World Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Siobhan Haughey Goes 53.15 To Lead 100 Free

Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong competes in the Women's Freestyle 200m Heats during the 20th World Aquatics Championships at the Marine Messe Hall A in Fukuoka (Japan), July 25th, 2023.

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

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World Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Siobhan Haughey Goes 53.15 To Lead 100 Free Prelims

Siobhan Haughey set the fastest time in the prelims of the women’s 100 freestyle Thursday morning at the World Aquatics Championships. The reigning Olympic silver medalist went 53.15 to pace a deep field at the Marine Messe Hall in Fukuoka, Japan.

Not far back is the woman who bested her for gold in Tokyo, Emma McKeon. She posted the third-fastest time in 53.40, with Abbey Weitzeil in between at 53.40. Mollie O’Callaghan, the 200 free champ, is through in seventh in 54.01.

It’s the sprinters turn on the women’s side, with the 100 free and 50 free looming in the meet’s back half.

O’Callaghan is fresh off the world record Wednesday night in the women’s 200 free en route to gold.

The world record holder in this event, Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden, is absent. She’s limiting herself to the 50 butterfly, 50 free and relays.

O’Callaghan, who won the event in 52.67 last year, is the only holdover medalist from Budapest. Five of the finalists from last year are absent – Sjostrom, Torri Huske (did not qualify), Penny Oleksiak (injury), Kayla Sanchez (nationality switch to Philippines) and Claire Curzan (dnq).

Both Americans are through, Kate Douglass in 11th place in 54.41, a night after she picked up a bronze medal anchoring the mixed medley relay. China got two through, with Cheng Yujie eighth and Yang Junxuan 12th.

Michelle Coleman was fifth in 53.72. Marrit Steenbergen, who has a daunting program in Fukuoka, came through sixth in 53.82. The home crowd roared in appreciation of Rikako Ikee, who was sixth in her heat in 54.67 but slid into the semifinal in 16th place, just behind Signe Bro.

Among those not advancing, Jillian Crooks of the Cayman Islands chopped a second off her personal best to go 55.32 from an unseeded heat. She moved up to 23rd.

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