2019 World University Games: Grigory Tarasevich, Tayla Lovemore Score Upset Wins in Swimming Action

Grigory Tarasevich won the gold medal in the 100 back; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The second night of finals from the 2019 World University Games had five finals and four semi finals on the heat sheet. The United States won three of the four gold medals on the first night of the meet and won two more golds on night two. Ian Finnerty and Lisa Bratton lowered the meet records in their respective events on the way to gold medals.

South Africa’s Tayla Lovemore and Russia’s Grigory Tarasevich also scored upsets in the 50 fly and 100 back respectively as they won their country’s first golds in the pool this week in Italy. Australia’s William Yang also captured a gold medal in the 50 fly to start the night.

Men’s 50 Fly

Australia’s William Yang won the first gold medal of the night with a 23.32 in the men’s 50 fly on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Yang won narrowly over Japan’s Yuya Tanaka (23.35) and Belarus’ Grigori Pekarski (23.47).

Yang was well off the meet record of 22.90 set by Andrii Govorov at the Taipei Games in 2017. Govorov also holds the world record that he set last year.

Americans Jack Saunderson and Coleman Stewart finished seventh and eighth to start the night.

Results:

William Yang, AUS, 23.32
Yuya Tanaka, JPN, 23.35
Grigori Pekarski, BLR, 23.47
Pawel Sendyk, POL, 23.63
Lorenzo Gargani, ITA, 23.76
Daniil Markov, RUS, 23.91
Jack Saunderson, USA, 23.97
Coleman Stewart, USA, 24.00

Women’s 100 Free Semi Final

Americans Gabby DeLoof and Veronica Burchill swam through the semi finals with the fastest two times on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples. DeLoof was the only swimmer to break 55 seconds with a 54.41 as she is well in front of Burchill (55.19). Germany is the only other country to qualify two swimmers to the final as Lisa Hopink (55.23) and Jessica Felsner (55.83) qualified third and fifth.

Russia’s Elizaveta Klevanovich (55.63), Italy’s Paola Biagioli (55.89), Canada’s Ainsley McMurray (55.93) and Czech Republic’s Anna Kolarova (55.96) also qualified for the final.

New Zealand’s Gabrielle Faamausili (56.18), who also swims for the University of Georgia, missed the final placing 10th.

Results:

Gabby DeLoof, USA, 54.41
Veronica Burchill, USA, 55.19
Lisa Hopink, GER, 55.23
Elizaveta Klevanovich, RUS, 55.63
Jessica Felsner, GER, 55.83
Paola Biagioli, ITA, 55.89
Ainsley McMurray, CAN, 55.93
Anna Kolarova, CZE, 55.96
Aki Nishizu, JPN, 56.10
Gabrielle Faamausili, NZL, 56.18
Julia Hawkins, AUS, 56.18
Tam Hoi Lam, HKG, 56.28
Juliette Dumont, BEL, 56.33
Giulia Verona, ITA, 56.51
Nastassia Karakouskaya, BLR, 56.62
Mayuka Yamamoto, JPN, 57.61

Men’s 100 Back

Russia’s Grigory Tarasevich scored an upset win in the men’s 100 back on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Tarasevich swam a 53.51 to take down the top seed Justin Ress of the United States. Ress slipped to the bronze medal behind Yohann N’Doye-Brouard of France who swam a 53.80 for the silver.

Ress had the fastest times out of the heats and the semi finals as he was a 53.47 last night in the semis. But Tarasevich took control in the final to win Russia’s first gold medal in swimming at the Games. Ress was unable to defend his 2017 title he won in Taipei.

South Africa’s Zane Waddell, who swims at the University of Alabama, placed fourth at 53.87. There were six swimmers in the final that swam at American colleges. Tarasevich (Louisville), Ress (NC State) and Waddell (Alabama) swam in the United States as did USA’s Bryce Mefford (Cal), Russia’s Mark Nikolaev (Grand Canyon) and Brazil’s Gabriel Fantoni (Indiana).

Mefford placed fifth at 54.42 as he was a tick faster in the semis at 54.34. Nikolaev (54.51) placed sixth while Fantoni (54.83) was eighth. Brazil’s Guilherme Basseto (54.80) finished in seventh.

The meet record of 52.60 set by Ryosuke Irie of Japan from 2009 will survive another day.

Results:

Grigory Tarasevich, RUS, 53.51
Yohann N’Doye-Brouard, FRA, 53.80
Justin Ress, USA, 53.81
Zane Waddell, RSA, 53.87
Bryce Mefford, USA, 54.42
Mark Nikolaev, RUS, 54.51
Guilherme Basseto, BRA, 54.80
Gabriel Fantoni, BRA, 54.83

Women’s 50 Fly

South Africa’s Tayla Lovemore scored another surprise win in the women’s 50 fly on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Lovemore, who swam at Florida State, was a 26.25 in the final to take down Japan’s Ai Soma (26.38) and Korea’s Jeong Soeun (26.41). Lovemore was well off the meet record of 25.72 set by China’s Lu Ying in 2015 but she did win South Africa’s first medal of the Games in swimming.

The Americans did not have any swimmers in the final as Kinge Zandringa of the Netherlands placed fourth at 26.68. Korea’s Park Yerin (26.75), Russia’s Sofia Spodarenko (26.80), Taipei’s Huang Mei-Chieun (26.98) and Japan’s Mayuka Yamamoto (27.03) also swam in the final.

Results:

Tayla Lovemore, RSA, 26.25
Ai Soma, JPN, 26.38
Jeong Soeun, KOR, 26.41
Kinge Zandringa, NED, 26.68
Park Yerin, KOR, 26.75
Sofia Spodarenko, RUS, 26.80
Huang Mei-Chieun, TPE, 26.98
Mayuka Yamamoto, JPN, 27.03

Men’s 100 Breast

USA’s Ian Finnerty reset the Games record he set in the semi finals last night in the men’s 100 breast on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games. Finnerty swam a 59.49 in the 100 breast final to lower his 59.51 he set in the semis on Thursday. Finnerty, who was a late addition to the roster for the meet, is now the second fastest American in 2019 behind fellow Indiana Hoosier Cody Miller (59.24). He was able to win a close race ahead of 2017 Worlds bronze medalist Kirill Prigoda of Russia (59.50) and Japan’s Yuya Hinomoto (59.72).

Finnerty has the American record in short course yards as he was the first (and only) man to break 50 seconds in yards. He won the NCAA titles in the 100 breast in 2018 and 2019. He hasn’t really had a breakout long course swim in the last few years to match his speed in short course. Finnerty was a 1:00.09 in 2017 at the US Open but had not broken a minute until this year.

The 100 breast was a quick final as it was one of our highlighted races to watch this week. Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas (59.84) placed fourth and South Africa’s Michael Houlie (59.92), who was leading at the 50 with a blistering 27.18, faded to fifth place.

Great Britain’s Craig Benson (1:00.27), Turkey’s Berkay Ogretir (1:00.47) and France’s Theo Bussiere (1:00.89) also swam in the final.

Results:

Ian Finnerty, USA, 59.49, UR
Kirill Prigoda, RUS, 59.50
Yuya Hinomoto, JPN, 59.72
Andrius Sidlauskas, LTU, 59.84
Michael Houlie, RSA, 59.92
Craig Benson, GBR, 1:00.27
Berkay Ogretir, TUR, 1:00.47
Theo Bussiere, FRA, 1:00.89

Women’s 100 Breast Semi Final

South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker showed out strong in the 100 breast semi finals on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples with a 1:06.32. She is almost a full second ahead of second place Kanako Watanabe of Japan, who was a 1:07.15. Schoenmaker looked long and strong as she is using Naples as a tune-up for the 2019 World Championships in two weeks.

Watanabe was the gold medalist in this event two years ago in Taipei but will have her hands full in trying to repeat in 2019 with Schoenmaker. The gold medal is expected to come down between those two swimmers.

Brazil’s Jhennifer Alves (1:07.68) is currently the third seed for tomorrow’s final as it will be a tight race for the bronze medal. USA’s Emily Weiss (1:07.78), who will be a freshman at Indiana this fall, is the fourth seed just ahead of Japan’s Mai Fukusawa (1:07.79) and Great Britain’s Sarah Vasey (1:07.84).

Australia’s Chelsea Hodges (1:07.94) and Italy’s Francesca Fangio (1:08.17) also qualified for the final.

American-based Nina Kucheran, who is representing Canada but swims for Florida State, placed ninth at 1:08.51. USA’s Jorie Caneta (1:09.17) finished 14th overall and did not qualify for tomorrow’s final.

Results:

Tatjana Schoenmaker, RSA, 1:06.32
Kanako Watanabe, JPN, 1:07.15
Jhennifer Alves, BRA, 1:07.68
Emily Weiss, USA, 1:07.78
Mai Fukusawa, JPN, 1:07.79
Sarah Vasey, GBR, 1:07.84
Chelsea Hodges, AUS, 1:07.94
Francesca Fangio, ITA, 1:08.17
Daria Chikunova, RUS, 1:08.51
Nina Kucheran, CAN, 1:08.51
Kaylene Corbett, RSA, 1:08.75
Jocelyn Ulyett, GBR, 1:08.81
Nika Godun, RUS, 1:08.90
Jorie Caneta, USA, 1:09.17
Sophie Angus, CAN, 1:09.34
Natalia Foffi, ITA, 1:09.51

Men’s 200 IM Semi Final

Great Britain’s Joe Litchfield was the lone swimmer to break 2:00 in the 200 IM semi finals on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Litchfield won the second semi final ahead of Japan’s Juran Mizohata (2:00.16) as they moved through as the fastest two qualifiers for the final. Italy’s Alberto Razzetti initially placed third at 2:00.18 but wound up disqualified for his back to breast transition. He will not be swimming in tomorrow’s final, thus opening the spot to Germany’s Felix Ziemann (2:01.61), who was initially ninth.

Japan’s Tomoya Takeuchi (2:00.34) placed third overall as the Japanese will be the only country to have two swimmers in the final tomorrow. Hungary’s Daniel Sos (2:00.39), who swims collegiately at the University of Louisville, placed fourth. France’s Samy Helmbacher (2:00.43) also qualified for the final as he swims at the University of Pittsburgh.

Australia’s Jared Gilliland (2:00.49) and Taipei’s Wang Hsing-Hao (2:00.55) also qualified for tomorrow’s final.

The Games record is not expected to be under threat as Japan’s Kosuke Hagino was a 1:57.35 on his way to gold in Taipei in 2017.

Results:

Joe Litchfield, GBR, 1:59.85
Juran Mizohata, JPN, 2:00.16
Alberto Razzetti, ITA, 2:00.18
Tomoya Takeuchi, JPN, 2:00.34
Daniel Sos, HUN, 2:00.39
Samy Helmbacher, FRA, 2:00.43
Jared Gilliland, AUS, 2:00.49
Wang Hsing-Hao, TPE, 2:00.55
Felix Ziemann, GER, 2:01.61
Maxim Stupin, URS, 2:01.75
Robert Hill, CAN, 2:02.00
Teemu Vuorela, FIN, 2:02.01
Mark Szaranek, GBR, 2:02.06
Icaro Ludgero, BRA, 2:02.24
Norbert Szabo, HUN, 2:03.00
Yang Sughyun, KOR, 2:03.75

Women’s 200 Back

USA’s Lisa Bratton lowered the meet record in the 200 back final on Friday night at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Bratton swam a 2:07.91 to lower the meet record that USA’s Asia Seidt set in the semi finals at 2:08.81. She ended up winning the gold medal ahead of Seidt, who broke that record again in the final at 2:08.56 for the silver medal. Bratton is now the second fastest American for 2019 behind Regan Smith.

The two Americans were well in front of the rest of the field as the bronze medal went to Great Britain’s Chloe Golding (2:09.57).

Moldova’s Tatiana Salcutan finished in fourth place at 2:10.86. American-based swimmers Sonnele Ozturk (Auburn) of Germany and Kennedy Goss (Indiana) of Canada finished in fifth and seventh. Ozturk was a 2:11.02 for fifth while Goss was seventh at 2:12.00.

Great Britain’s Kathryn Greenslade (2:11.62) was seventh while Japan’s Marina Furubayashi (2:13.02) was eighth.

Results:

Lisa Bratton, USA, 2:07.91, UR
Asia Seidt, USA, 2:08.56
Chloe Golding, GBR, 2:09.57
Tatiana Salcutan, MDA, 2:10.86
Sonnele Ozturk, GER, 2:11.02
Kathryn Greenslade, GBR, 2:11.62
Kennedy Goss, CAN, 2:12.00
Marina Furubayashi, JPN, 2:13.02

2019 American Rankings:

1. Regan Smith, 2:06.47
2. Lisa Bratton, 2:07.91
3. Kathleen Baker, 2:08.08
4. Hali Flickinger, 2:08.36
5. Asia Seidt, 2:08.56
6. Isabelle Stadden, 2:08.67
7. Phoebe Bacon, 2:09.33
8. Alex Walsh, 2:10.03

Men’s 200 Free Semi Final

Russia’s Nikolay Snegirev scored the top seed in the 200 free to close out the second night of finals at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. Snegirev swam a 1:47.42 as he is ahead of USA’s Zach Apple (1:47.76) and fellow Russian Aleksandr Fedorov (1:47.97).

The Italian crowd will also have plenty to cheer for in their home country as Stefano Di Cola (1:48.31) and Matteo Ciampi (1:48.65) advanced to the final in fifth and sixth place.

The Americans will also have two finalists as Trey Freeman (1:48.69) will be in lane 8 for the final tomorrow night.

Korea’s Yang Jaehoon (1:48.14) and France’s Jordan Pothain (1:48.67) also qualified for the final.

Results:

Nikolay Snegirev, RUS, 1:47.42
Zach Apple, USA, 1:47.76
Aleksandr Fedorov, RUS, 1:47.97
Yang Jaehoon, KOR, 1:48.14
Stefano Di Cola, ITA, 1:48.31
Matteo Ciampi, ITA, 1:48.65
Jordan Pothain, FRA, 1:48.67
Trey Freeman, USA, 1:48.69
Remi Meresse, FRA, 1:49.23
Jacob Hansford, AUS, 1:49.37
Keisuke Yoshida, JPN, 1:49.75
Filip Zaborowski, POL, 1:49.83
Lee Yooyeon, KOR, 1:49.89
Kaito Nakamura, JPN, 1:50.00
Henning Muehlleitner, GER, 1:50.12
Pablo Vieira, BRA, 1:50.13

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