Coverage of the 2015 FINA World Championships is sponsored by Wylas Timing. Visit our coverage page for more.
No one wanted to expend more energy than necessary for the final of the men’s 1500 freestyle at the FINA world championships, which made the final two heats very tactical. Connor Jaeger enjoyed the strategy that was involved with his swim that put him second overall for tomorrow’s final.
“It’s really increasing the competitiveness of the prelims” by not having a semifinal for the distance events,” Jaeger said, “which is exciting.”
Listen To Interview On Swimming World Radio
Jaeger said he had to keep his emotions in check through the race to keep from picking up the pace too early, especially in his heat with Gregorio Paltrinieri and Sun Yang ahead of him for most of the race.
“It’s super easy to get anxious in a long race like that,” he said. “If you sit back and are patient a little bit and lengthen out, the heat spreads out. But I felt comfortable being in the heat with Paltrinieri and Sun Yang, two guys having a great meet so far. It was good to have them there as markers.”
Jaeger and Michael McBroom have been carrying the flag for the American men in the distance events, and Jaeger said the rivalries the two have had on domestic soil went away when the world championships started.
“Most importantly, here, we’re teammates for Team USA,” he said.
Sweet ?