2023 WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES
- August 1-7, 2023
- Dong’an Lake Sports Park Swimming and Diving Hall, Chengdu, China
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Page
- Live Results + Schedule
- Live Stream Schedule (All Sports)
- Day 1 Finals Live Stream
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
The 2023 World University Games (WUGS) commenced this morning at the Dong’an Lake Sports Park Swimming and Diving Hall in Chengdu, China. Day 1 featured a packed schedule with a wide range of events, creating excitement and action throughout the morning session. The evening’s finals will showcase thrilling races including the men’s 400 free, women’s 400 IM, women’s 4×100 free relay, and men’s 4×100 free relay. Additionally, the semifinals of the women’s 50 fly, men’s 100 back, men’s 100 breast, women’s 200 back, and men’s 50 fly will take place.
For the free live stream of Day 1 finals, click here.
All eyes will be on two Chinese swimmers tonight as they compete on their home turf. Qin Haiyang, who recently made history at the World Championships in Fukuoka, is seeded second in the men’s 100 breast semifinals. Haiyang became the first swimmer to sweep the breaststroke events at a World Championship and set the Asian Record in the men’s 100 breast. Despite a relaxed swim in the prelims, it is highly anticipated that Haiyang will break the WUGS Championship Record tonight.
China’s Zhang Yufei, fresh off her gold medal win in the women’s 100 fly in Fukuoka, set the top time in the women’s 50 fly prelims. With a strong performance, Yufei aims to break the WUGS Record which has stood since 2015.
MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- World Record: Paul Biedermann, Germany – 3:40.07 (2009)
- WUGS Record: Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine – 3:45.96 (2017)
PODIUM:
- GOLD: Matteo Lamberti (Italy) – 3:48.65
- SILVER: Eduardo Oliveiro (Brazil) – 3:49.10
- BRONZE: Ikki Imoto (Japan) – 3:49.66
The first final of the meet was an exhilarating race, featuring Italian Matteo Lamberti and Brazilian Eduardo Oliveiro. Lamberti initially appeared to be cruising to victory, but Oliveiro closed the gap in the final 150m and even took the lead at the 350m turn. However, Lamberti found another gear and ultimately pulled away in the final 50m to secure the gold medal. Oliveiro’s time of 3:49.10 was a new personal best. Ikki Imoto of Japan finished convincingly in third place with a time of 3:49.66.
WOMEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden – 24.43 (2014)
- WUGS Record: Lu Ying, China – 25.72 (2015)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Zhang Yufei (China) – 25.29 (Championship Record)
- Erin Gallagher (South Africa) – 25.71
- Viola Scotto (Italy) – 26.01
- Sonia Laquintana (Italy) – 26.19
- Natsuki Hiroshita (Japan) – 26.28
- Paulina Peda (Poland) – 26.51
- Emilie Beckmann (Denmark) – 26.60 (TIE)
- Kinge Zandringa (Netherlands) – 26.60 (TIE)
An extraordinary semifinals session of the women’s 50 fly witnessed the breaking of the WUGS Championship Record twice. South Africa’s Erin Gallagher set a new record in the first heat, swimming a time of 25.71. Immediately after, China’s Zhang Yufei took to the pool in the second heat and dominated the field, smashing Gallagher’s record with a time of 25.29. Yufei’s impressive swim adds to her recent success where she set the Asian Record in the event last week in Fukuoka. Italy also demonstrated their strong presence in the event, with Viola Scotto and Sonia Laquintana finishing third and fourth respectively.
MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Thomas Ceccon, Italy – 51.60 (2022)
- WUGS Record: Ryosuke Irie, Japan – 52.60 (2009)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Simone Stefani (Italy) – 53.87
- Kacper Stokowski (Poland) – 54.13
- Michele Lamberti (Italy) – 54.24
- Keaton Jones (United States) – 54.36
- Denis Popescu (Romania) – 54.57
- Gabriel de Araujo (Brazil) – 54.66
- Tommy Janton (United States) – 54.78 (TIE)
- Riku Matsuyama (Japan) – 54.78 (TIE)
Italian swimmer Simone Stefani delivered an impressive performance in the men’s 100 back, securing the top time of the night with a 53.87. Stefani showcased great technique and finished strong, with a split of 27.61 in the second 50m. Kacper Stokowski from Poland finished second overall in the semifinals with a time of 54.13. Michele Lamberti, another Italian contender, displayed remarkable speed in the first 50m, recording the fastest split of the field in 25.95 and ultimately earning a spot in the finals.
WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS
- World Record: Summer McIntosh, Canada – 4:25.87 (2023)
- WUGS Record: Yui Ohashi, Japan – 4:34.40
PODIUM:
- GOLD: Ichika Kajimoto (Japan) – 4:41.65
- SILVER: Megan Van Berkom (United States) – 4:42.47
- BRONZE: Paige MacEachern (United States) – 4:45.81
The women’s 400 IM final showcased a gripping battle between Japan’s Ichika Kajimoto and American Megan Van Berkom. Kajimoto managed to pull ahead of Van Berkom during the freestyle leg of the race, securing the gold medal for Japan with a time of 4:41.65. Van Berkom displayed great resilience, earning the silver medal just one second behind Kajimoto. Another American, Paige MacEachern, claimed the bronze with a time of 4:45.81, showing strength on the freestyle leg to distance herself from Italy’s Anna Pirovano.
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Adam Peaty, Great Britain – 56.88 (2019)
- WUGS Record: Ian Finnerty, United States – 59.49 (2019)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Qin Haiyang (China) – 58.42 (Championship Record)
- Andrius Sidlauskas (Lithuania) – 1:00.08
- Jan Kalusowski (Poland) – 1:00.29
- Yamato Fukasawa (Japan) – 1:00.46
- Alessandro Pinzuti (Italy) – 1:00.58
- Song Jiale (China) – 1:00.97
- Ludovico Viberti (Italy) – 1:01.13
- Zhier Fan (United States) – 1:01.48 (TIE)
- Yu Hanaguruma (Japan) – 1:01.48 (TIE)
In a highly anticipated performance, Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang obliterated the WUGS Championship Record in the men’s 100 breast semifinals. Haiyang established a significant lead from the start and continued to extend it throughout the race. Although he eased off towards the end, Haiyang shattered the previous record by over a second. The WUGS Record of 59.49, formerly held by retired American swimmer Ian Finnerty, may be surpassed once again in tomorrow night’s final. Lithuanian swimmer Andrius Sidlauskas, the only athlete to swim under 1:00 in the event this morning, finished second with a time of 1:00.08.
WOMEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Kaylee McKeown, Australia – 2:03.14 (2023)
- WUGS Record: Lisa Bratton, United States – 2:07.91 (2019)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Eszter Szabo-Feltothy (Hungary) – 2:11.21
- Camila Rodrigues (Portugal) – 2:11.97
- Hannah Pearse (South Africa) – 2:12.04
- Liu Yaxin (China) – 2:12.38
- Federica Toma (Italy) – 2:12.95
- Tatiana Salcutan (Moldova) – 2:13.02
- Gao Xing (China) – 2:13.27
- Francesca Pasquino (Italy) – 2:13.50
Hungary’s Eszter Szabo-Feltothy emerged victorious in the first semifinals heat of the women’s 200 backstroke, finishing with a time of 2:11.21. Camila Rodrigues from Portugal earned the second fastest time of the morning with a 2:11.97. South Africa’s Hannah Pearse put on an impressive performance in the final 100m of her race, securing her a spot in the finals with a time of 2:12.04. The second heat saw a strong performance from China’s Liu Yaxin, who finished with a time of 2:12.38.
MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – SEMIFINALS
- World Record: Andrii Govorov, Ukraine – 22.27 (2018)
- WUGS Record: Andrii Govorov, Ukraine – 22.90 (2017)
TOP 8 QUALIFIERS:
- Luca Armbruster (Germany) – 23.18
- Thomas Verhoeven (Netherlands) – 23.29
- Lorenzo Gargani (Italy) -23.39
- Chen Juner (China) – 23.48
- Jihun Jun (South Korea) – 23.58
- Gabriel Santos (Brazil) – 23.60
- Jakub Majerski (Poland) – 23.61
- Adilbek Mussin (Kazakhstan) – 23.76
Germany’s Luca Armbruster claimed victory in the first semifinals heat of the men’s 50 butterfly, finishing with a time of 23.18. Armbruster’s time was just shy of his own German Record of 23.03 set earlier this year. He also narrowly missed breaking the WUGS Championship Record of 22.90. The second heat saw Thomas Verhoeven from the Netherlands touch the wall in 23.29, securing the second-fastest time overall. Lorenzo Gargani from Italy finished just behind Verhoeven with a time of 23.39.
WOMEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS
- World Record: Australia – 3:27.96 (2023)
- WUGS Record: United States – 3:37.99 (2019)
PODIUM:
- GOLD: China – 3:37.51 (Championship Record)
- SILVER: Italy – 3:38.81
- BRONZE: Japan – 3:41.83
The Chinese team comprised of Li Bingjie, Liu Yaxin, Luo Youyang, and Zhang Yufei secured victory in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay, completing the race in an impressive time of 3:37.51. Yufei, in particular, powered ahead of the Italian team on the anchor leg, enabling China to break the WUGS Championship Record of 3:37.99 set in 2019. Italy engaged in a closely contested race with China from start to finish but fell behind when Yufei unleashed her remarkable speed. Italy’s team of Anita Gastaldi, Viola Scotto Di Carlo, Paola Biagioli, and Giulia D’Innocenzo finished with a time of 3:38.81, securing the silver medal with a comfortable lead over Japan who earned the bronze in 3:41.83.
MEN’S 4×100 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS
- World Record: United States – 3:08.24 (2008)
- WUGS Record: Russia – 3:10.88 (2013)
PODIUM:
- GOLD: Poland – 3:14.60
- SILVER: Brazil – 3:15.30
- BRONZE: Italy – 3:15.62
Poland, swimming from lane 7, put on a remarkable performance in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay, clinching the gold medal with a time of 3:14.60. The Polish team, consisting of Kamil Sieradzki, Dominik Dudys, Mateusz Chowaniec, and Jakub Kraska, took an early lead and maintained it throughout the race. Sieradzki’s lead-off leg played a pivotal role in Poland’s success, giving them an advantage they never relinquished. Kraska’s anchor leg solidified their victory as he widened the gap between Brazil and Italy and propelled Poland to the gold medal. Brazil and Italy fiercely battled each other from start to finish, with Pedro Spajari of Brazil and Paolo Conte of Italy tying at the first exchange with a time of 49.46. Despite not making it to the podium, China’s Chen Juner delivered an exceptional anchor leg, recording a split time of 47.74, the fastest of the relay.
