Paris Olympics, Day 4: Leon Marchand Third in 200 Breast, Qin Haiyang fifteenth
The boys’s 200 breaststroke in Tokyo was one thing of an open query. By Paris, the solutions have narrowed barely, however the chase for the rostrum would possibly but include a shock or two. Prelims actually did.
House-country hero Leon Marchand coasted into the ultimate with the third-fastest time of prelims, however the story was about who missed and who almost did. The primary class is 2021 bronze medalist Matti Mattsson, eradicated in prelims in 18th place in 2:11.18.
The close to miss was from 2023 triple World Champion Qin Haiyang, who scraped into the semifinals in fifteenth place in 2:10.98, protected by simply .18 seconds.
World report: Qin Haiyang, China, 2:05.48 (2023)
Olympic report: Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner, Australia, 2:06.38 (2021)
Tokyo Olympic champion: Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner, Australia, 2:06.38
The highest time was posted by a shocking determine in South Korea’s Cho Sung-Jae, who went 2:09.45 and outtouched Leon Marchand within the closing warmth of 4. Marchand went 2:09.55. In between was the reigning Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner of Australia, who was final in his warmth earlier than a typical final-50 surge introduced him house first in 2:09.49.
Marchand, who additionally certified with out consternation within the 200 butterfly, may find yourself racing 1,000 meters on the day, with semifinals in each occasions at night time and the surface likelihood of France making the ultimate within the 800 free relay.
Caspar Corbeau, a finalist within the 100 breast, completed fourth in 2:09.78, however countryman and reigning silver medalist Arno Kamminga scuffled alongside to twelfth place. That’s behind each People, Josh Matheny in tenth in 2:10.39, a tenth forward of Matt Fallon.
Ippei Watanabe of Japan and Dong Zhihao of China had the opposite two occasions underneath 2:10. Yu Hanagaruma and Sweden’s Erik Persson tied for seventh. Persson’s inclusion means simply three of the eight Tokyo finalists (with Stubblety-Cook dinner and Kamminga) are even again for the semifinals this yr.
