Matthew Sates Sets WJR And African Mark Over 200 Free At World Cup Stop In Berlin

Matthew Sates; Photo Courtesy: Swimming South Africa

Matthew Sates set a world junior record and African mark as he went 1:40.65 over 200 free at the FINA World Cup in Berlin.

Results

The South African had completed a clean sweep of the IM events with victory over 400 in the opening race of the evening before returning 70 minutes later for eight lengths of freestyle.

Not only was it a WJR but also a continental mark, lowering Darian Townsend‘s time of 1:40.89 from November 2009 – coincidentally at the Berlin stop of the World Cup.

It sliced 1.10secs off the previous WJR of 1:41.75 set by Kliment Kolesnikov in December 2018 and was his second record in as many days following the 200IM.

There was also a world junior record of 1:41.55 by the United States in the 4×50 mixed medley relay.

Arno Kamminga and Christian Diener completed clean sweeps of the breaststroke and backstroke events respectively and Emma McKeon added the 100 free to her 50 title in a PB of 50.96.

Germany topped the medal standings with six golds, six silvers and four bronzes among a total haul of 16.

Sates Continues Record-Breaking Golden Run

Sates has had a superb meet and his WJR followed his 1:51.45 mark in the 200IM on Saturday.

Kyle Chalmers led at the halfway mark, 0.11 ahead of the South African in 49.40, but Sates went away on the third 50 in 25.63 and held off the Australian’s late charge.

Splits: 23.58/49.51 (25.93)/1:15.14 (25.63)/1:40.65 (25.51).

matthew-sates-SA Short course swimming championships - Image: BOOGS Photography / Andrew Mc Fadden

Matthew Sates: Photo Courtesy: BOOGS Photography/Andrew Mc Fadden/Swimming South Africa

In the stands Chad le Clos stood with his hands on his head and his mouth open looking at the scoreboard while Sates thanked his coach and family.

He told FINA TV: “This is awesome. Being at the World Cup. I couldn’t be happier.”

Chalmers was just 0.02 off Cameron McEvoy‘s Australian record in 1:40.82 with Danys Rapsys next home in 1:41.17.

Sates had begun his final day by slicing more than six seconds off his PB to win the 400IM, adding to his 100 and 200IM golds.

He forged a handsome lead on breaststroke to go into the freestyle 3.25secs up on Hubert Kos to claim victory in 4:01.98 – still some way outside Daiya Seto‘s world junior mark of 3:59.15 that has stood since 2012.

Kos was more than 7.5secs adrift in second in 4:09.49 with Thomas Jansen of the Netherlands third in 4:14.86.

The USA quartet of Quintin McCarty (24.81)/Zhier Fan (26.79)/Tess Howley (26.26) and Kristina Paegle (23.69) – with a combined age of 67 – set the new WJR as they came second to Germany in the mixed medley relay.

Germany – led off by Diener with his second gold of the night – clocked 1:39.17 with South Africa third in 1:42.17.

Kamminga And Diener Claim Hat-Tricks

Kamminga – the double Olympic silver medallist – went away from the 50m mark to win the 200br in 2:01.92, his fastest time of the season so far.

That gave him the greatest pleasure with his eyes on the European and World Short-Course Championships, a fast time in the latter in Abu Dhabi in December his focus.

Marco Koch was second in 2:05.29 ahead of German teammate Fabian Schwingenschlogl (2:05.37).

Jul 29, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; Arno Kamminga (NED) holds up his silver medal after finishing second in the men's 800m freestyle final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports

Arno Kamminga; Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars/USA Today Sports

Diener was first at the halfway point in the 100 back, a lead he extended over the second half of the race to win in 50.32 although that time didn’t threaten his German record of 49.92 set at the ISL in September.

Teammate Ole Braunschwwig repeated his 50 back second in 50.87 with Israel’s Yakov Toumarkin next home in 51.34.

McKeon’s PB guided her to the 100 free title ahead of teammate Madi Wilson – still recovering from covid – who clocked 51.98 and Michelle Coleman (52.20).

Maggie MacNeil made up a deficit of 0.05 at halfway to overhaul Louise Hansson and claim her first World Cup victory in the 100 fly in 55.30.

Hansson clocked in 55.49 with Switzerland’s Maria Ugolkova third in 57.00.

Kira Toussaint produced a fine demonstration of underwaters to win the 200 back 2:03.44, following up Friday’s victory over 50m, only to have a nosebleed following the race.

A late charge by Jojo Ramey of the United States guided her past Kylie Masse to second in 2:04.41 to 2:04.53.

Ugolkova returned to win the 200IM in 2:08.01 with Leah Hayes – at 15 17 years the Swiss swimmers junior – edging Kristyna Horska by 0.01 in 2:09.61.

Maria Ugolkova; Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Anastasia Gorbenko added the 50br to her 100 title on Saturday in 29.61, smashing her Israeli record of 30.20 she set at the ISL in October 2020.

Tom Shields won the 50 fly in 22.09 ahead of Szebasztian Szabo (22.19) and Chad Le Clos, who clocked 22.48 a day after claiming his 146th World Cup win over 200 fly.

Cavan Gormsen led throughout to win the fastest heat of the women’s 800 free, pulling away in the second half of the race to stop the clock at 8:22.16.

Her USA teammate Paige Kuwata was next home in 8:27.43 with the Netherlands’ Imani de Jong clocking 8:28.90.

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