bearz012 said:
Bears Swimming WCs:
- Nathan Adrian (USA) - 400 FR-R
- Stephanie Au (HKG) - 50/100 back
- Jeremy Bagshaw (CAN) - 400 free, 800 FR-R
- Kathleen Baker (USA) - 50/100/200 back
- Camille Cheng (HKG) - 400/800 FR-R
- Marina Garcia (ESP) - 200 breast
- Hugo Gonzalez (ESP) - 100/200 back, 200 IM
- Katie McLaughlin (USA) - 100 fly
- Ryan Murphy (USA) - 50/100/200 back
- Nicole Oliva (PHI) - 200/400/800 free
- Farida Osman (EGY) - 50/100 free, 50/100 fly
- Jacob Pebley (USA) - 200 back
- Josh Prenot (USA) - 200 breast
- Zheng Wen Quah (SGP) - 50/100 back, 200 fly
- Ema Rajic (CRO) - 50/100 breast
- Andrew Seliskar (USA) - 200 free
- Abbey Weitzeil (USA) - 50 free, 400 FR-R
As prelims for the first day start tomorrow, here are some previews featuring Bears in them:
RYLOV SEEKS 200 BACK REPEAT VS. MURPHYGwangju sets the stage for a battle between the USA's Olympic champion
Ryan Murphy and Russia's defending World champion
Evgeny Rylov in the 200 back. Murphy had an off year in 2017, not matching his Olympic performances, as he took silver. Ahead of him, Rylov earned his first World Championships title. Murphy came back with new momentum in 2018 as he set a personal best 1:53.57 at the 2018 Pan Pacs, while Rylov also lowered his best to a 1:53.36 at the 2018 European Championships. This year, Rylov ranks #1 in the World with his 1:54.00 from Russian Nationals. Murphy is currently #9 with a 1:56.16, however, he hasn't needed a taper meet since last summer since the U.S. did not hold a trials meet this year.
The USA also has a good chance at getting 2 in with Olympic finalist
Jacob Pebley in the mix. Like Murphy, Pebley hasn't had to taper for a trials meet this year. His season best is a 12th-ranked 1:56.35. Pebley was the bronze medalist in this race in 2017.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
2 | Ryan Murphy | USA
6 | Jacob Pebley | USA
FU POISED FOR TAKEOVER IN WOMEN'S 50 BACKSTROKE100 backstroke World Record holder
Kathleen Baker has had a rocky 2019, but can't be written off for a spot in the finals of the 50 backstroke. At the 2018 U.S. National Championships when Baker broke the World Record in the 100 back, she hit 50 meters in a blazing fast 27.90
to her feet. For perspective, Baker's 2018 split would rank her 16th in the world currently in the 50 back in 2019, though her own 27.76 ranks her 8th. In May,
Baker revealed that she fractured a rib while coughing due to an illness in April. Because of the injury, Baker, under the advisement of Team USA, skipped the Budapest stop of the 2019 FINA Champions Series. In June, Baker
dropped the 200 IM from her World Championship lineup to focus exclusively on backstroke. Baker's most recent and season-best 50 backstroke, a 27.76, came in March at the Des Moines stop of the 2019 Pro Swim Series.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
6 | Kathleen Baker | USA
STRATEGIES ABOUND IN MEN'S 200 FREEThe LCM 200 freestyle is one of the most difficult races to figure out in terms of splitting. The varying race strategies of this year's contenders are all over the map, and it will be intriguing to see which one prevails.
PUSHING THE MIDDLE 100The main swimmers who come to mind when you think about attacking the middle 100 of the 200 free are
Andrew Seliskar and
Duncan Scott.
Last summer was Seliskar's coming out party both in this event and in major international competition, as he rattled off four straight 1:45s from U.S. Nationals to Pan Pacs.
His race strategy was reminiscent of what
Ryan Lochte executed perfectly at the 2011 World Championships, where he pounced on the third 50 with a 26.29 split to top the only heat in history with five swimmers under 1:45.
Seliskar hasn't been quite that fast, but in his four swims under 1:46, he hasn't dipped over 27 seconds on any of the second or third 50s, and his middle 100 splits are incredibly consistent: 53.57, 53.59, 53.56, 53.56.
If the former Cal Bear can gravitate down from 24-high opening up to 24.5, and close in the vicinity of 27.0 (has averaged 27.39 in 1:45 swims), he's absolutely in the hunt to get on the podium and possibly go 1:44.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
6 | Andrew Seliskar | USA
MURPHY AND XU RE-MATCH IN 100 BACK2017 was a bit of a blip in WR-holder
Ryan Murphy's career. After setting the WR in Rio and winning gold in the 100 back, Murphy faltered in 2017: his time in the final of 52.59 good for only bronze. But it was back to gold in 2018, as he was 51-high once again to claim the Pan Pac title last summer. He's broken 52 seconds thrice, ever, and is the favorite going into Worlds as the fastest swimmer of 2018.
Over the last few years, China's
Xu Jiayu has posed a threat to Murphy, and he's the only other active swimmer who has broken 52 seconds (Xu was 51.86 at 2017 Chinese Nationals). Xu is, after all, the defending World champion in this event. This year, he leads the way with a very quick 52.27 from Chinese Nationals. An on-form Xu and an on-form Murphy has fireworks potential, and it looks like we're getting both.
In 2017, only Xu,
Matt Grevers, and Murphy broke 53 seconds. It's looking like the party will be raging primarily in the 52-second range (or better) this year.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
1 | Ryan Murphy | USA
CHUPKOV LEADS ALL-STAR PACK IN COMPETITIVE 200 BRIt would be hard to forget the top 2 swimmers from the 2016 Rio Olympics,
Josh Prenot (USA) and champ
Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ). Both swimmers have remained relatively quiet after their Olympic performances, but certainly have not given up on the 2019 Worlds meet.
Prenot, on the other hand, as been making waves in the US with his new professional career. At the 2018 US Nationals, Prenot won the 200 breast with a 2:07.28, just 0.11s off his 2016 American record and 5th-fastest time in history. In his most recent international meet at the 2018 SC Worlds meet, Prenot earned a silver medal in the 200 IM while finishing 5th in the 200 breast. While Prenot has only swam a 2:09.96 this season, his lifetime best and Olympic silver medal shows he still has more international waves to make.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
3 | Josh Prenot | USA
SANS BIGGEST CHALLENGER, SJOSTROM IS 100 FLY FAVORITEThat gives a reason to knock 3 of the top contenders. So who
does have momentum? For one, the second American entrant
Katie McLaughlin. After a neck injury a few years back, it wasn't clear if she'd ever return to her wunderkind destiny, but over the last 12 months she's been swimming faster-than-ever. Her 57.77 at the Santa Clara International in early June is the second-best time of her career, and was 6-tenths better than she was at the same meet a year earlier. She could be the next sub-56 in this field.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
6 | Katie McLaughlin | USA
TIGHT RACE FOR 50 FLY SILVER BEHIND SARAH SJOSTROMThe race for the silver and bronze medals, on the other hand, is a tight group of talent. The second-fastest swimmer this year is Egypt's
Farida Osman, who swam her season best of 25.65 at the Richmond PSS. The former NCAA butterfly champ finalled in the event in the two previous editions, placing 5th in 2015 and 7th in 2013.
Osman then won the bronze medal in 2017, becoming
the first Egyptian swimmer to medal at the world championships. Osman also swam her lifetime best in that performance with a 25.39, ranking #9 all-time in the event.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
2 | Farida Osman | Egypt
MASSE HUNTING 57 IN WOMEN'S 100 BACKSTROKEFor one year,
Kathleen Baker set an alarm on her phone to remind her of a goal: 58.10. At the 2018 U.S. National Championships in Irvine,
Baker accomplished that goal and broke Masse's 100 backstroke World Record. Before U.S. Nationals, Baker's best time the 100 back was a 58.54, done while leading off the 400 medley relay at the 2017 World Championships. Baker's best time since setting the World Record last July stands at 58.41 from the prelims at Pan Pacs. Under normal circumstances, Baker would be a no-brainer pick for top-3 at Worlds this year, though her health remains in question. In May,
Baker revealed that she fractured a rib while coughing due to an illness in April. Because of the injury, Baker, under the advisement of Team USA, skipped the FINA Champions Series in Budapest. Last week, Baker dropped the 200 IM from her World Championship lineup to focus exclusively on backstroke,
conceding her 200 IM spot to
Ella Eastin. Baker's most recent performance was in March at the FFN Golden Tour in Marseille, where Baker established her season-best time of 59.05.
TOP 8 PICKS: PLACE | SWIMMER | COUNTRY
4 | Kathleen Baker | USA