Xu Jiayu Moves to Fifth All-Time in 50 SCM Back on Second Night of Beijing World Cup

by Andy Ross

03 November 2018, 06:08am

Women’s 400 IM

Katinka Hosszu cruised to an easy win in the 400 IM to start the second night of the Beijing World Cup with a 4:25.68. She won the final comfortably ahead of China’s Zhou Min (4:37.02) and Li Tianyao (4:40.22). Hosszu was the only non Chinese swimmer in the final.

Hosszu was well off her best time of 4:19.46, but still holds the fastest time in the world for 2018 with her 4:23 from Budapest.

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Men’s 1500 Free

Mykhailo Romanchuk of the Ukraine won the 1500 final with a 14:29.88, which is the fastest time in the world this year. Romanchuk moved ahead of Jan Micka’s 14:34.65 from earlier in the year as the Ukrainian won in Beijing ahead of China’s Ji Xinjie (14:35.13), who is now third in the world for 2018.

Romanchuk’s Ukrainian teammate Sergii Frolov finished in third with a 14:38.01.

Romanchuk was a little off his best time of 14:14.59 from last year’s European Championships, as well as his World Cup record of 14:15.49 from Singapore two years ago.

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Men’s 50 Back

The Chinese crowd in Beijing had plenty to cheer about as one of their favorite swimmers Xu Jiayu rocketed up to fifth all-time in the 50 back with his 22.70. Xu broke the Asian Record in the process that was held by Japan’s Junya Koga (22.74) from 2016 World Championships. Xu moved ahead of Stanislav Donets in the all-time rankings.

Xu had the fastest reaction time by far and won the final ahead of American Michael Andrew (23.14) and Russia’s Vladimir Morozov (23.36).

Xu was well under his Chinese record that he set at the Beijing World Cup last year with a 23.09. He was 21st all-time in the 50 back.

All-Time Rankings:

1. Florent Manaudou, FRA, 22.22 (2014)
2. Michael Andrew, USA, 22.27 (2016)
3. Peter Marshall, USA, 22.61 (2009)
4. Guilherme Guido, BRA, 22.68 (2018)
5. Xu Jiayu, CHN, 22.70 (2018)
6. Stanislav Donets, RUS, 22.74 (2010)
7. Junya Koga, JPN, 22.74 (2016)
8. Pavel Sankovich, BLR, 22.82 (2017)

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Women’s 200 Free

Swimming veteran Femke Heemskerk won the 200 free final in a scrappy race with Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom. Heemskerk won the final in Beijing after trailing Sjostrom by a few hundredths the whole way, finishing with a 1:52.22. Heemskerk just out-touched Sjostrom at the end, as the world record holder finished with a 1:52.35 for second.

Both Heemskerk and Sjostrom have been faster before as Sjostrom holds the world record with a 1:50.43 from last year and Heemskerk was a 1:51.69 at the 2014 Worlds. Both swimmers have also been faster this season with Sjostrom going 1:51.60 and Heemskerk going 1:52.04 in Budapest.

China’s Yang Junxuan finished in third with a 1:53.41, ahead of fellow Chinese teammate Li Bingjie (1:53.48).

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Men’s 200 IM

China’s Wang Shun won the 200 IM final comfortably ahead of the Chinese fans in Beijing with a 1:52.08. It was not his best time as his Chinese record was a 1:51.63 from the Beijing World Cup in 2016. Wang is now second in the world rankings this year sitting only behind Daiya Seto of Japan, who has been tearing it up at the World Cup series this year, but is not present in Beijing.

Wang won the final ahead of Japan’s Hiromasa Fujimori (1:53.87) and Australia’s Matthew Wilson (1:54.50) as Fujimori improved on his season best time of 1:53.91 from earlier in the year.

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Women’s 100 Back

Australia’s Minna Atherton scored a minor upset on the second night of the Beijing World Cup with a 56.49 in the 100 back to hold off a strong finish from the reigning Olympic Champion Katinka Hosszu (56.53). Hosszu had the fastest second 50 in the field but it was not enough to catch Atherton.

Early leader Kira Toussaint finished in third with a 56.54 ahead of Australia’s Emily Seebohm (56.91) and China’s Fu Yuanhui (57.09). Toussaint was leading the entire way until the finish when Atherton and Hosszu out-touched her.

Atherton improved on her season best time as she was a 56.66 at the Australian Short Course Championships last week. Atherton moved up to 22nd all-time in the 100 back with that swim, sitting just behind American Claire Adams and Britain’s Georgia Davies (56.45).

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Men’s 50 Breast

Russia’s Kirill Prigoda won the 50 breast final with a 26.02, as he improved slightly on his season best time, which was a 26.06 from Budapest. Prigoda was a little off his best time though, which is a 25.68 from last year’s European Championships.

Prigoda won the final here in Beijing ahead of American Michael Andrew (26.15) as he picked up his second silver medal of the night.

The time is actually a best time for Andrew as he tied the American Record that he will now share with Cody Miller (26.15) from the 2016 World Championships.

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Women’s 50 Fly

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom nipped Ranomi Kromowidjojo at the finish of the 50 fly at the Beijing World Cup as Sjostrom won with a 25.03 to Kromowidjojo’s 25.04 as those two sit first and second in the world rankings for 2018 with faster times from the FINA World Cup in Europe.

Sjostrom and Kromowidjojo both competed at the 2008 Olympics in the same pool the World Cup is at here in Beijing. They are still competing at a high level ten years later as they have torn up the World Cup series this year. China’s Zhang Yufei finished in third at 25.31.

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Men’s 100 Free

Russia’s Vladimir Morozov dominated the 100 free on Saturday night in Beijing with a 45.66. Morozov was a 45.30 in Budapest but was still quick enough in China to win by over a second ahead of American Blake Pieroni (47.00) and China’s Hou Yujie (47.52).

Pieroni has been much faster this season with a 46.25 from Budapest. This is Pieroni’s first year competing as a professional at the World Cup series, an event he has learned a lot from. Pieroni and Andrew are the only Americans competing at this World Cup stop in Beijing.

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Women’s 100 Breast

Russia picked up another gold medal on the night with Yulia Efimova winning the 100 breast at 1:03.09 as she just missed her best time of 1:02.91 from the 2016 World Cup in Moscow. Efimova won the final ahead of Jamaican world record holder Alia Atkinson (1:03.44). Russia’s Vitalina Simonova (1:05.90) finished a distant third.

Efimova did improve on her season best time as she was a 1:03.41 in Eindhoven earlier in the World Cup circuit.

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Men’s 200 Fly

China’s Li Zhuhao won the 200 fly final comfortably in Beijing with a 1:51.94, not far off his Chinese Record of 1:51.57 from the Tokyo World Cup last year. Li won the final by almost two full seconds with Japan’s Masayuki Umemoto (1:53.54) finishing with the silver and Hungary’s David Verraszto (1:54.81) claiming the bronze.

Li is now seventh in the world rankings for 2018, sitting ahead of Australia’s Nicholas Brown (1:52.29) and behind Brazil’s Leonardo De Deus (1:51.86).

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