Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Tokyo Olympics: Day Five Prelims Notes
Pool swimming at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has officially entered the back half of its competition. The fifth prelims session featured a U.S. athlete in a swim-off, a top-seed in the men’s 200m I.M. and more.
More from Tokyo:
Women’s 100m freestyle
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Abbey Weitzeil as the 11th in 53.21, Erika Brown as the 16th.
• Erika Brown went to a swim off after going a 53.87 in her initial prelim swim, to put her at a tie for 18th. After scratches, Brown and China’s Qingfeng Wu entered a swim-off for 16th, where Brown went 53.51 in her swim-off to win by nearly a full second.
• Weitzeil posted splits of 25.56 and 27.65
Men’s 200m backstroke
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Bryce Murphy as the third seed in 1:56.37, Ryan Murphy as the seventh seed in 1:56.92.
• Mefford finished second in his heat, only .35 ROC’s Evgeny Rylov. Mefford held first place entering the final 50 meters.
• Ryan Murphy won his heat by over half a second.
• Mefford went sub-:30 in each 50.
Women’s 200m breaststroke
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Lilly King as the second seed in 2:22.10, Annie Lazor as the fifth seed in 2:22.76.
• King enters the semifinal only behind South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, who went 2:19.16 for a new Olympic record.
• Spots two through six are separated by just more than six tenths heading into the semifinal.
• King’s time is the fifth fastest of her career, while Lazor’s time is the seventh fastest of hers.
Men’s 200m individual medley
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Michael Andrew as the top seed in 1:56.40, Chase Kalisz as the fourth seed in 1:57.38.
• Both U.S. swimmers won their respective heats – Andrew from start-to-finish, while Kalisz was in fifth at the 100-meter mark.
• Andrew’s time is the third-fastest of his career.
• Kalisz looking to become first U.S. swimmer to medal in both I.M. events since Ryan Lochte did so in 2012.
Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
• U.S. advances to finals, going 7:47.57 to claim second seed behind Australia.
• Bella Sims led off with a 1:58.59 split.
• Paige Madden followed with a 1:55.96 split, the second fastest of any relay split in the prelims.
• Katie McLaughlin swum third, posting a 1:56.02.
• Brooke Forde anchored, going 1:57.00.
Action from Tokyo resumes at 10:30 a.m. JST / 9:30 p.m. ET with finals in the men’s 800m freestyle, men’s 200m breaststroke, women’s 200m butterfly, men’s 100m freestyle and women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Semifinal races will include the women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 200m backstroke, women’s 200m breaststroke and men’s 200m I.M.
More from Tokyo:
Women’s 100m freestyle
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Abbey Weitzeil as the 11th in 53.21, Erika Brown as the 16th.
• Erika Brown went to a swim off after going a 53.87 in her initial prelim swim, to put her at a tie for 18th. After scratches, Brown and China’s Qingfeng Wu entered a swim-off for 16th, where Brown went 53.51 in her swim-off to win by nearly a full second.
• Weitzeil posted splits of 25.56 and 27.65
Men’s 200m backstroke
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Bryce Murphy as the third seed in 1:56.37, Ryan Murphy as the seventh seed in 1:56.92.
• Mefford finished second in his heat, only .35 ROC’s Evgeny Rylov. Mefford held first place entering the final 50 meters.
• Ryan Murphy won his heat by over half a second.
• Mefford went sub-:30 in each 50.
Women’s 200m breaststroke
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Lilly King as the second seed in 2:22.10, Annie Lazor as the fifth seed in 2:22.76.
• King enters the semifinal only behind South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, who went 2:19.16 for a new Olympic record.
• Spots two through six are separated by just more than six tenths heading into the semifinal.
• King’s time is the fifth fastest of her career, while Lazor’s time is the seventh fastest of hers.
Men’s 200m individual medley
• Both U.S. swimmers advance to semifinals – Michael Andrew as the top seed in 1:56.40, Chase Kalisz as the fourth seed in 1:57.38.
• Both U.S. swimmers won their respective heats – Andrew from start-to-finish, while Kalisz was in fifth at the 100-meter mark.
• Andrew’s time is the third-fastest of his career.
• Kalisz looking to become first U.S. swimmer to medal in both I.M. events since Ryan Lochte did so in 2012.
Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
• U.S. advances to finals, going 7:47.57 to claim second seed behind Australia.
• Bella Sims led off with a 1:58.59 split.
• Paige Madden followed with a 1:55.96 split, the second fastest of any relay split in the prelims.
• Katie McLaughlin swum third, posting a 1:56.02.
• Brooke Forde anchored, going 1:57.00.
Action from Tokyo resumes at 10:30 a.m. JST / 9:30 p.m. ET with finals in the men’s 800m freestyle, men’s 200m breaststroke, women’s 200m butterfly, men’s 100m freestyle and women’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Semifinal races will include the women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 200m backstroke, women’s 200m breaststroke and men’s 200m I.M.