William Meynard clinches Men’s 100m freestyle heats: Day four – 2011 FINA World Championships
William Meynard of France presented an immaculate swim in the Men’s 100m freestyle, by occupying the fastest qualification spot in the preliminary rounds on day four of the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) organised 2011 World Championships on
Wednesday, July 27, in Shanghai, China.
The 24-year-old Meynard was the fastest swimmer to appear on the finishing wall, as he concluded his swim in a finest time of 48.14 seconds. Meynard’s time was 1.23 seconds behind the championship and world record of 46.91 seconds, made by Cesar Cielo Filho
at the 2009 Rome World Championships.
He was followed by his closest competitor, James Magnussen of Australia, who remained only 0.07 seconds behind him and posted a wonderful time of 48.21 seconds. Filippo Magnini of Italy was the third best swimmer to qualify into the semi-finals, as he sprinted
his way to the concluding wall by submitting a time of 48.36 seconds.
He was followed by defending champion, Cielo Filho, who stayed only 0.05 seconds behind the third fastest finisher and entered the semi-finals, with a fourth fastest timing of 48.41 seconds. The fifth best qualification spot was secured by Fabien Gilot of
France, who was only 0.07 seconds slower than Cielo and posted a time of 48.48 seconds. Russian swimmer, Andrey Grechin was the sixth finest qualifying swimmer of the event, as he stayed 0.11 seconds behind Gilot and ended his swim in a time of 48.59 seconds.
For the seventh best qualification spot, Sebastian Verschuren of Netherlands remained prominent, as he failed to overwhelm his preceding swimmer’s effort with a difference of only 0.01 seconds and posted a time of 48.60 seconds. Nathan Adrian of USA was
the only American swimmer to enter the squad of top-eight swimmers, as he reported in a time of 48.62 seconds.
The crowd admired the phenomenal efforts of all participants, whereas, the top-sixteen swimmers will proceed into the semi-finals. After the conclusion of the semi-finals meet, the top-eight competitors will be provided with an opportunity to compete for
a podium finish.
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