It was originally reported that the backstroke wedges were not going to be used for tonight’s men’s and women’s 100 backstroke semifinals. After a meeting with the coaches, the wedges will now be permitted but only used on one setting.<\/p>\n
A source told Swimming World<\/em>: “Due to the issues this morning FINA said they weren\u2019t going to be used … the nations protested and so they are now going to be used, but hung round the back of the blocks, so they will hang lower than normal.”<\/p>\n Many of the semifinalists include younger swimmers who have gotten so used to training with backstroke wedges that it would be a disadvantage to change their preparation in the middle of a meet as huge as the World Championships.<\/p>\n The men’s and women’s 100 back semifinals will take place during Monday’s finals session with Canada’s\u00a0Kylie Masse\u00a0<\/strong>and China’s\u00a0Xu Jiayu\u00a0<\/strong>swimming the top times this morning.<\/p>\n Notably, Italy’s\u00a0Simone Sabbioni<\/strong>, swimming out of the final heat in the men’s 100 back, was granted a re-swim after his starter wedge malfunctioned. In the second attempt, he slipped again. He was able to qualify for the semifinals on the third start attempt with a 53.85 and placed 13th. Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter\u00a0<\/strong>was also granted a re-swim after a malfunction and he dropped a second and a half in his second attempt, placing 16th at 54.03. His re-swim knocked Italy’s\u00a0Thomas Ceccon\u00a0<\/strong>out of the semifinals by 0.01.<\/p>\n However, 18 swimmers will go in the semifinals this evening with Hungary’s\u00a0Richard Bohus\u00a0<\/strong>and Ceccon set to swim in lane 0 in their respective semifinals.<\/p>\n Another backstroke starter wedge problem occurred at NCAAs earlier this year<\/a> when Cal’s\u00a0Daniel Carr\u00a0<\/strong>flip turned on his starter wedge at the 50 turn after the official in his lane forgot to remove it after his start. Carr swam the race a second time and qualified for the final.<\/p>\n