Each day through July 23, Swimming World’s Jeff Commings and David Rieder will offer medal predictions in the 19 swimming events on tap at the Commonwealth Games, which begins July 24 in Glasgow, Scotland. We invite you to offer your picks in our Reaction Time comments section below!
Commentary by David Rieder
CHARLESTON, South Carolina, July 12. ROLAND Schoeman has just about done it all when it comes to the 50 fly. He has won medals in the event at the last three Commonwealth Games, including silver in 2002, gold in 2006, and bronze in 2010. He won World titles in 2005 and 2007 and swam the first sub-23 50 fly in that 2005 victory. He finished as the top qualifier out of prelims at last year’s Worlds, only to end up tenth after a fast semifinal. He currently ranks second in the world in the event with a 23.07.
Schoeman’s main challenge could come from Kenya’s Jason Dunford. Dunford won this title in Delhi four years ago but retired after a 12th place finish in the 100 fly at the 2012 Olympics. Now on the comeback trail, he has a wide open opportunity for a medal here. England’s Ben Proud will be in the medal hunt as he has posted a top-ten time in the world at 23.42, and Aussies Tomasso D’Orsogna and Chris Wright will try to come down from the 100 fly and contend for medals in the sprint.
Men’s 50 fly medal predictions
Gold: Roland Schoeman, South Africa
Silver: Jason Dunford, Kenya
Bronze: Ben Proud, England
England’s Fran Halsall faces a tough road to a Commonwealth title in the sprint freestyle events with the likes of Cate Campbell in the mix, but she enters the 50 fly as the clear gold medal pick. Halsall currently ranks fourth in the world with a time of 25.83, and she also finished fourth at last year’s World Championships. She won’t have to swim anywhere near as fast as the new world record, an incredible 24.43 by Sarah Sjostrom, to win the title in Glasgow.
Australia’s Marieke D’Cruz (nee Guehrer), a former World Champion in the event, won the event at their Nationals in April but was not picked to the team. The Aussies might use Alicia Coutts and Brittany Elmslie in the event, though Coutts already has a packed schedule in Glasgow. Elmslie finished ninth in the event at the World Championships, while Coutts earned the silver in the 100 fly in Barcelona. Bahamian sprint specialist Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace will be in the mix, as will Canada’s Noemie Thomas
Women’s 50 fly medal predictions
Gold: Fran Halsall, England
Silver: Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, Bahamas
Bronze: Alicia Coutts, Australia
Check out our previous medal predictions by clicking the links below: