2021 FINA World Championships at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. PH SWIMMING PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Three Filipino swimmers made their debuts on the highest stage as Jerard Jacinto, Sebastian Cook, and Chloe Isleta competed in the 2021 FINA World Championships (25m) at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Jacinto, a sophomore at Texas A&M, nearly won Heat 2 of Men’s 100-meter breaststroke as he led at the halfway mark only for Luxembourg’s Max Mannes to snatch first place at 53.63 seconds, 0.06 seconds faster than the Filipino’s 63.69.
The second-place finish in his heat put Jacinto at 35th out of 65 and meant that he didn’t make the semifinals as only the 15 fastest swimmers would advance.
Cook, meanwhile, finished fourth in Heat 4 of the men’s 100m breaststroke clocking in at 1:00.75 for 36th overall, well outside of the 16 qualifiers for the semifinals.
Isleta finished ninth out of 10 swimmers in Heat 3 at 1:00.42 for 29th overall among 50 competitors in the women’s 100m backstroke.
Just like Cook and Jacinto, Isleta didn’t qualify for the semifinals as only the 16 fastest would advance.
Brazil’s Guilherme Guido and Poland’s Kacper Stokowski were the fastest in the men’s 100m backstroke at 50.38 seconds leading the 15 semifinalists.
Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands was the fastest among the 16 semifinalists in the men’s 100m breaststroke clocking in at 56.19 seconds while Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich was at close second at 56.20 seconds with both men swimming in Heat 7.
United States’ Katharine Berkoff was the fastest after the heats in the women’s 100m backstroke at 55.92 seconds.