2024 World Aquatics Championships Swimming Day 1: Kim Woomin and Erika Fairweather clinch gold, Kate Douglass tops women’s 200m medley semifinals

The first day of swimming action at the World Aquatics Championships brought with it some surprise upsets and incredible races. There were four finals lined up for fans- the men's and women's 400m freestyle, and the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relay. Other than this, there were also the semifinals for the women's 100m butterfly, men’s 50m butterfly, men's 100m backstroke, and women's 200m individual medley.

The men's 400m freestyle event began with a thrilling final, where 2022 champion Ahmed Hafnaoui failed to qualify for the final eight. In his absence, Australian Elijah Winnington and German Lukas Märtens were the favorites for the win.

However, as it all unfolded, it was 22-year-old Kim Woomin who raced to the gold leaving audiences stunned. His win gives South Korea their first World Aquatics Championships 400m freestyle medalist since 2011. Joining him on the podium were Winnington and Märtens.

In the women's 400m freestyle final in Doha, Qatar, New Zealand's Erika Fairweather dominated the race throughout, storming to gold with a time of 3:59.44. Li Bingjie came close to challenging Fairweather for the win in the last moments of the race but had to settle for silver. Germany's Isabel Gose was the last one to make it to the podium.

Fairweather’s win marks New Zealand’s first swimming gold medal at a World Aquatics Championships, and her time also resets her national record.

The women's 4x100m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships was another exciting race. Poland got off to the best start, closely followed by Italy. However, neither of these teams made it to the podium.

Netherlands, who were eight at the halfway mark, staged a brilliant comeback to clinch gold. Australia, the favorites going into the race, settled for silver, as Canada scrambled onto the podium for bronze.

The men’s 4x100m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships was a poetic finish to the tumultuous day, with Chinese youngster Pan Zhanle setting a new world record in the 100m freestyle with a time of 46.80. His heroics helped China to a gold, as Italy and America came in second and third.

Meanwhile, the semifinals on day one of the World Aquatics Championships also brought with it some thrilling races. The women's 100m butterfly saw a dominant race from Angelina Köhler, as she qualified nearly a second ahead of her closest competitor.

Adam Peaty impressed in the men's 100m backstroke semifinals, finishing first with a time of 58.60. Michael Andrew topped the chart in the men's 50m butterfly and defending champion Kate Douglass took the lead in the women's 200m individual medley.

World Aquatics Championships Swimming Day 1: Full Results

Here is a breakdown of the finals at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships:

Men's 400m Freestyle Finals

1. Kim Woomin (KOR) — 3:42.71
2. Elijah Winnington (AUS) — 3:42.86
3. Lukas Märtens (GER) — 3:42.96
4. Guilherme Costa (BRA) — 3:44.22
5. Lucas Henveaux (BEL) — 3:44.61
6. Victor Johansson (SWE) — 3:45.87
7. Daniel Wiffen (IRL) — 3:46.65
8. Felix Auboeck (AUT) — 3:51.60

Women's 400m Freestyle Finals

1. Erika Fairweather (NZL) — 3:59.44
2. Li Bingjie (CHN)– 4:01.62
3. Isabel Gose (GER) — 4:02.39
4. Maria Fernanda De Oliveria Da Silva Costa (BRA) — 4:02.86
5. Gabrielle Roncatto (BRA) — 4:04.18
6. Yang Peiqi (CHN) — 4:05.73
7. Eve Thomas (NZL) — 4:05.87
8. Agostina Hein (ARG) — 4:10.33

Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Finals

1. China — 3:11.08
2. Italy — 3:12.08
3. USA — 3:12.29
4. Great Britain — 3:12.59
5. Hungary — 3:13.66
6. Greece — 3:13.67
7. Serbia — 3:13.88
8. Spain — 3:14.83

Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Finals

1. Netherlands — 3:36.61
2. Australia — 3:36.93
3. Canada — 3:37.95
4. Poland — 3:38.65
5. Italy — 3:38.67
6. Brazil — 3:40.56
7. China — 3:41.11
8. Slovenia — 3:41.72

This is what the charts for the semifinals looked like at the World Aquatics Championships

Women's 100m Butterfly Semifinals

1. Angelina Köhler (GER) — 56.11
2. Claire Curzan (USA) — 57.06
3. Brianna Throssell (AUS) — 57.22
4. Louise Hansson (SWE) — 57.28
5. Anna Ntountounaki (GRE) — 57.86
6. Erin Gallagher (RSA) — 57.92
7. Chiharu Iitsuka (JPN) — 58.01
8. Alexandria Perkins (AUS) — 58.05

Men's 50m Butterfly Semifinals

1. Michael Andrew (USA) — 22.94
2. Dylan Carter (TTO) — 23.15
3. Mario Molla Yanes (ESP) — 23.17
4. Diogo Matos Ribeiro (POR)/Isaac Cooper (AUS) — 23.18
5. (tie)
6. Cam McEvoy (AUS) — 23.21
7. Shaine Casas (USA) — 23.22
8. Baek Inchul (KOR) — 23.24

Men's 100m Breaststroke Semifinals

1. Adam Peaty (GBR) — 58.60
2. Nic Fink (USA) — 58.73
3. Arno Kamminga (NED) — 58.87
4. Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) — 59.13
5. Lucas Matzerath (GER) — 59.30
6. Caspar Corbeau (NED) — 59.33
7. Sam Williamson (AUS) — 59.35
8. Ilya Shymanovich (NIA) — 59.40

Women’s 200m Individual Medley Semifinals

1. Kate Douglass (USA) — 2:08.41
2. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) — 2:08.76
3. Yu Yiting (CHN) — 2:08.83
4. Anastasia Gorbenko (ISR) — 2:10.15
5. Charlotte Bonnet (FRA) — 2:10.24
6. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) — 2:11.23
7. Abbie Wood (GBR) — 2:11.35
8. Ashley McMillan (CAN) — 2:12.23