Swimming World Olympic Predictions: Women’s 200 IM

Jun 21, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Katink Hosszu (HUN) qualified first in the Women's 200IM during the morning session of day four at the George F. Haines International Swim Center in Santa Clara, Calif. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: Robert Stanton/USA Today Sports Images

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By Brent T. Rutemiller.

Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu will be competing in her fourth Olympic Games. With 56 international medals to her name, she may be the most decorated swimmer never to capture any Olympic hardware. That should change, though, in Rio. She won the gold medal in the women’s 200 IM (2:06.12) at last year’s World Championships, lowering the world record—set in 2009 by Ariana Kukors, who was wearing the now-banned technical racing suit—by three one-hundredths of a second.

Hosszu went 2:07.46 in 2009 while training with Dave Salo. Now, seven years later and coached by her husband, Shane Tusup, Hosszu is quicker. She has the world’s fastest time this year (2:07.30) and is nearly two seconds ahead of her competition, which includes Siobhan-Marie O’Connor of Great Britain (#2, 2:09.03, and last year’s bronze medalist at Worlds in 2:08.77) and Maya DiRado of the United States (#3 in 2:09.54 and fourth-place finisher at Worlds, 2:08.99).

TALK ON DECK

Hosszu wants an Olympic gold medal in the worst way. If she comes off the 400 IM with less than a gold on Day 1, can she recover to win the 200 IM?

DiRado dominated Hosszu when they last raced each other at the Arena Pro Swim in Mesa, Ariz. this year. Can DiRado win on the big stage?

O’Connor, at age 19, captured the silver medal in this event at the short course Worlds in 2014. Last year, she won bronze. Earlier this year, she took the silver medal at Europeans. Hosszu won all three of those races. Can O’Connor upset Hosszu in Rio?

PREDICTIONS
Gold: Katinka Hosszu, Hungary
Silver: Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, Great Britain
Bronze: Maya DiRado, USA

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