{"id":266605,"date":"2017-07-20T05:00:15","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T12:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=266605"},"modified":"2017-07-20T10:19:20","modified_gmt":"2017-07-20T17:19:20","slug":"fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-50-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/fina-world-championships-predictions-mens-50-back\/","title":{"rendered":"FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 50 Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two-time defending World Champion\u00a0Camille Lacourt\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>will compete in the 50 back at the FINA World Championships<\/a> (his last race before retirement), and so will veterans\u00a0Xu Jiayu<\/strong>,\u00a0Junya Koga<\/strong> and\u00a0Matt Grevers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But the man with the top time in the world so far this year is none of those guys\u2014it’s 19-year-old American\u00a0Justin Ress<\/strong>, who took down Grevers and 100\/200 back Olympic gold medalist\u00a0Ryan Murphy\u00a0<\/strong>at U.S. Nationals last month. That means Murphy won’t swim the 50 back 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

Men’s 50 Back<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current Records:<\/h3>\n

World Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Liam Tancock, GBR (2009) — 24.04
\nChampionship Record:<\/strong> Liam Tancock, GBR (2009) — 24.04
\nAmerican Record:<\/strong>\u00a0Randall Bal (2008) — 24.33<\/p>\n

2015 World Champion:<\/strong> Camille Lacourt, FRA —\u00a024.33
\n2017 World No. 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Justin Ress, USA — 24.41<\/p>\n

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

David Rieder’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong>\u00a0Xu Jiayu, CHN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong> Camille Lacourt, FRA
\nBronze:<\/strong> Justin Ress, USA<\/p>\n

John Lohn’s Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Xu Jiayu, CHN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong> Justin Ress, USA
\nBronze:<\/strong> Camille Lacourt, FRA<\/p>\n

Andy Ross’ Picks:<\/h3>\n

Gold:<\/strong> Xu Jiayu, CHN
\nSilver<\/strong>:<\/strong> Camille Lacourt, FRA
\nBronze:<\/strong>\u00a0Matt Grevers, USA<\/p>\n

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

Day One:<\/h3>\n