2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Within the strangest World Championships in a number of generations, we’re going to do our greatest to select the medalists and finalists for the 2024 World Championships. It’s going to be bizarre. There are going to be swimmers in finals that the majority of us have by no means heard of. We’re going to overlook somebody apparent who we didn’t count on to race. The checklist on the prime is as worthwhile because the checklist on the backside. Tell us within the feedback, and we reserve the precise to replace picks if y’all inform us of an entry we missed!
The 2024 males’s breaststroke area is ready to have a choose blood-hungry veteran crew aiming for their very own style of particular person World gold. One of many greatest names absent from the 2024 Worlds entry checklist, massively opening up all three males’s breaststroke occasion fields in Doha, is final 12 months’s 3-for-3 males’s breaststroke champion Qin Haiyang of China. So as to add to Haiyang’s absence, final 12 months’s whole 200 breast podium, together with former occasion WR-holder Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner, and prime 2023 American Matt Fallon, is not going to return to defend their positions. Whereas Haiyang and countryman Solar Jiajun completed 1-3 for China within the Fukuoka 50 occasion, each swimmers and the nation itself, is not going to be swimming the 2024 World occasion.
After a three-way tie for silver within the 2023 World 100 breast closing, the trio of 30-year-old American Nic Fink, 28-year-old Dutchman Arno Kamminga, and 24-year-old Italian Nicolo Martinenghi are set to sq. up for a number of 2024 World breastbattles. Fink gained 2022 World 50 breast gold, adopted by double 50/100 breast silver final 12 months. In Doha, Fink is hitting all three breast occasions for the primary time. Martinenghi has additionally been on prime of the World podium, taking the Budapest 100 breast title, adopted by Fukuoka silver. The Italian sprinter will contest within the 50 and 100 breast in Doha. In contrast to Fink and Martinenghi, Kamminga has by no means gained LC Worlds gold. After double Olympic breast silver, Kamminga adopted up with back-to-back World 100 breast silver over the past two years.
Accompanying Kamminga in all three breast occasions might be 22-year-old Netherlands countryman Caspar Corbeau. On the final two championships, Corbeau has bested semifinal appearances within the 50/100 breast in addition to being a two-time 200 breast finalist. Together with the likes of Corbeau, be looking out for different prime males’s breast names to crash the get together, together with the anticipated comeback of 29-year-old dash breast world report holder Adam Peaty, dash finals menace 26-year-old Aussie Sam Williamson, and 200 breast world junior report holder Dong Zhihao of China.
With these choose returnees and absentees in thoughts, the 2024 World males’s breaststroke occasions will solely be a synoptic glimpse for what’s to return on the Paris Olympics this summer time.
Males’s 50 Breast
By the Numbers
The sector:
RETURNING SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
ABSENT SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
2. Nic Fink, USA – 26.59
1. Qin Haiyang, China – 26.29 (26.20 in semifinals)
4. Sam Williamson, Australia – 26.82
3. Solar Jiajun, China – 26.79 (26.78 in semifinals)
5. Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy – 26.84 (26.74 in semifinals)
7. Joao Gomes Jr, Brazil – 26.97 (26.90 in semifinals)
6. Lucas Matzerath, Germany – 26.94 (26.89 in semifinals)
11. Yuya Hinomoto, Japan – 27.25*
8. Peter Stevens, Slovenia – 27.08 (27.04 in semifinals)
14. Valentin Bayer, Austria – 27.45
9. Simone Cerasuolo, Italy – 27.07 (27.06 in prelims)
16. Michael Houlie, South Africa – 27.57
10. Caspar Corbeau, Netherlands – 27.21 (27.15 in prelims)
11. Bernhard Reitshammer, Austria – 27.25* (27.11 in prelims)
13. Emre Sakci, Turkey – 27.32
15. Arkadios Aspougalis, Greece – 27.50
American Nic Fink is the person to beat on this occasion, already having the 2022 title and 2023 runner-up title to his identify. Fink is available in with the 4th-fastest season effort among the many entrants at 26.89, three-tenths off his 2023 finals time. He owns a lifetime better of 26.45 from his 2022 title win. Nicolo Martinenghi is arguably the most important menace to Fink on this occasion. The Italian does boast a faster private better of 26.33. Nonetheless, did lose the 2022 crown to Fink by 0.03s at 26.48.
Among the many different contestants, Australian Sam Williamson is one other looming 26.51-capable menace to Nic(olo)’s battle for the crown. In 2023, Williamson positioned fourth in 26.82, 0.23s off Fink however solely 0.02s forward of Martinenghi. Moreover, for the primary time since 2019, Adam Peaty might be current at LC Worlds. The Brit has the second-fastest season greatest among the many entry checklist at 26.79, simply 0.08s behind Martinenghi’s World No.3 time of 26.71. He nonetheless has the 25.95 all-time effort to his identify, who is aware of what finals adrenaline can convey Peaty.
Together with the likes of Peaty, don’t rely out the 50-sprint king himself, Michael Andrew. Andrew final raced this occasion in 2022, aiding Fink in a US 1-3 end with a 26.72 bronze time. If that was swam in 2023, Andrew would have knocked China’s Jiajun off the rostrum. Andrew is the present US Open report holder at 26.52, which additionally would have knocked Fink out of 2023 silver.
That point seeds Peaty fifth with Frenchman Melvin Imoudu. Again in July 2023, Imoudu broke 27 seconds for the primary time en route a nationwide report at 26.79. This season, Imoudu has bested 27.29 on the Athens cease of the 2023 World Cup, which might have positioned twelfth in Fukuoka’s semifinals.
Arno Kamminga might be swimming this occasion for the primary time since 2017, the place he was additionally in a three-way tie for sixteenth in prelims at 27.39. He then positioned third within the swim-off for semifinals, capping him at 18th general. His season greatest rests at a sub-27 time of 26.97, a possible finals-worthy time. Fellow Dutchman Caspar Corbeau is true on Kamminga’s tail this season at a private better of 27.01, additionally placing him within the finals bubble, fueling his battle to higher tenth place in 2023.
Fukuoka Ninth-place finisher Simone Cerasuolo of Italy appears to be like to be in a greater place to ensure a finals spots, proudly owning a season better of 26.83, proper off his private better of 26.76. In 2023, Cerasuolo clocked in 27.0s to simply miss out on the ultimate. In the meantime, German Lucas Matzerath has been slightly quiet compared to Cerasuolo this season with a SB of 27.26. His private better of 26.89 certified him to the 2023 closing, there inserting sixth at 26.94. Fukuoka finalist Peter Stevens seems to be saving up for this meet, solely hitting 28.03 again in November 2023. His 27.04 effort to qualify for the 2023 closing additionally marked a brand new private greatest, solely receding 0.04s to position eighth within the closing at 27.08.
Aruba’s Mikel Schreuders can also be top-10 on the season rankings at 26.98, aiming to position higher than 18th final 12 months. Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich, amongst these authorised for particular person impartial standing, has a season better of 27.01, however hasn’t swam this occasion since inserting fifth in 2019. Nonetheless, owns a private better of 26.46, simply 0.01s off Fink’s private greatest.
SwimSwam’s Picks – 50 Breast
Males’s 100 Breast
By the Numbers
The sector:
RETURNING SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
ABSENT SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
2. Arno Kamminga, Netherlands – 58.72* (58.71 in prelims)
1. Qin Haiyang, China – 57.69
2. Nicolo Martinenghi, Italy – 58.72*
6. Yan Zibei, China – 59.23 (59.02 in semifinals)
2. Nic Fink, USA – 58.72*
7. Josh Matheny, USA – 59.45 (59.20 in semifinals)
5. Lucas Matzerath, Germany – 58.88 (58.75 in semifinals)
9. Federico Poggio, Italy – 59.51 (59.43 in prelims)
8. Berkay Ogretir, Turkey – 59.79 (59.50 in semifinals)
12. Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner, Australia – 59.69
10. James Wilby, GBR – 59.54
15. Joao Gomes Jr, Brazil – 1:00.04
11. Dongyeol Choi, KOR – 59.59
13. Denis Petrashov, Kyrgyzstan – 59.78
14. Andrius Sidlauskas, Lithuania – 59.95 (59.90 in prelims)
16. Bernhard Reitshammer, Austria – 1:00.67
Set to be one of the crucial aggressive occasions in Doha, the second by way of fifth place Fukuoka finishers will return for a Haiyang-less World 100 breast duke. Taking at have a look at the Arno Kamminga/Nicolo Martinenghi/Nic Fink trio’s lifetime bests, it’s Kamminga with the quickest all-time effort at 57.80. Nonetheless, Kamminga’s quickest time since 2022 is 58.52, slower than each Martinenghi’s (58.26) and Fink’s (58.36) private bests.
Peering to the 2023-24 season rankings, Kamminga is the one swimmer of the trio to interrupt 59 seconds at 58.68 on the 2023 World Cup – Budapest. Fink is the following quickest at 59.21, 0.04s in entrance of present world report holder Adam Peaty (59.25). Simply as within the 50 breast, Peaty’s look in Doha might be his first since 2019, the place he set each the world and championship information at 56.88.
2023-24 LCM Males’s 100 BR Season Bests – Doha Attendees
Arno Kamminga (Netherlands), 58.68
Nic Fink (USA), 59.21
Adam Peaty (Nice Britain), 59.25
Sam Williamson (Australia), 59.26
Caspar Corbeau (Netherlands), 59.27
Rounding out the highest 5, all separated by one one-hundredth of a second, are Aussie Sam Williamson (59.26) and Dutchman Caspar Corbeau (59.27). Each instances are private bests for the pair. Whereas that is Williamson’s first Worlds 100 breast look, Corbeau might be seeking to place increased than thirteenth from 2022.
Ending off the rostrum behind the three-way tie was German Lucas Matzerath, whose closing (58.88) and semifinal (58.75) instances had been simply shy of the trio’s closing efforts of 58.72. Matzerath does at present rank 4th on the psych sheet, and will have fireplace in him to topple the likes of even Peaty. Matzerath’s season better of 59.52 is sandwiched between Italian representatives Ludovico Viberti (PB/SB 59.38) and Martinenghi (SB 59.68) on the 2023-24 rankings checklist.
Dongyeol Choi of Korea (59.28) and Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan (59.46), each private bests, have the quickest two season bests of final 12 months’s returning semifinalists. Final 12 months’s eighth place finisher, Berkay Ogretir of Turkey (59.88), ranks slightly below 200 specialist Dong Zhihao of China (59.73). Each are seeded sixth and seventeenth respectively on the psych sheets, but Ogretir owns a lifetime better of 59.17, simply forward of Zhihao’s 59.28 greatest.
Fifth seed Melvin Imoudu of France is entered at 59.17, but has solely bested 1:00.17, not even two-tenths behind fifteenth seed Jake Foster of the USA (59.99). Foster owns a lifetime better of 59.64, a semifinals-worthy time, whereas Imoudu has a large finals inserting potential to on the bubble of constructing it previous prelims. Brit James Wilby positioned tenth in 2023 at 59.54, however like Imoudu, hasn’t cracked a minute but this season (SB 1:00.68). Wilby does personal a 2019 lifetime better of 58.46, however like Peaty, is questionable how shut he may close to that mark.
SwimSwam’s Picks – 100 Breast
Males’s 200 Breast
By the Numbers
World report: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
World junior report: Dong Zhihao, China – 2:08.04 (2023)
Championship report: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48 (2023)
2023 world champion: Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48
The sector:
RETURNING SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
ABSENT SEMIFINALISTS – 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
4. Dong Zhihao, China – 2:08.04
1. Qin Haiyang, China – 2:05.48
5. Caspar Corbeau, Netherlands – 2:08.42
2. Zac Stubblety-Cook dinner, Australia – 2:06.40
9. Erik Persson, Sweden – 2:09.89
3. Matt Fallon, USA – 2:07.74
10. Matti Mattsson, Finland – 2:09.93
6. Ippei Watanabe, Japan – 2:08.78
12. Arno Kamminga, Netherlands – 2:10.57 (2:10.47 in prelims)
7. Anton McKee, Iceland – 2:09.50 (2:09.19 in semifinals)
15. Lyubomir Epitropov, Bulgaria – 2:11.28 (2:10.76 in prelims)
8. Josh Matheny, USA – 2:10.41 (2:09.04 in semifinals)
16. Maksym Ovchinnikov, Ukraine – 2:11.95 (2:11.71 in prelims)
11. Aleksas Savickas, Lithuania – 2:10.16
13. Marc Antoine, France – 2:10.66 (2:10.51 in prelims)
14. Shoma Sato, Japan – 2:10.72
The absences are exhausting to not discover, with your entire 2023 podium not returning in Doha developing, leaving simply two 2023 finalists coming again. Although world report holder Haiyang is not going to be defending his title, Chinese language Dong Zhihao might be on the prowl to avenge his 4th-place end final 12 months. Zhihao, who might be 18 till March thirty first, secured his present world junior report of two:08.04 en route a slender three-tenths podium miss.
Zhihao’s season greatest of two:08.60 is simply behind the Netherlands duo of Arno Kamminga (2:08.30) and Caspar Corbeau (lifetime greatest, 2:07.99). Kamminga does personal a lifetime greatest of two:06.85 from December 2020, nonetheless, has not cleared 2:08 since summer time 2021. In 2023, Kamminga didn’t transfer on previous semifinals, clocking in 2:10.57 to positioned twelfth general. A reminder although that Kamminga is the reigning Olympic runner-up, the place he punched the wall at 2:07.01. Corbeau was on the Fukuoka closing, the place he positioned fifth simply 0.38s behind Zhihao.
2023-24 LCM Males’s 200 BR Season Bests – Doha Attendees
Caspar Corbeau (Netherlands), 2:07.99
Arno Kamminga (Netherlands), 2:08.30
Dong Zhihao (China), 2:08.60
Nic Fink (USA), 2:10.55
Denis Petrashov (Kyrgyzstan), 2:10.61
Jake Foster (USA), 2:10.71
Rating fourth amongst Doha attendees’ present season bests is USA’s Nic Fink at 2:10.55, a lot off his 2:07.55 lifetime greatest from 2021 US Olympic Trials. At 2022 World Trials, Fink certified for the occasion at 2:08.84, but missed out in 2023 at 2:09.20. With a decreased area, Fink’s possibilities of making all three breaststroke finals could also be heightened.
Coming in because the returning Ninth-place finisher is Sweden’s Erik Persson. The Swede owns the sixth seed at 2:09.35. In 2023, he was simply off qualifying at 2:09.89. He does personal a private greatest of two:07.66, however very similar to different veterans, has not neared that mark in over two years. Checking in on Persson’s season greatest, he scathed 2:12.05 in Geneva, Switzerland only a few weeks in the past throughout the brand new 12 months.
Seeded eleventh on the psych sheets is Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov at 2:10.61, which can also be his season greatest. Proper behind him on the season ranks is USA’s Jake Foster at 2:10.71, but is the third seed along with his lifetime greatest 2:08.23 entry. Petrashov was disqualified out of Fukuoka prelims, however superior to semifinals and completed twelfth at 2:11.00. In the meantime, that is Foster’s first LC Worlds expertise, the place his sub-2:10 functionality out shadows Petrashov’s Worlds expertise.
Finland’s Matti Mattson is seeded Ninth at 2:09.93, however his 2:07.13 lifetime greatest got here from touching bronze on the Tokyo Olympics. In 2022, Mattsson positioned eighth within the occasion closing at 2:09.65. Different 2:10-barrier threats aiming for the ultimate embrace prime 8 seeds Mexico’s Miguel De Lara Ojeda (2:09.60) and Japan’s Ikuru Hiroshima (2:09.40) together with Canada’s James Dergousoff (2:10.01).
SwimSwam’s Picks – 200 Breast
