World Championships, Day Seven Prelims: Justin Ress Grabs Top Seed in 50 Backstroke as Event In Spotlight in Russia

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World Championships, Day Seven Prelims: Justin Ress Grabs Top Seed in 50 Backstroke as Event In Spotlight in Russia

When the prelims of the 50-meter backstroke started at the World Championships on Saturday, the athletes competing in the event already had a target to chase. Earlier in the week, while racing at the Swim Cup of Russia, Kliment Kolesnikov popped the fastest time in history, going 23.55. That performance will await ratification as a world record, but it is faster than the existing global standard of 23.71, owned by American Hunter Armstrong.

With Kolesnikov banned from the World Champs due to sanctions against Russia and Belarus for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine, the athletes in Fukuoka will have a chance to go after his swift mark. In prelims, American Justin Ress put together a strong showing, as he navigated his lap in 24.18. Ress’ time was the quickest by a sizable margin, as Greece’s Apostolos Christou was second in 24.48, followed by Armstrong in 24.49.

Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk advanced as the No. 4 seed, behind a swim of 24.71, and Germany’s Ole Braunschweig was next at 24.72. Tying for sixth and easily moving into the semifinals were Australia’s Isaac Cooper and China’s Xu Jiayu in 24.73.

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