Why Experience Matters With a Pool Contractor: 2021 SC World Championships: Day 1 Heats Live Recap

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
SCM (25m)
Prize Money
Meet Site
Psych Sheet
Live Results

The moment has arrived. The 2021 SC World Championships are kicking off this morning (or, if you’re in the Western hemisphere, tonight) in Abu Dhabi. The first session of the meet is going to be action packed, as we’ll get the heats of the men’s 400 free, 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 IM, and 4×100 free relay, as well as the women’s 200 free, 50 breast, 400 IM, 100 back, and 4×100 free relay. Follow along with us here for event-by-event updates.

The women’s 200 free will give us our first look at Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who has been tearing up the swimming world all year. Haughey is coming off 2 Silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics (100 free/200 free), and an equally great ISL season this fall. Haughey is the top seed in the 200 free this morning, and has been nearly 2 seconds faster this year than anyone else in this field.

With no Coleman Stewart at this meet for Team USA, Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov enters as the top seed in the men’s 100 back by a healthy margin. Kolesnikov will still have a battle on his hands, however, as Romania’s Robert Glinta has been racing well.

It might not appear so in the heats, but the men’s 100 breast ought to be one of the more exciting races this week. Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich is the top seed, and the World Record holder, but USA’s Nic Fink has been on fire in recent weeks. Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi and Netherlands’ Arno Kamminga should be right up there at the top too.

MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – HEATS:

World Record: 3:32.25 – AGNEL Yannick FRA (FRA) 15 NOV 2012
Championship Record: 3:34.01 – RAPSYS Danas (LTU) 11 DEC 2018
World Junior Record: 3:37.92 – SATES Matthew (RSA) 7 OCT 2021

START LIST

Top 8 Qualifiers:

Felix Auboeck (AUT) – 3:37.91
Kieran Smith (USA) – 3:38.61
Antonio Djakovic (SUI) – 3:39.06
Luc Kroon (NED) – 3:39.17
Max Litchfield (GBR) – 3:39.34
Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 3:39.38
Alfonso Mestre (VEN) – 3:39.52
Marco de Tullio (ITA) – 3:39.53

It took a sub-3:40 to make into the final here in Abu Dhabi, marking a fast opening event for the meet. Perhaps most notably, Olympic Champion Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) missed out on qualifying for the final, finishing 10th in 3:40.30.

Leading the way this morning was Austrian Felix Auboeck, who swam a 3:37.91. The swim was nearly a personal best for the 25-year-old, whose top time of 3:37.48 from 2020 stands as the Austrian Record as well. Auboeck swam a well-paced race this morning, splitting 1:48.21 on the first 200, then coming home in 1:49.70.

The USA’s Kieran Smith, swimming his first SCM 400 free (according to USA Swimming’s database) took 2nd in 3:38.61. Switzerland’s Antonio Djakovic came in 3rd, leading a very tight pack of 3rd-8th.

Notably, Venezuela’s Alfonso Mestre broke the Venezuelan Record en route to finishing 7th this morning, and grabbing a lane for tonight’s final.