{"id":214599,"date":"2016-07-29T11:00:11","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T18:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=214599"},"modified":"2016-08-01T10:15:21","modified_gmt":"2016-08-01T17:15:21","slug":"swimming-world-olympic-predictions-womens-200-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-olympic-predictions-womens-200-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Olympic Predictions: Women’s 200 Free"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Rieder<\/em><\/p>\n

The women\u2019s 200 free was billed as the event to watch at last summer\u2019s World Championships. Expect the same in Rio. That\u2019s because Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong>\u2014ranked no. 1 in the world at 1:54.34 will be added to the mix: she figures to contest the event\u00a0after sitting it out at both the 2012 Olympics and last year’s World Championships.<\/p>\n

She will go up against world champion Katie Ledecky<\/strong> (#2, 1:54.43)\u2014undefeated in her career in World Championship and Olympic finals\u2014along with 2008 Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Federica Pellegrini<\/strong> (#3, 1:54.55), who set her 1:52.98 WR in 2009 in a high-tech suit. Australia\u2019s Emma McKeon<\/strong> (#4, 1:54.83) and Bronte Barratt<\/strong> (#9, 1:55.95, and bronze medalist in London) plus USA\u2019s Missy Franklin<\/strong> (#11, 1:56.18, and bronze medalist in Kazan) all figure to be factors in what should be a real battle just to make finals.<\/p>\n

TALK ON DECK<\/strong><\/p>\n