By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS – OPEN WATER

• July 15 – July 21
• Lake Balaton, Hungary
• Meet Central
• Full Schedule
• Women’s 25k Results

Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha successfully defended her World title in the women’s 25k race today, the final open water event in Lake Balaton.

Cunha, 10k Olympic champ Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands and Italian Arianna Bridi broke away from the rest of the field just after the four hour mark, and eventually finished nearly two minutes ahead of anyone else.

In the end it was Cunha and van Rouwendaal going head-to-head for gold, with Cunha grabbing it in a time of 5:21:58.4. This is her third medal of the championships, winning a pair of bronzes in the 5k and 10k, and her third world title in this event, coming out on top in 2011 and 2015 as well.

van Rouwendaal was just over two seconds back in 5:22:00.8, an impressive performance for her first medal of the competition. She just missed a medal in the 5k, and protested the finish to no avail, but she really fell off the pace towards the end of the 10k. Making this 25k performance all the more impressive, she was battling mono as recently as March.

Ana Marcela. Campeonato Mundial de Desportos Aquaticos. Lake Balaton. 21 de Julho de 2017, Budapeste, Hungria. Foto: Satiro Sodré/SSPress/CBDA

Cunha has faced plenty of adversity herself recently, having her spleen removed after the Olympics which caused to her miss two full months of training. She also changed coaches, and wasn’t able to begin serious training until January, which makes this three medal performance truly remarkable.

Bridi fell off the pace a bit at the end of the race, winning bronze in 5:22:08.2. She also tied with Cunha for bronze in the 10k, putting up identical times of 2:00:17.2.

Her teammate Martina Grimaldi out-sprinted 2015 silver medalist Anna Olasz for 4th place in 5:23:54.6, with Olasz close behind for 5th in 5:23:55.0. Russian Anastasia Krapivina placed 6th, and American Becca Mann placed 7th.

Aurelie Muller of France missed a medal for the first time in four events here, placing 8th, and her teammate Lara Grangeon was 13th. That caps an incredible performance from the French in Lake Balaton, as they won a medal in every race other than this one. They finish with four golds and six total medals. The Americans finished 2nd on the medal table with 1 gold and 2 silvers, but the Italians finish with the 2nd most medals at 5, though zero gold.

Women’s 25k Final Results

1. Ana Marcela Cunha, BRA, 5:21:58.40
2. Sharon van Rouwendaal, NED, 5:22:00.80
3. Arianna Bridi, ITA, 5:22:08.20
4. Martina Grimaldi, ITA, 5:23:54.60
5. Anna Olasz, HUN, 5:23:55.0
6. Anastasia Krapivina, RUS, 5:24:03.70
7. Becca Mann, USA, 5:27:06.90
8. Aurelie Muller, FRA, 5:28:25.30
9. Chelsea Gubecka, AUS, 5:28:41.60
10. Cathryn Salladin, USA, 5:29:49.70

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Cunha Defends Women’s 25k Title, Wins 3rd Medal Of Championships

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2017 GRESHAM SECTIONALS

• July 20th-23rd, 2017
• Gresham, OR
• Psych sheets
• Full results on Meet Mobile

17-year old Rhyan White from the Wasatch Front Fish Market team in Sandy, Utah dominated the women’s 200 backstroke on Saturday at the Gresham Sectionals. In winning by almost 5 seconds, White swam 2:11.20, which ranks her as the 16th fastest American in the event in 2017, and the 7th-best 18 & under. Her previous best time was 2:12.36, done at last year’s Olympic Trials.

White is creeping into the country’s elite swimmers, creeping more and more into the national consciousness. She made headlines earlier this year when she won her second-straight 100 back State Record in Utah, and this 200 back seems to be her better event.

The men’s 200 backstroke saw a big margin as well. Utah’s Brandon Shreeve won in 2:03.17 – three seconds ahead of his next-closest competitor, and three-tenths ahead of his previous personal best.

Other Day 1 Winners:

• Jamie Stone won the women’s 100 free in 56.44, splitting 27.51-28.93 for a come-from-behind victory. Jillian Visscher was more than three-tenths better than Stone at the turn, but was run-down on the back-half.
• Tualatin Hills’ Evan Carlson won the men’s 100 free in 51.30. A big turn pulled him away from the field early, helping him avoid a clustered finish for 2-3-4 that saw Sidney Farber, Thomas Roark, and Keegan Bundy all finish between 51.74 and 51.79.
• Scottsdale Aquatic Club swimmer Emma Cain won the women’s 200 breaststroke in 2:34.77. She’s heading to UCLA in the fall.
• Joshua Bottelberghe won the men’s 200 breaststroke in 2:17.80.
• Utah Ute Jordan Anderson won the women’s 200 fly in 2:15.88 – which is a best time by a second-and-a-half.
• University of Denver/JeffCo Hurricanes swimmer Andrew Torres won the men’s 200 fly in 2:02.22.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Rhyan White Moves Into National Top-16 at Gresham Sectionals

By Hannah Hecht on SwimSwam

You can find links to all of our event-by-event previews and a compilation of our predicted medal-winners here.

2017 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• 50-Meter Course
• Event Schedule
• Meet Info

The world record in the women’s 50 back is one of six women’s records on the books from the 2009 supersuit era. China’s Zhao Jing went 27.06 at the 2009 World Championships just one year after then-15-year-old Australian Emily Seebohmbecame the first swimmer to break the 28-second barrier (27.95, sf, Australian Championships).

Fu Yuanhui, China. Photo: Tim Binning

This week, crowd (and internet) favorite Fu Yuanhui of China will swim to defend her world title and take down the 8-year-old world mark. She was 27.11 for the gold medal in Kazan, missing the record by just .05. Fu is the top seed in the race, having swam 27.36 at Chinese Championships in April. She is also just one year out from her Asian record-setting, Olympic bronze medal 58.76 100 back from Rio (but her reaction to the swim is what led to her 2016 Swammy Award for Viral Video of the Year).

Also returning to the world stage will be 2015 silver medalist and reigning short course world champion and short course world record holder Etiene Medeiros of Brazil. Medeiros was 27.26 for the silver medal in this event in Kazan. She went 25.82 (SCM) to take the title in December in Windsor (her 25.67 from the 2014 Doha World Championships is the short course world record.) Medeiros had a disappointing Rio last year,

Etiene Medeiros, Brazil. Photo: Satiro Sodré/SSPress

topping out at 8th in the 50 free, but Medeiros’s 50 back prowess makes the world championships the better event to showcase her talent.

Yuanhui’s teammate in the event, 19-year-old Rio Olympic semifinalist Wang Xueer, is the second-fastest swimmer in the world this year. Wang’s top time from the year is her second-place 27.55 from Chinese Championships.

2012’s double Olympic silver medalist in the 50 and 100 freeAliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus is the second seed in the event this week. She is seeded into the 50 back with her 27.40 Belarusian record from April 2016, but her fastest time this year is a 27.67 from last month’s Mare Norstrum Monaco.

It would be an understatement to say that Holly Barratt has had an incredible year. The Aussie swimmer is on her first-ever world championships team at the age of 29. In April, Barratt snapped Seebohm’s 5-year winning streak in the 50 back, taking the Australian title in 27.57. After that performance, the fourth-fastest in the world this year, Barratt is a huge wild card going into Budapest.

Kathleen Baker, USA. Photo: Mike Lewis)

Americans Hannah Stevens and Kathleen Baker are the sixth and eighth seeds, respectively, with their 27.63 and 27.69 from U.S. Nationals last month. Since the Americans hardly ever have the chance to swim the 50 back on a stage like this, either one could see even further improvement this week. Case in point- Stevens’s best time in the 50 back before Nats was 29.14, while Baker’s was 28.18.

Kylie Masse. Photo: Speedo Canada

Canadian Rio bronze medalist Kylie Masse is our pick to win the 100 back after putting up the third-fastest swim in history in April with 58.21. She is ranked further back in the 50, coming in seeded between the Americans with her 27.71 from Canadian Trials. But, if she’s at the top of her game (and we expect her to be), Masse could be a real 50 contender.

Veteran Georgia Davies of Great Britain was 27.69 at British Championships in April, putting her right even with Baker. Davies, at 26, is swimming her personal best times; she was 59.34 in the 100.

Emily Seebohm, Australia. Photo: Peter Sukenik

Emily Seebohm has been a staple of the world backstroke scene ever since finishing fourth in the 100 backstroke at the age of 14 at the Melbourne World Championships in 2007. She comes into the event seeded eleventh with her 27.72 from March. However, her 100 back is ranked third in the world right now, so we should expect to see her come up even faster.

Though unlikely to challenge for a medal, Dutch duo Maaike de Waard and Kira Toussaint have both been under 28 this year. Each put up a 27.96 at the Eindhoven Swim Cup in April. Simona Baumrtova (27.89, Sette Colli Trophy) and Anastasia Festikova (27.93, Russian Nationals), also have the potential to challenge for finals slots

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS:

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2017 Worlds Previews: Defending Champ Fu Fighting Challengers in 50 Bk

By Kierra Smith on SwimSwam

A swim coach is being remembered 15 years after her death this week.  The former Western County Outdoor Pool in Poolseville, Maryland will be named after coach Sarah E. Auer. Auer passed away in December 2002 on her way to an afternoon practice in a traffic incident when she was hit by a dump truck en route to coaching.

Sarah Auer coached the Poolsevile Piranhas Swim Team and the Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club. “This pool was a home away from home, a battleground on meet days, a nurturing school for the youngest swimmers,” said Tim Auer, Sarah’s brother, at the renaming ceremony. “It will always have Sarah’s soul here; now it will have her name as well.”  He added  that Sarah would have been extremely happy and also a little embarrassed about the renaming ceremony, probably saying “why are you making all this fuss about me?”

The community still feels the loss today which is a testament to the impact she had on others around her. “I think that we would have had a leader that would have gone on to do great things for our town,” said James Brown, President of Poolesville’s Town Commissioners, “not just all the things that she did, but all the things that she could have done. Would have done.”

Sarah coached many younger swimmers and one, Elizabeth Pepper, went on to receive a full ride scholarship to the University of Arizona. Pepper reflected to when she was 9 years old and remembered that coach Auer made everyone feel important and credits Auer to getting her started in the sport of swimming.

There is a scholarship in Auer’s name. The Sarah E. Auer Memorial Scholarship was established in 2003 to recognize MCSL high school seniors who have exhibited noteworthy qualities in other areas of endeavour. The scholarship is given every year at the start of the swim meet.  The meet is held at the now Sarah H. Auer pool.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Pool Named After Swim Coach Killed in Car Crash

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

You can find links to all of our event-by-event previews and a compilation of our predicted medal-winners here.

2017 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• 50-Meter Course
• Event Schedule
• Meet Info
• Psych Sheets
• Omega Results

Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay

• World Record: 3:52.05, United States (Franklin, Soni, Vollmer, Schmitt), 2012
• 2016 Olympic Champions: United States (Baker, King, Vollmer, Manuel), 3:53.13
• 2015 World Champions: China (Fu, Shi, Lu, Shen), 3:54.41

For the last decade the U.S. women have been hit-or-miss in the medley relay. They’ve either won decisively or haven’t come close, with the exception of 2008 where the Australians edged them by six tenths for gold.

After missing the 2009 World Championship final, they were dominant winning four straight titles from 2010 through to 2013, including setting the world record that still stands today in London at 3:52.05. Then, after being handily beat by the Aussies at the 2014 Pan Pacs and whiffing on the medals at the last World Championships, they’re right back on top form.

With breakout Olympic performances from Kathleen Baker, Lilly King and Simone Manuel, along with the ever-reliable Dana Vollmer, they won gold by nearly two seconds in Rio. Their depth is highlighted by the fact their prelim team, featuring four completely different swimmers, would’ve won silver in the final with their morning time.

All four of their members last summer won individual medals in their respective 100m races, which made them the overwhelming favorites, but this time around they matchup a bit closer with the Australians.

The two teams are relatively even on three of the legs, as the Australians have Emily Seebohm, Emma McKeon and Bronte Campbell who are basically on par with Baker, Kelsi Worrell, and Manuel (or Mallory Comerford). However, the breaststroke leg is where the division will come, as King has been 1:04.95 this year, just 0.02 off her Olympic winning time, while Australia’s Jessica Hansen is over two seconds slower at 1:07.06.

Of course anything can happen on a relay, as King split nearly eight tenths slower in Rio than she went individually, but with such a substantial gap on one leg it looks like that will seal the deal for the Americans. Using their season-best times, the Americans come out just over two seconds ahead, 3:53.71 to 3:55.80. Using lifetime best times the gap narrows a bit for Australia, but is still over a second and a half.

In Rio there was an absolute dog fight for the minor medals behind the US. The Australians should manage to have a bigger gap than one one-hundredth this year, but the battle for bronze will remain fierce.

The Danes, who won bronze last summer, have lost two key legs and will scramble to even make the final. 2015 World Championship medalist in the 100 back Mie Nielsen withdrew after initially being named to the team citing a lack of motivation since Rio, and 100 fly 2015 World silver medalist Jeanette Ottesen isn’t competing this year either.

They return 50 free Olympic gold medalist Pernille Blume and 200 breast world record holder Rikke Moller Pedersen, but are relatively weak after that. Emilie Beckmann is a solid replacement on fly, holding a season-best of 58.5, but it’s the backstroke where they are really in trouble. They’ll have to go withSarah Bro, who has been just 1:03.0 this year.

The three teams who just missed medals last year were the Chinese, Canadians, and Russians. Those three, and potentially the Swedes, are shaping up to duke it out for bronze once again.

Looking at season-best times, China and Russia are nearly identical, but if Lu Ying is around where she was in Rio on fly, China will have the advantage. If her or Zhang Yufei are in the 57-range the two teams are about even, with China strongest on back with Fu Yuanhui and Russia strongest on breast with Yuliya Efimova.

Canada has a dynamite opening leg in Kylie Masse, and has some more star power in Penny Oleksiak. They’ll need to decide whether they want her on fly or free, but that will be made after those individual events. Based off this year, they’re faster using Oleksiak on fly and Sandrine Mainville on free rather than Katerine Savard on fly and Oleksiak on free. Both Rachel Nicol and Oleksiak (on either stroke) were quite a bit faster in Rio than they’ve been this year, so Canada has a good shot at bronze. Going off lifetime bests they have the potential to be competitive with Australia.

The Swedes have three possible combinations that render nearly the same result. Either way it goes their season-best times put them in 3:56-high to 3:57-low range, possibly contending for the bronze. Jennie Johansson will be the breaststroker, but the rest is up for debate. The fastest team has Michelle Coleman on back, Louise Hansson on fly and Sarah Sjostrom on free, but of course Hansson and Sjostrom could flip-flop, which is the relay that won silver at 2015 Worlds. Ida Lindborg could also do back with Sjostrom on fly and Coleman on free. All three add-up times based off this year are within just over two tenths of each other. We’ll have to wait and see what they go with, but anyway you put it they’re potential medalists with the star power of Sjostrom and a solid supporting cast.

The Brits shape up to be finalists once again, but it’s a stretch for them to contend for a medal. They’re pretty solid all around with Georgia Davies, Sarah Vasey, Alys Thomas and Freya Anderson, and Siobhan Marie O’Connor potentially filling in somewhere, but lack the one star who’s going to medal in their individual race required to fight for a medal.

Those seven project to be in the final, and the last spot will likely go to Italy, with Denmark having a slight chance if they all swim lights out. Japan lacks a backstroker and the host Hungarians lack a breaststroker.

TOP 8 PREDICTIONS

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2017 Worlds Preview: King The X-Factor For Americans In Medley Relay

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 23 – July 30 (Swimming portion)
• Budapest, Hungary
• Meet Central
• Start Lists / Results (Closer to the meet)

Don’t want to miss a single one of our 2017 World Championship event-by-event previews or predictions? We’ve got you covered. Bookmark this page and come back daily for updated predictions and links out to each new event preview.

We’ll be individually previewing all 42 World Championships events, including predictions of the top 8 finishers in each. Below, we’ll be updating the chart to show our predicted medalists, as well as including links to the full-length previews on each event.

Women

Men

Mixed Relays

Open Water Previews

Read the full story on SwimSwam: The Official SwimSwam 2017 World Champs Preview/Predictions Tracker

By Loretta Race on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• 50-Meter Course
• Event Schedule
• Meet Info

Before reigning world champion, world record holder and Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty attacks his titles at the 2017 World Championships, the Brit is seen putting finishing touches on his dryland routine, courtesy of BBC.

Prefaced with the warning that viewers shouldn’t try these exercises until they’ve got Peaty-like guns, the vignette follows the 22-year-old Loughborough swimmer through a series of strength-building feats, including battle ropes, kettle bell swings and  his famous #PeatyPressups. Note, the swimmer says this day is his recovery day.

Look for Peaty’s campaign in the Danube Arena pool to begin on Sunday, July 23rd with his specialty event, the men’s 100m breaststroke.

This is what goes into making an Olympic champion.

Adam Peaty is a BEAST in the gym!

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• LCM (50m)
• Full Competition Schedule
• Meet Info
• Psych Sheets
• Omega Results
• Pick ’em Contest
• Event-by-Event Previews

With World Championship swimming action set to begin Sunday morning, you don’t want to be scrambling for a live stream, results, or anything of the like. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Official psych sheets have now been added to Omega, and you can find results there as the meet goes on.

Action begins Sunday, and you can check out the full meet schedule, plus the schedule of all sports, here. Prelims and finals will go off at 9:30 AM and 5:30 PM local time in Budapest for all eight days. That translates to 3:30/11:30 EST and 12:30/8:30 PST.

In terms of streaming, you can check out the schedule for NBC & NBCSN here. There will also be live streaming on nbcsports.com, theolympicchannel.com, and cbc.ca, in addition to each network’s app.

You can participate in our World Championship Pick ’em contest, found here, where you predict the top-4 finishers in each race with prizes on the line. If you’re not feeling fully prepared to make your picks, check out our event-by-event previews with in-depth breakdowns of each race.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: All The Links You Need For The 2017 FINA World Swimming Championships

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

FINA has voted to alter the rules that resulted in the disqualification of American Ella Eastin at the recent U.S. World Championship Trials and her losing a spot on the American team. At the FINA Technical Congress for swimming, several rules were changed, but the most significant of those

• See also: The Lochte Rule is the Worst Rule in Sports

While FINA hasn’t released the full wording of the new rule, they say that now, so long as the swimmer is “on the breast” before “any kick or stroke,” they are legal. FINA’s explanation:

In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;

While not directly alluded to, this clarifies the rule that in the medley relay and individual medley events, a “unique stroke” must be swum from the strokes in the first three races. Prior interpretations said that turning off the wall on ones back in the closing freestyle leg, which most elite swimmers are taught to do, qualified as backstroke, which would result in disqualification.

The rule was rarely (never) used, until 2015, when Ryan Lochte started pushing this to the extreme – kicking several meters underwater on his back because he found that his underwater kicking was faster on his back than his stomach. Then, FINA emphasized the interpretation and swimmers began getting disqualified. Now, the interpretation is much more lenient, and so long as swimmers have rotated before kicking or stroking, they will be legal.

The other underwater change is more under-the-radar, but could be equally as significant. Swimmers are now no longer allowed to kick on their sides in butterfly. How FINA intends to determine the “side” from the “breast” seems to present another future interpretation.

The full list of rules FINA voted to change in pool swimming and master’s swimming.

SWIMMING

• Update on the number of required timekeepers;
• Redefinition of the Inspector of Turns’ role;
• Precision on the butterfly rules. From now on, underwater kicking on the side is not allowed;
• In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;
• Timing to 1/1000 of a second is no longer a possibility;
• World Records can only be established in water with less that 3gr/litre of salt.
  

MASTERS

• World Records are only accepted if recorded by automatic officiating equipment;
• Introduction of Mixed Team events in Diving and Mixed Duets in Synchronised Swimming;
• Revision of the required elements in synchronised swimming routines;
• Update on the World Record application form.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: FINA Votes to Alter Rules, Eliminate “Lochte Rule”

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

FINA has voted to alter the rules that resulted in the disqualification of American Ella Eastin at the recent U.S. World Championship Trials and her losing a spot on the American team. At the FINA Technical Congress for swimming, several rules were changed, but the most significant of those was the alteration of the Lochte rule.

The new rules will go into effect 2 months after ratification – which means September 21st, 2017. The existing interpretation will remain in effect for the World Championships that begin on Sunday.

• See also: The Lochte Rule is the Worst Rule in Sports

While FINA hasn’t released the full wording of the new rule, they say that now, so long as the swimmer is “on the breast” before “any kick or stroke,” they are legal. FINA’s explanation:

In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;

While not directly alluded to, this clarifies the rule that in the medley relay and individual medley events, a “unique stroke” must be swum from the strokes in the first three races. Prior interpretations said that turning off the wall on ones back in the closing freestyle leg, which most elite swimmers are taught to do, qualified as backstroke, which would result in disqualification.

The rule was rarely (never) used, until 2015, when Ryan Lochte started pushing this to the extreme – kicking several meters underwater on his back because he found that his underwater kicking was faster on his back than his stomach. Then, FINA emphasized the interpretation and swimmers began getting disqualified. Now, the interpretation is much more lenient, and so long as swimmers have rotated before kicking or stroking, they will be legal.

The other underwater change is more under-the-radar, but could be equally as significant. Swimmers are now no longer allowed to kick on their sides in butterfly. How FINA intends to determine the “side” from the “breast” seems to present another future interpretation.

The full list of rules FINA voted to change in pool swimming and master’s swimming.

SWIMMING

• Update on the number of required timekeepers;
• Redefinition of the Inspector of Turns’ role;
• Precision on the butterfly rules. From now on, underwater kicking on the side is not allowed;
• In medley swimming, on the freestyle section, the “swimmer must be on the breast except when executing a turn. The swimmer must return to the breast before any kick or stroke”. Moreover, each of the strokes must cover one quarter of the distance;
• Timing to 1/1000 of a second is no longer a possibility;
• World Records can only be established in water with less that 3gr/litre of salt.
  

MASTERS

• World Records are only accepted if recorded by automatic officiating equipment;
• Introduction of Mixed Team events in Diving and Mixed Duets in Synchronised Swimming;
• Revision of the required elements in synchronised swimming routines;
• Update on the World Record application form.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: FINA Votes to Alter Rules, Soften “Lochte Rule”

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

2017 LINCOLN SECTIONALS

• July 19th-22nd, 2017
• Lincoln, NE
• Psych sheets
• Results on Meet Mobile (2017 Region VIII Summer Sectionals)

Greater Nebraska’s Dannie Dilsaver took the 400 IM in 4:56.05, touching ahead of 14-year-old Kate McCarville (4:58.35) of Springfield Aquatics. They were the only two swimmers under 5 minutes, and McCarville was back to swim the 100 fly where she ended up fourth. Meanwhile, in the men’s 400 IM, Empire KC Swim Club went 1-2-3. Samuel Drew was well ahead at 4:39.45, followed by Thomas Huffman (4:43.81) and Liam Bresette (4:44.18).

Mizzou’s Erin Metzger-Seymour just squeaked in for the win in the women’s 100 fly, going 1:01.72 to out-touch Greater Nebraska’s Caroline Theil, a Texas A&M commit. Club Huskers’ Dana Posthuma was there for third at 1:02.29. Another Mizzou swimmer, Micah Slaton, went 54.07 to easily take the men’s 100 fly, winning by over two and a half seconds.

In the 200 free, Council Bluffs Swim Club’s Jackson Allmon got the win with a 1:54.38. For the women, Dilsaver and Metzger-Seymour did battle with Lincoln Select’s Alana Palmer, and it was Palmer who broke through for the win at 2:05.59. Dilsaver touched 2nd at 2:05.68, with Metzger-Seymour 3rd at 2:06.02.

TEAM SCORES

WOMEN

1. Club Huskers 821.5
2. Lincoln Select 412
3. Greater Nebraska 361

MEN

1. Empire KC 628
2. River City Aquatics 420
3. Arkansas Dolphins 338

COMBINED

1. Club Huskers 862.5
2. Empire KC 715
3. Arkansas Dolphins 675.5

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Mizzou Gets Two Wins at Lincoln Sectionals Night 2

By Loretta Race on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• LCM (50m)
• Full Competition Schedule
• Meet Info
• Psych Sheets
• Omega Results
• Pick ’em Contest
• Event-by-Event Previews

The odds in this article are provided for entertainment purposes only. If you have strong opinions about who’s going to win, the SwimSwam pick ’em contest is for you.

Betting on swimming obviously isn’t as big a production as it is for the world’s other more mainstream sports, but it does exist. Although this year’s offerings are not as plentiful as they’ve been for past Olympics and World Championships, there are odds out there for some events at these 2017 World Championships.

For the 2013 edition of Worlds, for example, several books options existed, taking wagers on virtually all of the men’s and women’s swimming events. This year, however, there are notably fewer books seeming to be taking Worlds wagers.

Of the Netbet site we found here, the site only lists odds for the men’s and women’s 50m events. Here’s a round-up of where things stand oddswise for the top 3 swimmers per the site, two days out from the start of swimming in Budapest:

Men’s 50 backstroke odds: Camille Lacourt (FRA) 2.20, Justin Ress (USA) 4.50, Matt Grevers (USA) 6.00

Men’s 50 breaststroke odds: Adam Peaty (GBR) 1.10, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) 6.50, Kevin Cordes (USA) 9.00

Men’s 50 butterfly odds: Nicholas Santos (BRA) 2.50, Henrique Martins (BRA) 5.00, Laszlo Cseh (HUN) 6.50

Men’s 50 freestyle odds: Ben Proud (GBR) 2.20, Nathan Adrian (USA) 4.50, Caeleb Dressel (USA) 6.0

Women’s 50 backstroke odds: Yuanhui Fu (CHN) 1.44, Etiene Medeiros (BRA) 6.00, Wang Xueer (CHN) 11.00

Women’s 50 breaststroke odds: Lilly King (USA 1.21), Yuliya Efimova (RUS) 6.50, Katie Meili (USA) 9.00

Women’s 50 butterfly odds: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 1.02, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 13.00, Penny Oleksiak (CAN), 15.00

Women’s 50 freestyle odds: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) 1.10, Pernille Blume (DEN) 6.50, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) 8.50

Simply put, the lower the number, the more money is being placed on that swimmer, meaning more gamblers believe he/she will take gold in the event. The bigger the gap between the 1st and 2nd swimmer, the more the top swimmer is considered the favorite by gamblers.

As with most things in life the bigger the risk, the higher the payout. For example, in the women’ 50 butterfly, if you risked $1 on saying Sjostrom will win and then she does, you’d be paid out $1.02….not too risky. However, if you banked on Oleksiak with her 15.00 odds, $1 would earn you $15.00, at least on Netbet.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Check Out Sports Books Odds On World Championships Sprint Events

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

As we’re just two days out from the start of pool swimming at the 2017 World Championships, it’s time to meet the rookies on the U.S. roster. Seven women and eight men will be heading to their first-ever LC Championships. Note that none of the following swimmer has been to an Olympics, either.

WOMEN

• Sarah Gibson
• Bethany Galat
• Regan Smith
• Dakota Luther
• Madisyn Cox
• Hannah Stevens
• Mallory Comerford

MEN

• Justin Ress
• Zach Apple
• Zane Grothe
• True Sweetser
• Abrahm Devine
• Pace Clark
• Michael Chadwick
• Robert Finke

Bethany Galat makes her first major roster after finishing third at the Olympic Trials– twice. She was third in the 400 IM and 200 breast, but had a redeeming 200 breast in Indianapolis to rightfully earn her spot on this roster. Her Texas A&M teammate Sarah Gibson is no stranger to that third place finish, after touching 3rd in the 200 fly in Indy. Gibson, though, bounced back to take 2nd in the 100 fly to make the team. Other college-age swimmers on the women’s roster include Texas’s Madisyn Cox, Missouri’s Hannah Stevens, and Louisville’s Mallory Comerford. Cox had a very strong 200 IM at the end of the meet in Indy, while Stevens had a surprise win in the 50 back and Comerford loudly established her place as a top American sprinter with a 100 free win in Indy.

Meanwhile, two high schoolers make up the rest of the women’s rookie members. Dakota Luther stuck out a great swim in the 200 fly to qualify, while 15-year-old Regan Smith will be the team’s youngest member as she will race the 200 back in Budapest.

Most of the men’s newcomers were teammates at the 2016 FINA SC Worlds. Michael Chadwick, True Sweetser, Pace Clark, Abrahm Devine and Zane Grothe were all competitors in Windsor. Still, this is the first major LC summer meet for all five of them. This is the first international meet, at all, for Zach Apple and Justin Ress, who have enjoyed a wealth of improvement since they got to their respective schools, Auburn and NC State. Additionally, it’s Robert Finke‘s first big meet, too, as he’s swimming the 1500 free in Budapest.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Meet the First-Timers Club on the 2017 U.S. Worlds Team

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

In a pre-meet press conference on Friday at the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Australian swimmer Mack Horton renewed the war of words against Sun Yang that flared up last year’s Olympic Games.

”I don’t know if it’s a rivalry,” Horton said when asked about his competition with Sun. “I think it’s a rivalry between clean athletes and athletes who’ve tested positive.”

Mack Horton (middle) speaks at a Swimming Australia press conference on Friday in Budapest. Courtesy: Daniela Kapser

At the Rio Olympics last summer, Sun allegedly splashed Horton during a pre-meet warmup session. Horton responded that “I don’t have time for drug cheats,” which began a heated media battle between the pair, and their fans, for the duration of the meet.

In the pair’s first competition of the Olympics, Horton won the 400 free in 3:41.55 with Sun, in the lane next to him, placing 2nd in 3:41.68. Later in the meet, Sun won gold in the 200 free, that Horton didn’t compete in; in the 1500, Sun finished 16th in prelims to miss the final, while Horton took 5th.

Sun served a three month doping ban in 2014 after serving a positive test for the banned substance Trimetazidine. Sun maintains that he was taking the substance to treat a heart condition, and the test and suspension weren’t announced until after it was served.

The two will again first see each other in the 400 free – the second event of the meet. Individually, Sun will also swim the 200 free, 800 free, and 1500 free. Horton will swim the same 4 events – expanding his range down to the 200 free this year. That means the two could go head-to-head in at least 4 individual finals, plus at least the 800 free relay final as well.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Mack Horton Reheats Rivalry With Sun Yang in Presser

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Photo courtesy of Christopher Jhong

Christopher Jhong, a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American from Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California, has verbally committed to the University of California, Berkeley.

“Excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of California, Berkeley. I’m looking forward to start my four year journey in the fall of 2018. Go Bears!

By Loretta Race on SwimSwam

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• LCM (50m)
• Full Competition Schedule
• Meet Info
• Psych Sheets
• Omega Results
• Pick ’em Contest
• Event-by-Event Previews

Olympian Madi Wilson may not be swimming her signature backstroke in Budapest this week, but the 23-year-old Aussie is ready to make an impact in freestyle as a member of her nation’s 4x100m and 4x200m relays. Having finished a disappointing 7th in the 100m backstroke at the Aussie National Championships this past April, her nation’s qualifying meet for Worlds, Wilson did surprise the field with a 5th place 100m free time of 54.33 and a 5th place 200m free time of 1:58.40, the latter of which was among her best-ever.

Wilson followed that meet up with a 2nd place finish in the 200m freestyle at the Mare Nostrum Monaco stop in June, clocking a lifetime best of 1:57.97 in the event. To what can the Dolphins national team member attribute her recent surge in freestyle? Wilson gives a lot of credit to her new coach at Bond, Richard Scarce, the mentor to whom she turned in May of this year.

“I’ve been doing a little bit of backstroke but mostly freestyle to get prepared for the relays as best I can and I’ve surprised myself a lot at training and I’ve done some huge PBs over here,” she told The Gold Coast Bulletin.

“Rich has completely changed my stroke. We went back to basics and completely changed my freestyle stroke so we’ve had some big improvements there.”

“Rich has got so many great freestylers. He’s got Cam (McEvoy) who is the best non-textile suit freestyler in the world, so for me, it was a no-brainer to listen to what his technique changes were to apply them to my stroke. I trust Rich and it’s obviously paid off, so I was very open to any changes he suggested.”

At the 2015 World Championships, Wilson notched an individual silver medal in the 100m backstroke and made the final in the event at the 2016 Olympic Games. Something didn’t go according to plan in Rio, however, as Wilson ultimately finished 8th, well off the Olympic podium.

“I had a lot of pressure going into the Olympics, I was ranked second in the world, so coming out of the Olympics I had a think about what I wanted to do this year in the first year of an Olympic cycle,” she said.

“I thought that (I wanted) just to try and take the pressure off myself a little bit and enjoy this year a bit more because I definitely want to go another four years and I want to still stay on the team and travel with the team and race. So being in relays is the best outcome for me.”

The women’s 4x100m freestyle relay event begins on July 23rd in Budapest, while the 4x200m event kicks-off on July 27th.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Aussie Madi Wilson Enters Budapest With New Freestyle Fuel

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

After the conclusion of the World Championships next week in Budapest, Hungary, the two biggest global swimming events will be for younger swimmers. Specifically, the World Junior Championships in Indianapolis, and the World University Games in Taipei.

Taipei, thus far, has gone the most all-out for the Universiade, which kicks off competition on August 18th. The swimming portion will run from August 20th-27th, but pools are already popping up around the city.

Kind of.

In a promotion of the event, the city has turned the grounds of subway cars into running tracks, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and swimming pools.

The cars come across incredibly realistically in pictures – as seen below. Rather than just putting flat painted images, they’ve gone so far as to capture the texture of the various playing surfaces as well.

Taipei built over 70 new venues for the multi-sport event that is expected to draw 10,000 of the best student-athletes from over 150 countries.

For a peak inside the real swimming venue, click here. Swimming will be held at the 5,252 seat National Taiwan Sports University Arena, while diving will be at the University of Taipei (Tianmu) Shih-hsin Hall .

這天氣最適合來捷運玩水了

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Nick Hogsed, who swam at the University of Arizona for two seasons from 2014-2016, will transfer to The Ohio State University as a rising junior. Originally from Sharpsburg, Georgia, Hogsed currently swims for SwimAtlanta under coach Chris Davis. He will join Austin Kingsley, Ben Sugar, Carson Burt, Colin McDermott, Connor Isings, Dominic Harry, Evan McFadden, Evan Stapp, Jacob Siler, Joseph Canova, Mateo Chavez, and Paul DeLakis in Columbus in the fall.

Hogsed was one of Arizona’s top freestylers during hss sophomore season in 2015-16. He finished in the top-10 in the 500 free and 1650 at Pac-12s that year, and was the second-fastest Wildcat in the 500 and third-fastest in the 1000. The previous season he was among Arizona’s top three performers in the 500/1000/1650 freestyles, and again made top-10 in the 500 and 1650 at conference.

Hogsed competed at 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 400m free, and at 2017 U.S. Nationals and World Championship Trials in the 400/800m free. His top times include:

SCY:

• 200 free – 1:37.56
• 500 free – 4:18.45
• 1650 free – 15:00.51
• 400 IM – 3:52.48

LCM

• 200 free – 1:50.61
• 400 free – 3:52.30
• 800 free – 8:04.80

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Freestyler Nick Hogsed to Transfer to Ohio State After 2 Seasons at Arizona

By Loretta Race on SwimSwam

The GOAT that is Michael Phelps was on the morning TV program, ‘Good Morning America’ yesterday, promoting the much-hyped Shark Week opener which pits the 23-time Olympic medalist against a great white.

‘Great Gold vs. Great White’ is slated to premiere on Sunday, July 23rd on the Discovery Network, but you can get a taste of Phelps’ entire undersea adventure by watching the video below. You’ll get an up close encounter with the beasts chewing away at Phelps’ suddenly frail-looking cage while he feels each vibration and rattle.

WATCH: @MichaelPhelps talks about racing a shark on @Discovery for #SharkWeek. https://t.co/jGJ0mfxdGDpic.twitter.com/s2XBusDdT5

— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 20, 2017

Below is Discovery network’s description of the program set for Sunday and you can watch the official promo video here.

Phelps vs. Shark: The Battle for Ocean Supremacy, Sunday, July 23 at 8pm ET

They are one of the fastest and most efficient predators on the planet: Sharks. He is our greatest champion to ever get in the water: Michael Phelps. 39 world records. 23 Olympic golds. But he has one competition left to win. An event so monumental no one has ever attempted it before. The world’s most decorated athlete takes on the ocean’s most efficient predator: Phelps V Shark – the race is on! Produced by Peacock Productions.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Get A Glimpse Into Michael Phelps’ Underwater Shark Cage

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Steven Thalblum of Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia has committed to swim at William and Mary beginning in the fall of 2018. At the 2017 Virginia 5A High School State Championships, Thalblum tied for second place in the 200 IM (1:51.23). He also finished second in the 100 butterfly in 49.80. A USA Swimming Scholastic All-America and member of the National Honor Society, he swims year-round with the Nation’s Capital Swim Club.

“I am excited to verbally commit to swim for the William and Mary Tribe. Their academic excellence coupled with their competitive swimming program, will challenge me to excel and achieve my goals both in the classroom and in the pool. Go Tribe!”

Thalblum is a strong all around middle distance IMer, butterflier, freestyler and backstroker. His best SCY times are:

• 200 Fly: 1:50.22
• 100 Fly: 49.80
• 200 IM: 1:51.23
• 400 IM: 3:58.48
• 200 Free: 1:40.29
• 100 Back: 50.46

Thalblum will be a strong addition to the William and Mary lineup. He would have been an A finalist at the 2017 CAA Championships in the 100 back, 200 fly and 200 IM, and a B finalist in the 200 free, 100 fly and 400 IM. While the conference champion-Tribe has a deep bench, Thalblum will nonetheless be a welcome addition to replace the large number of upperclassmen A-finalists this year, all of whom will have graduated by the time he suits up.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Steven Thalblum Verbally Commits to Swim for the William & Mary Tribe