Kyle Chalmers and Emma McKeon Speed Away From Field in 50 Freestyle As World Cup Opens

world-cup-MCKEON Emma LON London Roar (LON) ISL International Swimming League 2021 Match 6 day 1 Piscina Felice Scandone Napoli, Naples Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Kyle Chalmers and Emma McKeon Speed Away From Field in 50 Freestyle As World Cup Opens

Kira Toussaint set a World Cup 50 back record and Kyle Chalmers and Emma McKeon made it an Australian double in their respective 50 free races on day 1 in Berlin.

World Cup 2021, Berlin – Day 1

Toussaint’s time of 25.81 was 0.21 outside her own world record of 25.60 as she led home Canadian pair Maggie MacNeil – a butterfly specialist – and Kylie Masse were second and third respectively. MacNeil went 25.84 for a Canadian record and Masse – the Tokyo 2020 two-time silver medallist – touched in 25.96 as all three women went inside 26secs.

Chalmers had qualified quickest for the final of the 50 freestyle in 21.18 and he came through on the second 25 of the final to take the touch in 21.01. Szebasztian Szabo of Hungary was second in 21.09 with Jesse Puts of the Netherlands and Russia’s Vlad Morozov sharing third in 21.15.

McKeon won the women’s race in 23.56 ahead of Sweden’s Michelle Coleman (23.88) with Madison Wilson ensuring an Australian one-three in 24.04.

Victories For Arno Kamminga, Tom Shields And Krystina Horska

Jul 28, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Arno Kamminga (NED) reacts after the men's 200m breaststroke semifinals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Arno Kamminga: Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports

Arno Kamminga led the field into the 100 breaststroke final in 56.48 but it was Peter Stevens who was ahead at the 50m mark in the final.

Come the final turn and Kamminga – the double Olympic silver medallist – emerged slightly ahead, going on to win in 56.72.

Fabian Schwingenschlogl led home a German two-three in 56.83 ahead of Lucas Matzerath (57.97).

Szebasztian Szabo headed morning heats in the 100 fly but it was Tom Shields who led at halfway ahead of Chad Le Clos and the Hungarian.

Shields prevailed despite Le Clos’ best efforts, the American winning in 48.67 with the South African clocking 49.03.

There was clear daylight between the pair and Szabo in 50.08.

In the opening race of the finals session – the women’s 400 free – Isabel Gose was narrowly ahead of Cavan Gormsen at halfway, a lead she extended in the final 100m to win in 4:00.33.

Gormsen touched in 4:01.77 with her fellow USA swimmer Erin Gemmell third in 4:05.61.

In the men’s race, Danas Rapsys went out fast and was 1.85 ahead at the 200m mark, a lead he extended to more than three seconds with 100 remaining.

The Lithuanian had destroyed the field and there was no threat at all as he won in 3:38.19 ahead of Matthew Sates of South Africa who beat Luc Kroon to the touch in 3:40.28 to the Netherlands swimmer’s 3:40.50.

Florian Wellbrock – who won marathon gold in Tokyo – was next home in 3:42.22.

Christian Diener held a lead of 1.36 at halfway of the 200 back and, although Israel’s Yakov Toumarkin came back a little on the final 25m, the German was never threatened in 1:51.19.

Exactly a second behind in 1:52,19 came Toumarkin with South Africa’s Martin Binedell next home in 1:52.86.

Eneli Jefimova: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Kristyna Horska of the Czech Republic won the women’s 200br in 2:21.07 ahead of Eneli Jefimova, the 14-year-old lowering the Estonian record for the second time today in 2:22.20.

Nele Schulze was third in 2:24.69.

Sixteen-year-old Tess Howley beat USA teammate Charlotte Hook to win the 200 fly in 2:06.09 in her first short-course metres meet.

Howley led from the start with Hook coming back on the final 25 to go neck and neck but she had to be satisfied with second in 2:06.15.

Katja Fain of Slovenia was third in 2:07.04.

Anastasia Gorbenko of Israel won the women’s 100IM in 57.90 to match her own national record ahead of Sweden’s Louise Hansson (58.33) and 15-year-old Leah Hayes of the United States (1:00.04).

Sates won the men’s race in 51.78 ahead of Toumarkin (52.28) and Blake Pieroni of the USA who took third in 53.53.

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