{"id":372187,"date":"2019-06-02T04:00:32","date_gmt":"2019-06-02T11:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=372187"},"modified":"2019-06-02T01:44:49","modified_gmt":"2019-06-02T08:44:49","slug":"swimming-world-presents-18th-fina-world-aquatics-championships-preview-womens-swimming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-presents-18th-fina-world-aquatics-championships-preview-womens-swimming\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Presents “18th FINA World Aquatics Championships Preview: Women’s Swimming”"},"content":{"rendered":"

18th FINA World Aquatics Championships Preview: Women’s Swimming
\nJuly 21-28<\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

FREESTYLE<\/strong><\/span>
\nCate Campbell<\/strong> will arrive in Gwangju fresh off, perhaps, the finest performance of her illustrious career at last summer\u2019s Pan Pacs, where she swept the 50 and 100 meter freestyle gold medals (23.81, 52.03) and also finished atop the podium in three relays. Campbell has only won a single individual World title in the past, a 100 free gold in 2013, and she will look to reclaim those titles in her first global meet since the 2016 Olympics.<\/p>\n

Her biggest competition in both events will come from Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong>, the Swedish sprinter who took down world records in both events at the 2017 World Championships while Campbell sat out. Sjostrom\u2019s stunning records sit at 23.67 in the 50 and 51.71 in the 100.<\/p>\n

The pack chasing these top two brings uncommon depth and experience. American Simone Manuel<\/strong> is the reigning Olympic co-champion and World champion in the 100 free\u2014having knocked off Sjostrom just five days after Sjostrom set the world record\u2014and she also has multiple career international medals to her name in the 50 free.<\/p>\n

BACKSTROKE
\n<\/span><\/strong>The women\u2019s backstroke events should be some of the most tightly contested events on the program, as two of the three world records were broken just last year. China\u2019s Liu Xiang<\/strong> lowered the 50 back WR at the Asian Games (26.98), and USA\u2019s Kathleen Baker<\/strong> bettered the 100 at U.S. nationals (58.00).<\/p>\n

Baker has yet to win an individual gold medal on the world stage, but 2019 could be her year. She turned professional last year after breaking the world record and is now training in San Diego with Coach David Marsh. Baker will be swimming all three backstroke events in\u00a0 Gwangju.<\/p>\n

BUTTERFLY<\/strong><\/span>
\nWhile Sweden\u2019s Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong> is aiming to keep her international reign on the sprint freestyle events, she will also be doing the same in sprint butterfly, but will have an entirely different group of contenders to challenge her.<\/p>\n

In the 50 fly, Sjostrom\u2019s biggest competition could be Egypt\u2019s Farida Osman<\/strong>. The former Cal NCAA champion has several of the top 10 performances of the year in the event and is used to performing at her best on the biggest stage. Kelsi Dahlia<\/strong> of the U.S. will be in the mix, along with Anastasiya Shkurdai<\/strong> of Belarus. And never count out Ranomi Kromowidjojo<\/strong> of the Netherlands. This race could near the 25 barrier.<\/p>\n

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY<\/strong><\/span>
\nFor the last three World Championships, the spotlight has been on Hungary\u2019s Katinka<\/strong> Hosszu,<\/strong> and 2019 shouldn\u2019t be any different. The 30-year-old Hungarian has claimed gold in both the 200 and 400 IMs since the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, and is the favorite to defend her titles in Gwangju.<\/p>\n

But they won\u2019t come easily for Hosszu. Yui Ohashi<\/strong> of Japan and Kathleen Baker<\/strong> of the United States are both sure to push for the gold. The two finished first and second, respectively, in the 2018 world rankings for the 200 IM.<\/p>\n

RELAYS<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe American women swept all three relays at the 2017 World Championships, but failed to beat Australia in any of the three at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. So in 2019, expect battles between the two longtime superpowers in all three relays, with 1-2 finishes likely in all three events.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to imagine Australia losing the 400 free relay with sisters Cate<\/strong> Campbell<\/strong> and Bronte Campbell<\/strong> and Emma McKeon<\/strong> swimming close to top form, even with Americans Simone Manuel<\/strong> and Mallory Comerford<\/strong> capable of sub-53-second 100 frees and a solid stable of swimmers behind them such as Kelsi Dahlia<\/strong>, Margo Geer<\/strong> and Lia Neal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For a more in depth look at the women headed to the FINA World Aquatics Championships this year,
\ncheck out the June 2019 issue of Swimming World Magazine<\/em>, available now!<\/p>\n

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