{"id":265597,"date":"2017-07-12T05:00:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T12:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=265597"},"modified":"2017-07-12T10:57:55","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T17:57:55","slug":"fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-200-fly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-200-fly\/","title":{"rendered":"FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 200 Fly"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michael Phelps’\u00a0<\/strong>win in the men’s 200 fly at last year’s Olympics might have been his most memorable race of the Rio Games, but he is retired and out of the field for this year’s FINA World Championships.<\/p>\n

In his absence, the Hungarian crowd in Budapest will get behind its two hometown favorites defending World and European champion\u00a0Laszlo Cseh\u00a0<\/strong>and Olympic bronze medalist\u00a0Tamas Kenderesi\u00a0<\/strong>both in the field, while\u00a0Masato Sakai<\/strong> just missed out on Olympic gold last summer, coming up just four hundredths short of Phelps.<\/p>\n

In fact, Hungary is so deep in the men’s 200 fly that the No. 2-ranked swimmer in the world, European Junior Champion\u00a0Kristof Milak<\/strong> (1:53.79), won’t even race the event in Budapest.<\/p>\n

Then there’s\u00a0Chad Le Clos<\/strong>, the 2012 Olympic champion in the 200 fly. He won two silver medals in Rio, but neither came in the event he still considers his best. Any of these four men could win gold, and it would not be the least bit surprising.<\/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 Fly<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current Records:<\/h3>\n

World Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Michael Phelps, USA (2009) — 1:51.51
\nChampionship Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Michael Phelps, USA (2009) — 1:51.51
\nAmerican Record:<\/strong> Michael Phelps (2009) — 1:51.51<\/p>\n

2015 World Champion:<\/strong>\u00a0Laszlo Cseh, HUN — 1:53.48
\n2016 Olympic Gold Medalist:<\/strong>\u00a0Michael Phelps, USA — 1:53.36
\n2017 World No. 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Masato Sakai, JPN — 1:53.71<\/p>\n

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

David Rieder’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong>\u00a0Tamas Kenderesi, HUN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Chad le Clos, RSA
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Masato Sakai, JPN<\/p>\n

John Lohn’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Chad le Clos, RSA
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Tamas Kenderesi, HUN
\nBronze:<\/strong> Masato Sakai, JPN<\/p>\n

Andy Ross’ Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Masato Sakai, JPN
\nSilver:<\/strong> Tamas Kenderesi, HUN
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Chad le Clos, RSA<\/p>\n

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

Day One:<\/h3>\n