World Championships Day 3 Prelims: New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather Leads Loaded 200 Free
The prelims of the third day of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships kicked off from Singapore.
The events for Tuesday’s prelims session are the men’s 50 breaststroke, women’s 200 freestyle, men’s 200 butterfly and men’s 800 freestyle.
Here is a look at what happened in the Day 3 heats:
- Swimming World Meet Page
- Psych Sheet
- Meet Results
- Day-by-Day Schedule
- U.S. TV/Streaming Coverage
- How to Watch
- World Aquatics Homepage
World Championships: Men’s 50 Breaststroke
Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo was the fastest in the 50 breaststroke to kick off the morning. The 22-year-old got to the wall in 26.42 to earn the top seed in the semifinals.
Japan’s Taku Taniguchi was 23 hundredths of a second behind at 26.65 to take the second deed.
German’s Melvin Imoudu grabbed the third seed in 26.64, followed by Kirill Prigoda (26.76), Ivan Kozhakin (26.77), South Africa’s Chris Smith (26.82), Ronan Wantenaar (26.75) and Ilya Shymanovich, who rounded out the top eight.
Also advancing was Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi (26.90) and Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau (26.94), who placed ninth and 10th, respectively.
There were no U.S. swimmers to make the semifinals with Campbell McKean finishing 24th (27.32) and Michael Andrew taking 25th (27.37).

World Championships: Women’s 200 Freestyle
New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather put together a strong race to earn the top seed in the 200 free.
The 21-year-old was third after the 50, but turned at the halfway point in the lead at 56.76 before finishing in 1:56.54.
USA’s Erin Gemmell was two tenths back with a swim of 1:56.74, putting her in prime position for the semifinals.
Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan, the Olympic champion in the event, took the third seed in 1:57.04, right in the mix as well.
Her compatriot Jamie Perkins grabbed the fourth seed in 1:57.08, followed by Czech Republic’s Barbora Seemanova (1:57.13), China’s Liu Yaxin (1:57.33) and U.S. teen Claire Weinstein (1:57.38).
There was a three-way tie for the eighth with South Africa’s Aimee Canny, Great Britain’s Freya Colbert and Canada’s Ella Jansen all finishing in 1:57.53.
China’s Li Bingjie (1:57.57) and Canada’s Mary–Sophie Harvey (1:57.72).

World Championships: Men’s 200 Butterfly
Luca Urlando pulled ahead at the halfway point to claim the top seed in the 200 fly.
The U.S. champion got to the wall in 1:52.71, the only swimmer in the field to reach the 150 mark under 1:22 (1:21.95).
Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski was the other swimmer in the field to break 1:53, going a 1:52.89 to take the second seed into semifinals.
Canada’s Ilya Kharun took the third spot in 1:53.74 with a strong opening 50 (24.49) that lead the field.
China’s Chen Juner and Italy’s Alberto Razzetti tied for the fourth seed at 1:54.54, ahead of Japan’s Genki Terakado (1:54.64).
Poland’s other twin, Michal Chmielewski, took the seventh seed in 1:54.68.
U.S. star Carson Foster reached the semifinals in 12th (1:55.68).

World Championships: Men’s 800 Free
Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi claimed the top seed in the 800 free, getting to the wall in 7:41.58, nearly a second faster than the rest of the field.
He will lead the finals ahead of Australia’s Samuel Short, who finished in 7:42.22, and Germany’s Sven Schwarz (7:43.60).
USA’s Bobby Finke turned in a swim of 7:44.02 for the fourth seed heading into finals and will be right in the mix as always.
Sweden’s Victor Johansson (7:44.81), Turkey’s Kuzey Tuncelli (7:45.13), Germany’s Lukas Martens (7:45.54) and Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen (7:46.36) rounded out the finalists.





