{"id":265160,"date":"2017-07-10T05:00:50","date_gmt":"2017-07-10T12:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=265160"},"modified":"2017-07-10T16:11:55","modified_gmt":"2017-07-10T23:11:55","slug":"fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-200-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-200-free\/","title":{"rendered":"FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 200 Free"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last summer in Rio, Sun Yang\u00a0<\/strong>could not defend his Olympic gold medals in either the 400 or 1500 free, but he did win his first gold in the 200 free at those Olympics. He blasted past surprising early leader\u00a0Chad Le Clos<\/strong> on the last 50 and was the only man to break 1:45. Sun will again be favored in the event at the FINA World Championships.<\/p>\n

This year,\u00a0Sun has\u00a0again been the only man to break 1:45, ranking first in the world at 1:44.XX<\/strong>. Aside from bronze medalist\u00a0Conor Dwyer<\/strong>, the field returns mostly in tact from the Olympics, but the wildcard is Le Clos, whose “fly-and-die” strategy paid off with an Olympic silver, but he had never otherwise won an international medal outside the butterfly events.<\/p>\n

Read below to see what\u00a0Swimming World’s\u00a0<\/em>trio of experts think will happen in\u00a0Budapest.\u00a0David Rieder<\/strong>,\u00a0John Lohn<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Andy Ross<\/strong>\u00a0will each offer their predictions for\u00a0who will finish on the podium.<\/p>\n

Men’s 200 Free<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current Records:<\/h3>\n

World Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Paul Biedermann, GER (2009) — 1:42.00
\nChampionship Record:<\/strong> Paul Biedermann, GER (2009) — 1:42.00
\nAmerican Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Michael Phelps (2008) — 1:42.96<\/p>\n

2015 World Champion:<\/strong>\u00a0James Guy, GBR — 1:45.14
\n2016 Olympic Gold Medalist:<\/strong>\u00a0Sun Yang, CHN — 1:44.65
\n2017 World No. 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Sun Yang, CHN — 1:44.91<\/p>\n

Swimming World Predictions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

David Rieder’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Sun Yang, CHN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0James Guy, GBR
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Townley Haas, USA<\/p>\n

John Lohn’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong>\u00a0Sun Yang, CHN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Townley Haas, USA
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0James Guy, GBR<\/p>\n

Andy Ross’ Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong>\u00a0James Guy, GBR
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Sun Yang, CHN
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Townley Haas, USA<\/p>\n

Previous\u00a0Events<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Day One:<\/h3>\n