World Junior Championships, Day Five Prelims: Rylee Erisman Dials Up Speedy Start in 50 Freestyle
The fifth session of preliminaries at the World Junior Championships is stacked with firepower, including Japan’s Yumeki Kojima racing in the men’s 400-meter individual medley. The 16-year-old Kojima is the world junior record holder at 4:09.38, and will be joined in the event by countryman Raito Numata. Meanwhile, Japanese Olympian Mizuki Hirai is the top seed in the women’s 100 butterfly.
The women’s 50 freestyle will see American Rylee Erisman return to the blocks. Erisman already won the 100 freestyle at the meet in Otopeni, Romania, clocking a championship record of 52.79. The championship record in the 50 freestyle sits at 24.59 while the world junior record is 24.17, set in 2021 by Claire Curzan.
The men’s 100 freestyle and women’s 100 butterfly will be the first two events of the morning, followed by the men’s 400 individual medley, women’s 50 freestyle, men’s 50 breaststroke and the women’s 400 freestyle relay. The slower heats of the women’s 1500 freestyle will also be held.
Here is an event-by-event recap of the Day Five prelims:
Men’s 100 Freestyle
Great Britain’s Jacob Mills, the silver medalist in the 50 freestyle, was the runaway leader in the prelims of the 100 freestyle. Mills recorded a mark of 48.26, which was more than a second ahead of the 49.34 put together by Russia’s Roman Zhidkov. Italian Carlos D’Ambrosio moved onto the semifinals in the 10th spot, as he took it easy with a morning effort of 49.83. D’Ambrosio has already won the 200 freestyle, earned bronze in the 50 freestyle and posted several 47-low splits in the 100 free in relay action.
Women’s 100 Butterfly
Japanese Olympian Mizuki Hirai was the lone swimmer to go below 58 seconds, as she topped the morning heats in 57.41. Coming off a silver medal in the 50 fly, Hirai finished ahead of the United States’ Charlotte Crush, who was second in 58.00. China’s Gong Zhenqi was next in 58.81 while American Audrey Derivaux, with three titles already at World Juniors, went 58.83.
Men’s 400 Individual Medley
Japan’s Raito Numata secured the top seed in the final of the 400 individual medley after cruising through his prelim in 4:16.96, which was slightly quicker than the 4:17.20 of China’s Zheng Yi. Romanian Robert-Andrei Badea was third in 4:19.37 while Japan’s Yumeki Kojima was fifth in 4:21.10. Kojima is the world junior record holder at 4:09.38 and earlier was the silver medalist in the 200 IM.
Women’s 50 Freestyle
The chase for a sprint double is underway for the United States’ Rylee Erisman, who opened prelims of the 50 freestyle with the only sub-25 clocking in the field. Erisman, the winner of the 100 freestyle, touched the wall in 24.78 in the one-lap event. That swim was not far off the meet record of 24.59, set in 2017 by Japan’s Rikako Ikee and equaled in 2023 by Aussie Olivia Wunsch. Great Britain’s Theodora Taylor was second-fastest in the session, going 25.12.
Erisman produced a time of 52.79 in the 100 freestyle and has delivered several strong relay performances for the United States during her World Juniors debut. Her effort in the 100 freestyle qualified her for next summer’s Pan Pacific Championships.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
Germany’s Jan Malte Grafe sent a message in the heats of the 50 breaststroke by setting a world junior record. Grafe blasted a time of 26.95, which cut .02 off the 26.97 by Italian Nicolo Martinenghi at the 2017 edition of World Juniors. Grafe was followed into the semifinals by Great Britain’s Filip Nowacki, who has already won gold in the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. Nowacki went 27.38 and was followed by countryman Max Morgan (27.39) and Japan’s Shin Ohashi (27.41).
Women’s 400 Freestyle Relay
The United States put together a time of 3:39.38 to lead prelims in the 400 freestyle relay, thanks to the efforts of Julie Mishler (55.37), Annam Olasewere (55.60), Liberty Clark (54.48) and Lily King (53.93). Russia posted the second-fastest qualifying time, going 3:40.52, while Italy checked in for third at 3:42.35.
