Russian world record, four British swimmers fastest at Glasgow 2015

It’s going to be such a tough race and [Yelyzaveta] Mereshko will push me all that way but hopefully what happened on Monday night [in the 400m freestyle] won’t happen again."

Russia’s Viacheslav Emeliantsev set his second world record of the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships on Friday (17 July), bringing down Dutch world champion Marc Evers’ time in the men’s 200m individual medley SM14.

Emeliantsev (2:09.83) took more than two seconds off the previous mark from 2014, set by Evers on his way to gold at the IPC Swimming European Championships.

Evers (2:12.12) was second, followed by Great Britain’s Thomas Hamer (2:17.52).

Russian Valeriia Shabalina (2:24.52) set a new Championships record in her women’s 200m individual medley heat, just minutes after Great Britain’s Jessica-Jane Applegate (2:28.31) brought down the mark in heat one. Dutch world champion Marlou van der Kulk (2:30.64) was third.

Shabalina’s teammate Natalia Gavrilyuk (1:02.11) registered a new Championships best in the women’s 50m breaststroke SB3. Ukrainian Mariia Lafina (1:05.77) and Mexico’s Nely Miranda Herrera (1:06.03) were second and third quickest.

Japan’s 2013 bronze medallist Takayuki Suzuki (49.55) was in great form in the men’s 50m breaststroke SB3, setting a new Championships record. Spain’s Miguel Luque (50.44) was second quickest and Russian Aleksei Lyzhikhin (50.98) third.

A series of British swimmers qualified fastest in their respective heats, setting up what could be their most successful evening yet at their home World Championships.

World champion Ollie Hynd (4:34.76) qualified comfortably fastest in the men’s 400m freestyle S8, ahead of the USA’s Robert Griswold (4:37.57). Brazilian Calo Oliveira (4:41.56) was third.

“It was a comfortable swim,” Hynd said. “The goal of any heat swim is to make it into the final and I wanted to go in, have a good swim, test some things out and go even faster tonight.

Hynd’s teammate and world champion Sascha Kindred (2:45.00) also goes into his men’s 200m individual medley final as the quickest qualifier.

“I was just aiming to make the final really,” Kindred said. “I knew my PB [personal best] was going to get me up there in the top spot so it was just a case of swimming it and giving it my best shot tonight.

“I’ll give it 100 per cent tonight and see what happens.”

Colombia’s Nelson Crispin (2:48.48) and Russian Andrei Granichka (2:51.26) were second and third repectively.

World and Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds (3:05.65) is in pole position in the women’s 200m individual medley SM6.

“It went better than expected. I was just seeing how I felt this morning,” Simmonds said. “I saw Mereshko went a 3:06 at the start but it didn’t put any pressure on me. It’s going to be such a tough race and [Yelyzaveta] Mereshko will push me all that way but hopefully what happened on Monday night [in the 400m freestyle] won’t happen again. But I can’t go out there and control her so I’m just going to do my own race.”

Ukrainian Mereshko (3:06.60), who took gold from Simmonds in the 400m freestyle on Monday (13 July) to win her first world title, was second. Germany’s Verena Schott (3:21.28) was third.

Tully Kearney (1:09.39) secured the perfect position from which to take gold in the women’s 100m butterfly S9 to complete the hosts’ title hopes for Friday. Kearney is followed into the finals by the USA’s Elizabeth Smith (1:09.82) and Spain’s Sarai Gascon (1:11.28).

Brazil’s men’s 50m freestyle world champion Daniel Dias (34.50) will go for his fifth gold medal of the meet this evening, and enters the sprint as the fastest qualifier. Spain’s Sebastian Rodriguez (34.95) and Vietnam’s Thanh Tung Vo (35.04) were second and third fastest respectively.

US world and Paralympic champion Jessica Long (4:51.48) looks in great shape to take her fourth gold medal of the Championships in the women’s 400m freestyle S8.

Australian Lakeisha Patterson (5:03.19) went through second fastest and the USA’s McKenzie Coan (5:10.24) third.

Long’s teammate Bradley Snyder (26.48) is going for his third gold medal of Glasgow 2015 and was fastest in the men’s 50m freestyle S11. Japan’s Keichi Kimura (27.50) and South Africa’s Hendri Herbst (27.76) complete the top three.

“I think we’re set-up well, and it will be a better race tonight,” Snyder said. “I kissed the lane line a bit on the way down, so we’re going to clean that up a bit and maybe shave a bit of time off.

“Coming into the meet, the 50m was the event I was most worried about because it’s such a close field. I think tonight will be a close race.”

Ukraine’s Denis Dubrov (58.56) and Russian Dmitry Grigoryev (58.80) head through to the men’s 100m butterfly S10 finals as the fastest qualifiers, whilst Canada’s Nathan Stein (59.55) rounds-off the top three. Brazilian world and Paralympic champion Andre Brasil (1:01.51) just squeaked through in seventh.

Ukrainian World champion Yevheniy Bohodayko (31.41) will lead out the field in the men’s 50m butterfly S7 for Ukraine, ahead of Australian Matthew Levy (32.21) and China’s Shiyun Pan (32.33).

Mary Fisher (32.31) is going for her fourth gold medal of the competition for New Zealand in the women’s 50m freestyle S11. Fisher has won all but one of her races in Glasgow and leads Sweden’s Maja Reichard (32.74) and China’s Guizhi Lee (32.85) into the final.

Fisher’s compatriot, world and Paralympic champion Sophie Pascoe (1:05.58), was the quickest woman in the 200m butterfly S10. Great Britain’s Alice Tai (1:09.65) had an encouraging swim as second fastest whilst Poland’s 2013 silver medallist Oliwia Jablonska (1:09.87) was third.

Nikita Howarth (36.83) returned to the pool after winning her first gold on Thursday (16 July), taking top spot in the women’s 50m butterfly S7 to complete New Zealand’s trio of fastest qualifiers. The USA’s Cortney Jordan (37.43) was second and Canadian Sarah Mehain (37.56) third.

Italy’s Federico Morlacchi (1:02.04) is in a strong position to defend his world title in the men’s 100m butterfly S9. Croatia’s Kristijan Vincetic (1:02.51) was second and Greek 16-year-old Dimosthenis Michalentzakis (1:03.02) third.

“It will be an amazing race, watch it!” Morlacchi said.

Cyprus’ Karolina Pelindritou (1:19.64) has the chance to win her country’s first gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB13. Germany’s Emely Telle (1:20.19) and the USA’s Colleen Young (1:21.07) round-off the fastest three.

“For the morning it’s [my time] ok - my training wasn’t very good because I had some injuries,” Pelendritou said. “So I will try my best. I want to get a gold medal and if possible make a very good time.”

Spain’s Teresa Perales (38.51) has one of every colour already from Glasgow 2015, and is the favourite to take her second gold in the women’s 50m freestyle S5. Brazil’s Joana Maria Silva (39.05) and Israel’s Inbal Pezaro (39.40) complete the top three.

The Russian team of Aleksandr Demianenko, Evgeny Zimin, Bogdan Mozgovoi and Denis Tarasov ((4:01.58) qualified fastest in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay 34 points, ahead of world and Paralympic champions Australia (4:02.15). Ukraine (4:11.88) were third.

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The 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships, which run until 19 July, will feature around 580 athletes from nearly 70 countries and will be one of the biggest qualification opportunities for Rio 2016.

Tickets are still available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Glasgow2015 and all seven days of action will be shown live at Glasgow2015.com alongside live results between 13-19 July.

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