2023 World Aquatics Championships: Day 2 Final Results Recap

The pool competitions at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships began on July 23 in Fukuoka, Japan. After a successful Day 1 which saw Australia being a dominant team at the World Championships, Day 2 of pool competitions were held yesterday (July 24).

Yesterday's events showed us three swimmers finishing as the runner-up in the men's 100m breaststroke while Kate Douglass won her first World Championships (long course) gold medal.

Men's 100m breaststroke final of 2023 World Aquatics Championships

After finishing first in the men's 100m breaststroke semifinals, Qin Haiyang was definitely a medal contender. But when the final of the 100m breaststroke concluded, he made sure to win a medal, and that too a gold.

The Chinese swimmer clocked a time of 57.69 and became the fastest swimmer in both in the 50m mark and 100m mark. Qin also took down the Asian record time of 57.82, which he swam in the prelims on Sunday.

Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships: Swimming - Day 2

While Haiyang cruised to victory, there was an intense three-way battle for the silver medal. American swimmer Nic Fink, Italy's Nicolo Martinenghi and Dutch swimmer Arno Kamminga all clocked a time of 58.72, which resulted in a tie for the silver medal.

According to Swimswam, this was the first three-way tie at this level since the Rio Olympics when three swimmers, namely USA's Michael Phelps, South Africa's Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh of Hungary, tied for the silver medal in the men's 100m butterfly event.

Results of the men's 100m breaststroke final as revealed on Omegatiming website are attached below:

Qin Haiyang (CHN) — 57.69 (AS)
Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA)/Nic Fink (USA)/Arno Kamminga (NED) — 58.72
(tie)
(tie)
Lucas Matzerath (GER) — 58.88
Yan Zibei (CHN) — 59.23
Josh Matheny (USA) — 59.45
Berkay Ogretir (TUR) — 59.79

Women's 100m butterfly final of 2023 World Aquatics Championships

The women's 100m butterfly event saw China win its second gold medal of the night. Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei led both the heats and the semifinals and brought her excellent form to the final as well. She was the first to the turn, clocking a time of 26.03 in the first 50 meters.

Canadian swimmer and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Maggie MacNeil was leading the field before Zhang Yufei was able to move past and touch the wall first. The Chinese swimmer clocked a time of 56.12.

Maggie settled for the silver medal with a time of 56.45. USA's Torri Huske, who was last year's world champion in the women's 100m butterfly, finished in third place.

Results of the women's 100m butterfly final as revealed on the Omegatiming website are attached below:

Zhang Yufei (CHN) — 56.12
Maggie MacNeil (CAN) — 56.45
Torri Huske (USA) — 56.61
Emma McKeon (AUS) — 56.88
Angelina Kohler (GER) — 57.05
Marie Wattel (FRA) — 57.13
Brianna Throssell (AUS) — 57.34
Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 57.58

Men's 50m butterfly final of 2023 World Aquatics Championships

In the men's 50m butterfly final, Thomas Ceccon clocked a time of 22.68 to win the gold medal. His time of 22.68 is a new Italian record as well. Portugal's Diogo Ribeiro finished as the runner-up and won his first senior worlds medal. Ribeiro's time in the 50m butterfly is a Portugese record.

Despite finishing first in both the heats and the semifinals, French swimmer Maxime Grousset ended up in third place to settle for the bronze medal.

Results of the men's 50m butterfly final as revealed on the Omegatiming website are attached below:

Thomas Ceccon (ITA) — 22.68
Diogo Ribeiro (POR) — 22.80
Maxime Grousset (FRA) — 22.82
Jacob Peters (GBR) — 22.84
Benjamin Proud (GBR) — 22.91
Dare Rose (USA) — 23.01
Simon Bucher (AUT) — 23.26
Abdelrahman Sameh (EGY) — 23.34

Women's 200m Individual Medley final of 2023 World Aquatics Championships

Kate Douglass won Team USA's first gold medal of the meet, and that too in emphatic style. Yu Yiting of China led the butterfly leg before Alex Walsh took charge. While Alex Walsh was in the lead, Kate Douglass clocked a time of 36.17 on the breaststroke and 29.83 on the freestyle to claim the gold medal.

The time of 2:07.17 earned Kate Douglass her first long course World Championships gold medal.

But Alex Walsh's performance also didn't go unnoticed as she claimed the silver medal. This was a third straight podium finish for Alex Walsh in the women's 200m IM event. Previously she won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and a gold medal at last year's World Championships event as well.

Results of the women's 200m individual medley final as revealed on the Omegatiming website are attached below:

Kate Douglass (USA) — 2:07.17
Alex Walsh (USA) — 2:07.97
Yu Yiting (CHN) — 2:08.74
Jenna Forrester (AUS) — 2:08.98
Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) — 2:10.08
Yui Ohashi (JPN) — 2:11.27
Marrit Steenbergen (NED) — 2:11.89
Ye Shiwen (CHN) — 2:14.27

The 2023 World Aquatics Championships pool competitions has now headed to Day 3 (July 25). The finals of men's 200m freestyle, women's 1500m freestyle, women's 100m backstroke, men's 100m backstroke, and women's 100m breaststroke will be held today.