{"id":266005,"date":"2017-07-16T05:00:59","date_gmt":"2017-07-16T12:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=266005"},"modified":"2017-07-16T15:59:19","modified_gmt":"2017-07-16T22:59:19","slug":"fina-world-championships-predictions-womens-200-breast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/fina-world-championships-predictions-womens-200-breast\/","title":{"rendered":"FINA World Championships Predictions: Women’s 200 Breast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yulia Efimova<\/strong> has already made a run at the world record in the women’s 200 breast this year, and it would be tough to see anyone stopping her from taking gold at the FINA World Championships.<\/p>\n

Rie Kaneto<\/strong>, who won Olympic gold last summer in the event, has not competed so far this year, and neither has\u00a0Kanako Watanabe<\/strong>, Kaneto’s Japanese countrywoman who won the World title in the event back in 2015.<\/p>\n

Lilly King<\/strong>, the Olympic gold medalist in the 100 breast, has made major improvements in the 200, but after not even making the 200 final in Rio, just winning a medal would be an impressive effort here.<\/p>\n

Efimova has won a World title in the 200 breast before, back in 2013. That was the meet when\u00a0Rikke Moeller Pedersen\u00a0<\/strong>set a still-standing world record of 2:19.11 in the semi-finals, and that’s the mark Efimova will be chasing in Budapest.<\/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

Women’s 200 Breast<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current Records:<\/h3>\n

World Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Rikke Moeller Pedersen, DEN (2013) — 2:19.11
\nChampionship Record:<\/strong> Rikke Moeller Pedersen, DEN (2013) — 2:19.11
\nAmerican Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Rebecca Soni (2012) — 2:19.59<\/p>\n

2015 World Champion:<\/strong>\u00a0Kanako Watanabe, JPN — 2:21.15
\n2016 Olympic Gold Medalist:<\/strong>\u00a0Rie Kaneto, JPN — 2:20.30
\n2017 World No. 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Yulia Efimova, RUS — 2:19.83<\/p>\n

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

David Rieder’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Yulia Efimova, RUS
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Lilly King, USA
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Shi Jinglin, CHN<\/p>\n

John Lohn’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Yulia Efimova, RUS
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong>\u00a0Shi Jinglin, CHN
\nBronze:<\/strong> Lilly King, USA<\/p>\n

Andy Ross’ Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Yulia Efimova, RUS
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong> Lilly King, USA
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Taylor McKeown, AUS<\/p>\n

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

Day One:<\/h3>\n