{"id":212852,"date":"2016-07-17T17:57:32","date_gmt":"2016-07-18T00:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=212852"},"modified":"2016-07-17T17:57:32","modified_gmt":"2016-07-18T00:57:32","slug":"212852-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/212852-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Cam McEvoy Scratches 200 Free From Rio Repertoire"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cam McEvoy<\/strong>, who became the first swimmer in Australian Swimming history to win the 50, 100 and 200 metres freestyle at this year\u2019s Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide, has made the agonising decision to drop the 200m from his Rio Olympic repertoire.<\/p>\n

The decision came after months of consideration and consultation with his coach\u00a0Richard Scarce<\/strong>\u00a0and Dolphins National Head Coach\u00a0Jacco Verhaeren.<\/strong><\/p>\n

McEvoy made the decision before leaving Brisbane for a US training camp in Auburn, Alabama last Friday.<\/p>\n

McEvoy said: \u201cIt\u2019s been a decision that Richard (Scarce) and I have spent a lot of time thinking about in fact I believe it was in Rich\u2019s train of thought even before the Trials.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t an easy decision to make, especially seeing I have been doing the 200m freestyle internationally for so long and it has been one of my favourite and main events for my entire swimming career.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we have had to take a step back and look at the bigger picture of the entire week and remember that I am only human and that I do have my limitations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the program was more like the World Championship years then I am sure I would not be pulling out of the 200m free.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately it\u2019s not and it is on the same day as the 4x100m freestyle relay and the 4x200m is the same day as the 100m freestyle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe relay timing with my main events is not the best; there are great benefits for my withdrawal personally but there are great benefits for the relays too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be fresher for the 4x100m on day two and I\u2019ll be able to step up and absolutely give that my all and on day four I\u2019ll be fresher for the 4x200m as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does have a lingering effect on the relay team and I\u2019m sure the boys in the relay team will feel for me at having to pull out but at the same time they will be excited that I will be ready and roaring to go beside them in the relay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Verhaeren offered the vacant 200m freestyle positions to already qualified London Olympian\u00a0David McKeon<\/strong>, who finished third to McEvoy and\u00a0Thomas Fraser Holmes<\/strong>\u00a0(who dead-heated in the final in Adelaide) and he was quick to accept the slot.<\/p>\n

McKeon, who will also contest the 400m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay in Rio, will now join Fraser-Holmes in the individual 200m.<\/p>\n

With the 200m freestyle in, McEvoy\u2019s Rio program looked like this:<\/p>\n