Xu Jiayu, Matt Grevers Crack 53 in Men’s 100 Back Prelims

Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

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China’s Xu Jiayu, who earlier in 2017 missed the world record in the men’s 100 back by just one hundredth of a second, posted the top time out of prelims at the World Championships.

Xu finished in 52.77, while 2012 Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers took second in 52.92. Grevers is returning to the international stage after missing the U.S. Olympic team last summer.

Russia’s Grigory Tarasevich, who has already seen two of his Louisville teammates (Mallory Comerford and Kelsi Worrell) win gold in Budapest, qualified third in 53.18, one spot ahead of the American who won Olympic gold last summer and holds the world record, Ryan Murphy. Murphy checked in at 53.26.

Japan’s Ryosuke Irie was fifth in 53.54, one hundredth ahead of Greece’s Christou Apostolos (53.55). Defending World Champion Mitch Larkin of Australia tied with Brazil’s Guilherme Guido for seventh in 53.72, while New Zealand’s Corey Main rounded out the sub-53-second swims, qualifying ninth in 53.97.

China’s Li Guangyuan (54.04), Italy’s Matteo Milli (54.17), Poland’s Tomasz Polewka (54.30), Ireland’s Shane Ryan (54.33), Israel’s Yakor Toumarkin (54.39), Canada’s Javier Acevedo (54.43) and Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov (54.51) also got into the semi-finals.

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Susan L. Lansbury

8 years ago

Alice O’Leary McClenahan