Budapest World Short Course: Day 2 Heats Wrap

AN Oceania record has booked Australia into tonight’s final of the mixed 4x50m medley relay of the World Short Course Championships in Budapest.

The Dolphins heat team of Iona Anderson, Josh Yong, Matt Temple and Meg Harris clocked 1:37.77 to win their heat and qualify fourth for the final behind Canada, Sweden and the United States.

While the Americans in particular are likely to change up their line-up for the final, the Dolphins will also assess potential changes ahead of Night 2 at Duna Arena which features seven Australian swimmers in individual finals before the 4x50m medley relay gold medal race.

Day 1 finals saw seven new world records, and rookie Milla Jansen will race one of the record breakers tonight local time in the semi-final of the women’s 100m freestyle.

In a torn race suit, Jansen touched in 52.51 and will line up beside the USA’s Kate Douglas (52.27) in the first semi final. Douglas set a world record in the 50 fly yesterday and was part of the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay World Record, where Douglass led off in 50.95.

Silver medallist in the 400m Lani Pallister withdrew from the 100m heats to concentrate on tonight’s 800m free final.

West Australian Josh Yong also qualified for a semi final tonight in his signature event, the 100m breaststroke (56.99) and will start from Lane 2.

The likes of Jansen, who turned 18 during staging camp in Slovakia ahead of this meet, and Paris Olympian Yong, 23, are vital to Australia’s relay stocks ahead of World Championships in Singapore next year and runway to La Olympics.

This runway includes the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026 (23 July-2 August) and the recently announced 2026 Pan Pacific Games in Irvine, California (12-15 August).

While the Commonwealth Games will be the benchmark meet for 2026, the Pan Pacs will be an important part of the build up to the LA Games.

World Short Course Day 2 Heat Results

Women’s 100m Freestyle (Q = qualified for tonight’s final)
Milla Jansen 52.51 Q #7

Men’s 100m Freestyle
Ed Sommerville 47.96 (Did not qualify)
Harrison Turner 47.31 (Did not qualify)

Women’s 100m Breaststroke
Tara Kinder 1:06.29 (Did not qualify)

Men’s 100m Breaststroke
Josh Yong 56.99 Q #9
Josh Collett 57.94 (Did not qualify)

Women’s 800m Freestyle
Tiana Kritzinger 8:27.90 (Did not qualify)
Lani Pallister – will race in tonight’s final session

Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Iona Anderson, Josh Yong, Matt Temple, Meg Harris 1:37.77 Q #4

Watch all the action live and free with final sessions from 3.30am AEDT on Nine.