World Championships, Day 2 Finals: Qin Haiyang Runs Down Nicolo Martinenghi to Retake 100 Breast Crown
Two years ago, Qin Haiyang made history with the first-ever 50, 100 and 200-meter sweep in any stroke at the World Championships. But his Olympic follow-up was disastrous: seventh in the 100 breaststroke and out of the final in the 200 breast. The version of Qin that has arrived at this global meet in Singapore much more closely approximates the 2023 version, and he has returned to the top of the podium with a dominant back half.
Qin was up against Nicolo Martinenghi, the Italian swimmer who denied Adam Peaty a three-peat in the event last year in Paris. The speedy Martinenghi was initially disqualified in the semifinal round, only to be reinstated moments later, and he jumped on the pace immediately off the start. Martinenghi touched at 26.90 at the halfway point, but Qin stayed close enough in 27.07. The 26-year-old Chinese swimmer is the world-record holder in the 200 breaststroke, and the endurance showed through as he moved past Martinenghi down the back stretch.
The final time was 58.23, the fastest time in the world by one hundredth over the mark he posted in the semifinal round. Martinenghi’s mark of 58.58 was also a season-best, much quicker than the 59.03 he swam to win Olympic gold last year. Even though he was unable to win gold, he did win a medal for the sixth consecutive major meet, a run going back to the Tokyo Olympics.
While Qin and Martinenghi have become regulars highlighting this event, Denis Petrashov has grabbed his first World Championships medal. The 25-year-old from Kazakhstan and the University of Louisville won gold just over a week ago at the World University Games, and he followed that up with his best performance in the key moment. Swimming in lane one, Petrashov came in at 58.88 for bronze, the first medal ever for Kazakhstan at the World Championships.
“I’m not an emotional person, but this is very emotional for me. First medal for my country at the worlds, so very proud and happy. I was not expecting this at all. I had no idea where I was in the race. I saw the turn, we were close to each other, but I didn’t see anything,” Petrashov said.
“Of course we all want to win something. This was the final, I had nothing to lose. If you have a lane, you have a chance. It means a lot. Swimming is not very popular in my country. I’m the only one here, there’s also a girl here. Hopefully, we’ll get more resources for swimming. We don’t have an Olympic-sized pool in Kyrgyzstan. Hopefully this is a big step to more things.”
Neutral athlete Kirill Prigoda had posted the then-fastest time in the world in prelims at 58.53, seeking to return to the podium after many years away from international competition, but he failed to replicate that swim in future rounds. In the final, he was disqualified after initially finishing fourth.
The Netherlands’ Caspar Corbeau came in at 59.06, followed Italy’s Ludovico Viberti in 59.08. Corbeau set himself up for a strong performance in the 200 breast, the event in which he won Olympic bronze last year, while Viberti’s strong opening speed bodes well for the 50.
