2024 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Whereas each occasion at this version of the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) has some gaps in expertise, the ladies’s backstrokes, a few of the deeper occasions on the planet, appear to make out fairly effectively. Whereas the absence of Kaylee McKeown is clearly felt, the depth of this self-discipline makes the ladies’s backstroke must-see occasions.
Whereas it’s extremely possible that the identical title will seem atop every of our predictions (seeing as I’m the one penning this, I can say that the identical title will seem first) don’t let that idiot you into writing these occasions off as being fait accompli, as every of the occasions have quite a few Olympic medalist wanting so as to add some extra {hardware} to their assortment.
Ladies’s 50 Again PREVIEW
With no returning medalists from the 2022 version of the 50 Backstroke, we’ll see a completely new podium. Nonetheless, that’s to not say that there aren’t earlier medalists, as each Kylie Masse and Louise Hansson collected {hardware} on the 2021 Worlds, which have been held in Abu Dhabi. Of the 2, Hansson, who claimed bronze in 2021, is seeded increased. Hansson, who, along with that bronze within the 50, claimed gold within the 100 again in Abu Dhabi, was unable to gather any medals in Melbourne within the backstrokes. In Abu Dhabi, Masse claimed silver in all three of the backstrokes, however confronted stiffer competitors in Melbourne and needed to accept bronze within the 200 backstroke.
Hansson raced this occasion at every of the World Cup stops earlier this fall, however Masse hasn’t competed because the Olympics. On the Incheon cease, Hansson recorded her quickest time of the 12 months, a time of 26.62, however is entered together with her 26.23 from final December’s European Championships. All through the three World Cup Stops, Hansson positioned solely as excessive as fifth. Masse, alternatively, is seeded twentieth however with an LCM time of 27.23 from a meet in Spain, however has a PB of 25.62. That stated, nonetheless, every will likely be hard-pressed to make the rostrum as a bevy of latest swimmers look poised to put amongst the highest 4.
With no McKeown and the retirement of the WR holder, Maggie MacNeil, the 50 could appear devoid of expertise, however Regan Smith‘s dedication to the meet has put a breath of recent air within the occasion. Over the three stops of the World Cup, Smith swam 25.70, 25.71, and 25.48, the final of which was a brand new private greatest. The 25.48 makes Smith the highest entrant within the occasion, near half a second away from the remainder of the sector, however her greatest competitors might come within the type of swimmers like Masse, who’re entered with LCM occasions.
The twenty first general seed, Katharine Berkoff, is not any stranger to brief course meters because the American claimed bronze within the 100 again on the 2021 World Champs. Extra just lately, the NC State product claimed bronze within the 100 again on the Olympics. With a PB of 25.88, Berkoff simply places herself into rivalry with the opposite entrants with seed occasions below 26.00.
Foremost amongst them is Kira Toussaint. The Dutchwomen, who has a PB of 25.60, is the #2 seed as her gold medal efficiency on the 2023 European Championships (25.82) places her squarely within the medal dialog. Nonetheless, Toussaint was simply 26.70 on the Dutch Qualifying meet and second to her compatriot Maaike de Waard, who was 26.50. de Waard is the final of the returning finalists from 2022, the place she positioned eighth in a time of 26.02. de Waard enters this 12 months with an entry time of 26.30 however is in a good group of different swimmers entered with occasions below 26.50. Italy’s Sara Curtis (26.14), France’s Analia Pigree (26.21), and Japan’s younger phenom Mizuki Hirai (26.24), a Tennessee commit, all are seeded forward of her.
Behind Toussaint within the rankings, however having achieved a sub-26 time this calendar, are the younger Australian Iona Anderson and the Canadian veteran Ingrid Wilm. The pair, each of whom made their Olympic debuts in Paris, recorded new private bests of 25.95 and 25.98 in Singapore, the identical pool the place Smith recorded her PB. Wilm appeared in any respect three of the stops, putting third in Shanghai, 2nd in Incheon, and Third once more in Singapore, with Anderson taking 2nd on the final of these stops. Anderson additionally obtained the higher of Wilm in Paris, the place the 2 completed fifth and sixth, respectively.
When making these picks, after Smith, with the 50 being all about pace, the higher hand appeared to lean in direction of those that have been on good kind in 2024 versus these with sooner PBs however haven’t competed to their highest stage just lately. One ought to count on if, close to their high ranges, the Masse and Toussaint to be within the operating for the medals, however it seems that with Smith’s giant margin in entry occasions, there will likely be a good bunch contesting for the silver and bronze.
SwimSwam’s Picks – High 4
WOMEN’S 100 Again PREVIEW
- World File: 54.27 – Regan Smith, USA (2024)
- World Championship File: 55.03 – Katinka Hosszu, HUN (2014)
- 2022 SC World Champion: Kaylee McKeown, AUS – 55.49
- Returning 2022 SC World Finalists: Ingrid Wilm (T-Third), Louise Hansson (fifth), Kylie Masse (sixth), Kira Toussaint (seventh)
- 2024 Olympic Finalists: Regan Smith (Silver), Katharine Berkoff (Bronze), Kylie Masse (4th), Iona Anderson (fifth), Ingrid Wilm (sixth), Beryl Gastaldello (eighth)
It could have appeared like a little bit of a slight to attend this lengthy to speak about Smith’s accomplishments each this season and throughout her profession, however in mild of the latest occasions, it appeared greatest to carry off till the 100 part.
Smith, who swam her first SCM meet in near seven years on the World Cup this previous fall, positioned first in Shanghai in a time of 54.89, and per week later in Incheon, she sliced one other few tenths off to report a mark of 54.41. Her end in South Korea made Smith, who earlier within the 12 months reclaimed the 100 LCM again report, the holder of the SCM report as effectively.
Nonetheless, the American was not achieved as per week later, in Singapore, she casually dropped one other few tenths to set a brand new World File of 54.27.
Smith, who has by no means competed at Quick Course Worlds, has put herself atop the sector by a large margin, with over a second and a half separating her from the following quickest entry. Nonetheless, like within the 50s, there’s some harmful competitors entered with LCM occasions.
Like within the 50, Berkoff and Masse are entered with LCM occasions, 57.83 for the American and 57.94 for the Canadian. Berkoff’s time comes from her semifinal swim on the U.S. Olympic Trials, a swim that finally led to her claiming the person bronze medal on the Olympics. Berkoff is the defending NCAA Champion within the 100 again and, as beforehand talked about, received the bronze medal on the 2021 version of this meet behind Hansson and Masse.
Masse, who is maybe higher on the 200 than on the 50, will not be entered within the 200, so her greatest probabilities to medal individually could also be on this occasion. She claimed silver in 2016 in her house nation after which once more in Abu Dhabi however was shut out of the medals final go round. She actually has the pedigree and up to date kind to medal,having positioned 4th in Paris, however, like within the 50, Anderson, Toussaint, and Wilm pose severe threats and have extra short-course racing this season.
Hansson is an fascinating case. The Swede swam the 100 again in Incheon and Singapore however scratched the finals within the latter and was simply fifth within the remaining in a time of 57.21. A former champion within the occasion, Hansson may, like Masse, be amongst the medalists however could possibly be boxed out as effectively by those that have been extra on kind.
Additionally throwing their hat within the ring is Olympic finalist Beryl Gastaldello. Gastaldello, who positioned eighth in Paris, is driving a wave of momentum, having just lately set a brand new French nationwide report of 56.07 in early November.
Smith claimed high honors throughout all three World Cup stops. Just like the 50 backstroke, Wilm had sturdy showings within the 100, taking 2nd in Incheon and Third within the first and third stops. Anderson appeared solely on the final cease and put up a powerful displaying, taking 4th, simply .05 behind Wilm. Nonetheless, the younger Australian did report a time of 55.79 on the Australian Quick Course Championships in September of this 12 months, a end result that makes her the #2 seed and one among simply three with SCM entry occasions below 56.00.
The one different entrant below 56.00 is Toussaint, who swept the shorter backstroke occasions finally December’s European Championships, taking the gold in 55.88. Extra just lately, at one of many Dutch Qualification meets, Toussaint took second in a time of 57.57 behind compatriot de Waard’s 57.15.
SwimSwam’s Picks – High 4
Ladies’s 200 Again PREVIEW
It might be fairly an affront to put in writing IBID and simply transfer on to the predictions however when wanting on the expertise entered within the 200 backstroke, its a really comparable story to the opposite backstroke occasions.
Regan Smith enters as the highest seed, like within the 50 and 100 again. Like within the 100 again, the American is the just lately minted World report holder. The second American entrant can be entered with a LCM time that appears quick sufficient to be a SCM time, as is the case within the shorter distances. The similarities don’t finish there, nonetheless, because the Australian’s hope for a backstroke medal rests within the younger Iona Anderson, and prone to compete with the Aussie are a pair of dangerously low-seeded Canadians.
But there are refined variations, specifically in who the American and Canadian entrants are and that there’s a lot better overlap within the 50 and 100 vs the 100 and 200 so the 200 will see a bevy of latest faces.
However we begin once more with Smith and her WR-setting efficiency in Singapore. A former WR-holder within the lengthy course model, Smith began off the World Cup Sequence with a 2:00.42 in Shanghai, and per week later, she dipped below the two:oo mark for the primary time. Nonetheless, the American was not achieved and set her 2nd WR in as many days as she eclipsed the earlier time of 1:58.94 by .11, setting a brand new benchmark of 1:58.83.
With no different entered swimmers holding a private better of below 2:00, this race is Smith’s to lose, however the occasion comes on the final day of the meet, and several other swimmers will likely be leaping on the likelihood to capitalize on any tiredness that Smith might really feel.
Like Smith in trying to declare a medal at her first SC Worlds, Phoebe Bacon is the second American within the discipline. Bacon, a two-time Olympic finalist on this occasion, will likely be hoping that the brief course model of this occasion yields higher outcomes than her fifth place end in Tokyo and her 4th place from Paris.
Entered with a time of two:05.61 (LCM), the fifth-year at Wisconsin doesn’t seem to have any brief course meters racing below her belt, however as a two-time NCAA champion within the occasion, Bacon has the pedigree to earn one other worldwide medal so as to add to her silver from the 2022 Worlds (long-course), a meet that was coincidentally held in the identical pool. Bacon has been 1:49.66 this collegiate season, which is just a bit over a second off her 2024 NCAA profitable time and converts to a 2:01.72, a time that will put her third amongst these seeded with SCM occasions.
As was the case within the 50 and 100, a pair of Canadians will look to place up a powerful combat for the medals, but the 200 sees two new faces to the sector: Summer season McIntosh and Regan Rathwell. The pair, like Masse, are entered within the meet with LCM occasions, so they seem far down the listing of entrants. McIntosh, who had the meet of her life in Paris, the place she collected three particular person gold medals, would love Smith to deal with a busy schedule, with the pair squaring off in opposition to each other in 200 fly as effectively.
Whereas Canada competes in meters, McIntosh has achieved a lot of her coaching in the US, so her greatest SCM time of two:11.22 dates again to 2019. McIntosh’s entry time of two:06.81 was carried out on the 2023 US Open (LCM), the place coincidentally, she misplaced to Regan Smith however beat Bacon, so she may simply discover herself on the rostrum. That being stated, the 200 again had a variety of backstrokers solely and with a busy schedule, the Canadian might discover herself on the outs simply as simply.
So, too, may her fellow Canadian Regan Rathwell. Rathwell made her Olympic debut in Paris, ending in twenty second place with a time of two:12.21, however is entered together with her PB of two:09.38 from the Canadian Olympic Trials. Rathwell, who swims for the College of Tennessee, has a PB of two:04.17 however like McIntosh, has not raced the 2oo again in SCM since 2021.
On the opposite finish of the spectrum of brief course meters racing is Anastasiya Shkurdai. The Belorussian, who will likely be competing as a Impartial Athlete, raced all three legs of the World Cup Sequence and claimed the silver behind Smith in any respect three stops, together with her greatest time (2:01.31) coming from the primary cease. Shkurdai positioned eighth on this occasion on the Olympics this previous summer time, behind Bacon, however together with her latest good kind and a PB of two:00.15, she appears to be like poised to repeat, ending simply behind Smith.
Whereas three Olympic finalists will contest the occasion, solely one of many finalists from Melbourne will make the journey to Budapest. Frenchwomen Pauline Mahieu will look to e-book her second consecutive journey to the championships remaining. Mahieu completed seventh in 2022, recording a time of two:03.21.
Extra just lately, nonetheless, she swam a brand new PB of two:02.85 to assert gold on the previous December’s French Championships, a meet the place she additionally positioned 2nd in each the 50 and 100 again.
One spot forward of Mahieu and the one different swimmer not but talked about with an entry time below 2:04 is Iona Anderson. Anderson, who, as beforehand talked about, solely competed on the final of the World Cup stops, positioned Third in a time of two:01.98, a mark that was simply shy of her PB of two:01.80 from the Australian Quick Course Championships, held in September of this 12 months.
Whereas an extended shot to make the rostrum, Australia’s 2nd entrant, Bella Grant, is trying to make an affect at her first senior worldwide meet after having beforehand medaled at Junior Worlds. Grant is the fifth seed, however with the variety of entrants beneath her with LCM occasions, it’ll be a combat to make the finals.
SwimSwam’s Picks – High 4
