Mitch Larkin won the 200 back on Thursday night at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan with a 1:56.39. The time was not bad for Larkin, who did not swim this event at the World Championships to focus on the 200 IM. He has the third fastest time in the world this year with a 1:55.03 from June, but he elected to swim the 200 IM at Worlds. The 200 back and 200 IM final are on the same day at the Olympics so he will have to decide which he wants to focus on considering it is an incredibly hard double, something only Ryan Lochte had been able to succeed in.

Larkin won the final tonight in Jinan ahead of fellow Aussie Tristan Hollard (1:57.94), who was off his season best of 1:57.17. Hollard did not swim at the World Championships.

China’s Xu Jiayu finished in third at 1:59.59, which is not a very good time for him since he has the fourth fastest time in the world this year at 1:55.24. Xu scratched out of this event at Worlds like Larkin did except Xu wanted to focus on the 4×200 free relay.

1	LARKIN	Mitchell	AUS	1:56.39
2	HOLLARD	Tristan	AUS	1:57.94
3	XU	Jiayu	CHN	1:59.59
4	LOW	Malcolm	SGP	2:09.16
5	DU	Shixian	CLB	2:10.38
6	FU	Kun-Ming	TPE	2:16.33
7	HAN	Feiyang	CLB	2:18.35
8	CAO	Weiguo	CLB	2:21.80

Women’s 200 Fly

To no surprise, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu claimed another win at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China with a 2:07.26 in the 200 fly final. Hosszu went 1-2 with fellow Hungarian Zsuzsanna Jakabos (2:07.75) with the latter claiming a season best time. Jakabos moved up to 13th in the world for 2019 with her swim while Hosszu still sits third. Hosszu and Jakabos didn’t swim at the World Championships for Hungary since Boglarka Kapas and Liliana Szilagyi carried the reigns for the Hungarians. Kapas famously won the gold medal in Gwangju while Szilagyi was sixth.

China’s Zhang Yufei, who did not make it out of the heats at Worlds, had a much better showing at the World Cup with a 2:08.89 for the bronze medal. Zhang was only a 2:14.20 at Worlds in a very disappointing showing considering she came into the meet as a medal favorite.

China’s Zhang Yuhan (2:12.40) finished in fourth while Australia’s Laura Taylor (2:12.72), who was a 2:06 in 2018, finished in fifth.

1	HOSSZU	Katinka	HUN	2:07.26
2	JAKABOS	Zsuzsanna	HUN	2:07.75
3	ZHANG	Yufei	CHN	2:08.89
4	ZHANG	Yuhan	CHN	2:12.40
5	TAYLOR	Laura	AUS	2:12.72
6	MA	Mingxuan	CLB	2:20.42
7	LIN	Yung-Hsin	TPE	2:20.61
8	WANG	Ya-Jen	TPE	2:21.65

Men’s 100 Fly

Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo has enjoyed a solid year of racing in 2019 and continued that on Thursday night in Jinan, China at the FINA Swimming World Cup. Szabo swam a 51.45 in the 100 fly to win the gold medal ahead of Australia’s Grant Irvine (51.60) and Italy’s Santo Condorelli (52.00). Szabo actually swam a season best time and moved up to 11th in the world rankings for 2019. Szabo did not swim this event at the World Championships since Kristof Milak and long-time veteran Laszlo Cseh carried the torch. Szabo certainly has thrown his name in the hat for a possible Olympic berth for Hungary next year.

Irvine swam a season best since he did not swim at the World Championships. He is now 14th in the world for 2019 and is the third fastest Australian in a relatively wide open event for next year. Condorelli moved up to 27th in the world with his swim as he went faster than either Italian did at the World Championships. Condorelli was a solid international swimmer for Canada in the last Olympic quad but has since taken his talents across the Atlantic to swim for Italy.

USA’s Michael Andrew (52.08) finished in fourth, adding a little from his season best of 51.87. Belarus’ Yauhen Tsurkin (52.54), Australia’s Nic Brown (52.74), China’s Wang Shun (53.13) and Li Zhuhao (53.23) also swam in the final.

This was a particularly disappointing swim for Li, who finaled at the Olympics in this event. Li was a 51.66 earlier this year at the FINA Champions Series and was even a dark horse for a medal at Worlds but he did not make it out of the semifinals.

1	SZABO	Szebasztian	HUN	51.45
2	IRVINE	Grant	AUS	51.60
3	CONDORELLI	Santo	ITA	52.00
4	ANDREW	Michael	USA	52.08
5	TSURKIN	Yauhen	BLR	52.54
6	BROWN	Nic	AUS	52.74
7	WANG	Shun	CHN	53.13
8	LI	Zhuhao	CHN	53.23

Women’s 200 Breast

Russia’s Vitalina Simonova comes from a very rich breaststroke tradition in Russia and it showed on Thursday at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan. Simonova scored a season best of 2:24.52 in the 200 breast but is the fifth fastest in Russia as she moved up to 23rd in the world for this year. Simonova won handily over China’s Yu Jingyao (2:27.51) and He Yun (2:27.51).

Simonova also did not swim this event at the World Championships with Yulia Efimova and Mariia Temnikova getting the nod. It will be a tough team to make next year for Simonova as the 26-year-old is looking to make her first Olympics.

Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson (2:31.00) finished in fourth place.

1	SIMONOVA	Vitalina	RUS	2:24.52
2	YU	Jingyao	CHN	2:27.51
3	HE	Yun	CLB	2:28.13
4	ATKINSON	Alia	JAM	2:31.00
5	GORDON	Lucy	NZL	2:38.20
6	WU	Yu-Chen	TPE	2:41.25
7	ZHANG	Xinyu	CLB	2:42.31
8	CHEN	Jing-An	TPE	2:44.18

Men’s 100 Breast

China’s Yan Zibei gave the Chinese fans in Jinan something to cheer about on Thursday night at the FINA Swimming World Cup. Yan won the 100 breast with a 59.08, which was not far off his Asian record at the World Championships a couple weeks ago when he won the bronze medal behind Adam Peaty and James Wilby. Yan was a 58.63 at Worlds and he carried that momentum into Jinan with a 59.08, which gave him the win over USA’s Andrew Wilson (59.56) and China’s Wang Lizhuo (59.56) who tied for second.

Wilson also had a nice showing at the World Championships, reaching the final in both the 100 and 200 breast. Wilson was a 58.95 in the semifinals at Worlds but only managed sixth in the final. He has taken advantage of the World Cup stage, breaking a World Cup record last week in Tokyo in the 200 and also swimming right at his bests this week in China. Wilson tied with Wang, who was right at his Worlds time of 59.44 from the heats.

Qin Haiyang of China almost made it a 1-2-3 finish for the Chinese but he was fourth at 59.63. He is more known as a 200 breaststroker and 200 IMer but he had a solid showing in the 100 breast. Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi finished fifth at 59.67. He was disqualified at Worlds in this event and rebounded to swim a season best in Tokyo last week.

Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas (1:00.16), China’s Zhang Ruixuan (1:00.63) and Brazil’s Felipe Franca (1:01.16) also swam in the final.

1	YAN	Zibei	CHN	59.08
2	WILSON	Andrew	USA	59.56
2	WANG	Lizhuo	CHN	59.56
4	QIN	Haiyang	CHN	59.63
5	MARTINENGHI	Nicolo	ITA	59.67
6	SIDLAUSKAS	Andrius	LTU	1:00.16
7	ZHANG	Ruixuan	CHN	1:00.63
8	FRANCA SILVA	Felipe	BRA	1:01.16

Women’s 50 Free

Australia’s Cate Campbell took care of business in the 50 free on Thursday night at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Jinan, China. Campbell swam a 24.16 which was right at her 24.11 she swam at World Championships to get the bronze medal. Campbell’s season best is still a 24.00 from the FINA Champions Series in Guangzhou so China clearly has been good to the Australian.

She won fairly handily over Sweden’s Michelle Coleman (24.74), who is swimming on a bit of a comeback tour after not swimming internationally in 2018. Coleman was a 24.66 in Tokyo last week but her time tonight was faster than what she swam at the World Championships when she didn’t make it out of the semifinals.

Australia’s Holly Barratt (24.91) and Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen (24.98) placed third and fourth to dip under 25.

Impressive win by Cate Campbell ?? in the Women’s 50m Freestyle! Watch live at https://t.co/bEozhdW5qV #SWC19 #SWIMMING #FINA pic.twitter.com/oDdgTwVtpT

— FINA (@fina1908) August 8, 2019

1	CAMPBELL	Cate	AUS	24.16
2	COLEMAN	Michelle	SWE	24.74
3	BARRATT	Holly	AUS	24.91
4	OTTESEN	Jeanette	DEN	24.98
5	ZHU	Menghui	CHN	25.01
6	SUO	Ran	CHN	25.59
7	SEEBOHM	Emily	AUS	25.83
8	BAO	Ying	CLB	26.04

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