Good start for Villacrusis, Welch

Christian Villacrusis does the backstroke part of the 200m individual medley race during a local race early this year at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Christian Villacrusis and Salofi Welch made a good impression in their debuts in the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships after breaking their entry times in two events yesterday in Windsor, Canada.

Villacrusis swam on qualifying Heat 1 of the 200m individual medley competition at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre in Ontario and clocked in at 2:31.79, surpassing his seed time of 2.34.70. Welch was on the same heat and submitted 2:32.17, which was about six seconds better than his entry time of 2.38.59. Villacrusis and Welch finished seventh and eighth on Heat 1, while Great Britain’s Mark Szranek topped the group after checking in at 1:53.77. China’s Shun Wang won the gold medal in the event after registering 1:51.74 and was joined in the podium by Germany’s Philip Heintz (1:52.07) and Japan’s Daiya Seto (1:52.89).

For their second event—the 100m breaststroke—the two CNMI swimmers were also on the same Heat (1) and ranked better in their group. Villacrusis posted 1:16.11, chopping off more than a second from his entry time (1.17.76) and placing sixth out of the 10 swimmers on Heat 1. Welch’s 1:66.55 landed him at the No. 1 spot and broke his seed time of 1.23.29. The two CNMI swimmers defeated Malawi’s Michael Swift (1:22.18) and Gambia’s Jegan Jobe (1:26:02). Villacrusis also prevailed against Niger’s Alassane Seydoylancina (1:16.30), while Slovenia’s Peter Stevens (58:36 seconds) ruled Heat 1.

The 100m breaststroke was scheduled to have its finals last night with the Top 4 swimmers in the two semifinal races qualifying to the medal round. Brazil’s Silva Franca (56.99 seconds), Russia’s Vladimir Morozov (57,00), American Nic Fink (57.10), and Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich (57.65) made the finals cut in Group 1, while the qualifiers in Group 2 were Germany’s Marco Koch (56.86 seconds), American Cody Miller (57.14), Italy’s Favio Scozzoli (57.22), and Russia’s Oleg Ostin (57.52).

Meanwhile, the lone female swimmer on the CNMI National Team—Angel De Jesus—beat her entry time in the 100m backstroke (1.24.14) after recording 1:20.90 on Heat 2.

Palau’s Osisang Chilton prevailed on Heat 2 after clocking in at 1:13.67, while eight swimmers advanced to the medal race after making the grade in the semifinals. Australia’s Emily Seebohm (56.44 seconds) topped Group 1 semis, while the host’s Kylie Masse (56.19) reigned in Group 2 to lead the finals cast in the event.

In other results, De Jesus also raced in the 200m freestyle and 50m breaststroke and timed in at 2:31.59 and 41.15 seconds, respectively. She finished ahead of the Marshall Islands’ Ruthie Long (2:34.03) in the 200m freestyle event and defeated Malawi’s Tayamika Chang-anamuno (44.13 seconds). World record holder Federica Pellegrini of Italy took the gold medal in the 200m freestyle event after tallying 1:51.73, while the 50m breaststroke is still in the semifinal round.