{"id":531754,"date":"2023-07-05T06:22:36","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T13:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=531754"},"modified":"2023-07-11T20:39:33","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T03:39:33","slug":"world-championships-preview-mens-mid-distance-freestyle-popovici-winnington-looking-to-repeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-preview-mens-mid-distance-freestyle-popovici-winnington-looking-to-repeat\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships Preview \u2014 Men\u2019s Mid-Distance Freestyle: Popovici, Winnington Looking to Repeat (Predictions)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>World Championships Preview \u2014 Men\u2019s Mid-Distance Freestyle: Popovici, Winnington Looking to Repeat<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The long-awaited Fukuoka World Championships have arrived. Originally, this meet was set for the summer of 2021 until the Tokyo Olympics were delayed one year because of COVID-19. This World Championships was then rescheduled for May 2022 before being further pushed back to July 2023, with an \u201cextraordinary\u201d edition of Worlds taking place in Budapest last June. This will mark the first time in two years that a major competition will feature almost all of the best swimmers in the world, with plenty of athletes skipping last year\u2019s meet while dealing with injuries or focusing on other international events.<\/p>\n<p>Over the next two weeks, we will preview <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldaquatics.com\/competitions\/1\/20th-fina-world-championships-fukuoka-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">what is to come in the competition pool<\/a>, with titles and history on the line, and it starts here with a look at men\u2019s middle-distance freestyle.<\/p>\n<p>The 200 and 400 freestyle share numerous contenders, with four men qualifying for the final in both races at last year\u2019s World Championships, but no man has earned medals in both races at one major meet since China\u2019s <strong>Sun Yang<\/strong> was banished from international competition. And once again, the favorites in each race are specialists. The four-lap race is led by the teenager who is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/flash-david-popovici-sets-200-free-textile-world-record-of-142-97-also-wjr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the only man to ever break 1:43 in a textile suit<\/a> while <strong>Elijah Winnington<\/strong> and <strong>Lukas Martens<\/strong> are set from a rematch of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-elijah-winnington-wins-400-free-with-final-length-blast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">their 2022 barnburner<\/a>.<\/p>\n<table width=\"593\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"6\" width=\"593\"><strong>Men&#8217;s 200 Freestyle<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>WR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1:42.00<\/td>\n<td>Paul Biedermann<\/td>\n<td>GER<\/td>\n<td>Rome (ITA)<\/td>\n<td>July 28, 2009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>CR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1:42.00<\/td>\n<td>Paul Biedermann<\/td>\n<td>GER<\/td>\n<td>Rome (ITA)<\/td>\n<td>July 28, 2009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>WJR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1:42.97<\/td>\n<td>David Popovici<\/td>\n<td>ROU<\/td>\n<td>Rome (ITA)<\/td>\n<td>Aug. 15, 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table width=\"593\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"6\" width=\"593\"><strong>Men&#8217;s 400 Freestyle<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>WR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>3:40.07<\/td>\n<td>Paul Biedermann<\/td>\n<td>GER<\/td>\n<td>Rome (ITA)<\/td>\n<td>July 26, 2009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>CR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>3:40.07<\/td>\n<td>Paul Biedermann<\/td>\n<td>GER<\/td>\n<td>Rome (ITA)<\/td>\n<td>July 26, 2009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>WJR<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>3:44.60<\/td>\n<td>Mack Horton<\/td>\n<td>AUS<\/td>\n<td>Brisbane (AUS)<\/td>\n<td>April 1, 2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><strong>Contenders:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Felix Aubock (AUT):<\/strong> Aubock was fourth in the 400 free at the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships in the 400 free plus fifth in the 200 free last year. He was the 400-meter short course world champion in 2021 but never a medal-winner at a major long course meet. <em>Contending in: 200 free &amp; 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Guilherme Costa (BRA):<\/strong> Won his first medal at a major meet when he took bronze in the 400 free at last year\u2019s World Championships. <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tom Dean (GBR):<\/strong> The Olympic gold medalist in the 200 free and seventh-fastest man in history (1:44.26). Also took bronze at last year\u2019s World Championships. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Marco De Tullio (ITA):<\/strong> Placed fifth in the 400 free at last year\u2019s World Championships. <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN):<\/strong> Mostly absent from international racing over the past year-and-a-half, Hafnaoui was the surprise Olympic champion in the 400 free in Tokyo. Ranks 17th all-time (3:43.36). <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Luke Hobson (USA):<\/strong> Winner of the 200 free at U.S. Nationals and NCAA champion in the 200 and 500-yard free. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hwang Sunwoo (KOR):<\/strong> The silver medalist in the 200 free at last year\u2019s Worlds and 12th-fastest man ever (1:44.47). <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kim Woomin (KOR):<\/strong> Placed sixth in the 400 free at Worlds and broke 1:46 in the 200 free for the first time at this year\u2019s Korean Nationals. <em>Contending in: 200 free &amp; 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Lukas Martens (GER):<\/strong> The silver medalist in the 400 free at last year\u2019s World Championships, Martens had the lead at the final turn before a ridiculous final split by <strong>Elijah Winnington<\/strong>. Ranks ninth all-time in the 400 free (3:41.60) and also was a finalist in the 200 free in Budapest. <em>Contending in: 200 free &amp; 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Katsuhiro Matsumoto (JPN):<\/strong> The 13th-fastest man ever in the 200 free (1:44.65), the 26-year-old Matsumoto has already broken 1:45 this year. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Pan Zhanle (CHN):<\/strong> This Chinese teenager has been one of the breakout stories of the year, tying for the 13th-fastest performer ever in the 200 free (1:44.65). Will also contend in the 100 free. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>David\u00a0Popovici (ROU)<\/strong>: Popovici is the overwhelming favorite for gold in the 200 free. Last year, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-david-popovici-sets-wjr-of-143-21-to-win-200-freestyle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">he won the world title by more than a second<\/a> before joining <strong>Paul Biedermann<\/strong> and <strong>Michael Phelps<\/strong> as the only men ever under 1:43 at the European Championships. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Matt Richards (GBR):<\/strong> Moved into the top-20 all-time in the 200 free with his win at the British Championships (1:44.83). Richards won gold on Great Britain\u2019s 800 free relay in Tokyo. <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fernando Scheffer (BRA):<\/strong> The bronze medalist in the 200 free in Tokyo, ranking 15th all-time (1:44.66). <em>Contending in: 200 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sam Short (AUS):<\/strong> This 19-year-old Aussie won Commonwealth gold in the 1500 free and silver in the 400 free last year, and he moved into the all-time top-10 in the 400 free earlier this year (3:42.46) before knocking off Winnington at the Australian Trials. <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Kieran Smith (USA):<\/strong> Smith was the Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 free, and in the 200 free, he was fifth at last year\u2019s Worlds and sixth at the Olympics. His 200 free best time (1:44.74) makes him the 16th-quickest man ever and third-fastest American behind Phelps and <strong>Ryan<\/strong> <strong>Lochte<\/strong>. <em>Contending in: 200 free &amp; 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dan Wiffen (IRL):<\/strong> The 400 free might be a bit short for this Irish distance star, but he has been as fast as 3:44.35 this year. <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Elijah Winnington (AUS):<\/strong> Could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-elijah-winnington-wins-400-free-with-final-length-blast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">repeat as world champion<\/a> in the 400 free after his stunning final length lifted him to last year\u2019s title. Winnington, who ranks fifth all-time (3:41.22) and second in Australian history behind <strong>Ian<\/strong> <strong>Thorpe<\/strong>, was also a finalist in the 200 free at last year\u2019s Worlds but did not qualify to represent Australia individually in the 200 this year. <em>Contending in: 400 free<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Predictions:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Men&#8217;s 200 Freestyle<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Gold:<\/strong> David Popovici (ROU)<br \/>\n<strong>Silver:<\/strong> Hwang Sunwoo (KOR)<br \/>\n<strong>Bronze:<\/strong> Tom Dean (GBR)<\/p>\n<p><em>A repeat of the podium from the 2022 World Championships as Popovici scares but does not quite reach Biedermann&#8217;s suit-aided world record of 1:42.00. Richards, Hobson and Smith all swim under 1:45 to come extremely close to the medal podium.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Men&#8217;s 400 Freestyle<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Gold:<\/strong> Elijah Winnington (AUS)<strong><br \/>\nSilver: <\/strong>Lukas Martens (GER)<strong><br \/>\nBronze:\u00a0<\/strong>Sam Short (AUS)<\/p>\n<p><em>Winnington once again prevails over Martens in a barnburner, with both men hitting times in the 3:41-range.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>World Championships Preview \u2014 Men\u2019s Mid-Distance Freestyle: Popovici, Winnington Looking to Repeat The long-awaited Fukuoka World Championships have arrived. Originally, this meet was set for the summer of 2021 until<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":511283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[70622,128902,129782,128885,35726,46575,67305,67331,128469,68671,53502,132717,130679,101190,75749,120003,89833,125410,66654],"class_list":["post-531754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-world","tag-2023-world-aquatics-championships","tag-ahmed-hafnaoui","tag-dan-wiffen","tag-david-popovici","tag-elijah-winnington","tag-felix-aubock","tag-fernando-scheffer","tag-guilherme-costa","tag-hwang-sunwoo","tag-katsuhiro-matsumoto","tag-kieran-smith","tag-kim-woomin","tag-lukas-martens","tag-luke-hobson","tag-marco-de-tullio","tag-matt-richards","tag-pan-zhanle","tag-sam-short","tag-tom-dean"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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