5 Events To Watch At Edinburgh International (Full Meet Entries)
The Royal Commonwealth Pool will host some of Britain and Europe’s best swimmers in the upcoming Edinburgh International Swim Meet, running from the March 10-12. The meet will act as a final prep meet for the majority of swimmers, as national trials for summer championships take place in April across many European nations. The meet will also allow some of Europe’s top swimmers to move up the world rankings, particularly after the TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, which produced numerous top times.
On the first day of the Edinburgh International, the women’s 100 backstroke is loaded with world-class talent. Canadian Olympic medalist and former world-record holder Kylie Masse, who trains with Ben Titley’s group at the National Training Center in Sant Cugat, Spain is the fastest seed with an entry time of 57.70. Masse will look to challenge the fast in-season times posted by rivals Regan Smith (57.92) and Kaylee McKeown (57.93) at recent meets. Second seed Kathleen Dawson continues her return to competition following a back injury that plagued her 2022 season. Dutch backstroker Kira Toussaint, who recently became Masse’s training partner in Sant Cugat, is the third seed. The Loughborough University duo Catie DeLoof and Louise Hansson are entered as the fourth and fifth seeds, respectively.
The men’s 200 freestyle will see Tom Dean and Duncan Scott go head to head for the first time this season. Dean backed up his 200 freestyle triumph at the 2020 Olympics with a bronze at last summer’s World Championships and silver behind Scott at the Commonwealth Games. The pair will come up against Austrian Olympian Felix Auboeck, who will look to use his strong second 100 to overhaul the British double act. Dean’s training partner at the Bath National Centre, James Guy, will also be in the mix. Luc Kroon of the Netherlands is entered as the fifth seed, whilst Jack McMillan goes in as the sixth seed, two weeks after posting a 1:47.87 at the BUCS Long Course Championships.
The women’s 100 breaststroke features Loughborough University’s Tatiana Belonogoff and Edinburgh University’s Kara Hanlon. The pair recently went toe to toe at the BUCS Long Course Championships, with Belonogoff getting her hands on the wall first with a 1:06.53 to Hanlon’s 1:06.75. Scottish record holder Hanlon finished second at the TYR Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale behind world record holder Lilly King, and will be looking to back up her strong recent performances on home turf. Israel’s versatile star Anastasia Gorbenko is the second seed and 50 breast specialist Imogen Clark will look to use her speed to get out fast and hold off the competitors. Ireland’s Niamh Coyne will also be in the mix as the fourth seed, entered on a 1:07.83.
The men’s 100 breaststroke will see world-record holder Adam Peaty compete against countryman James Wilby. Peaty lost a 100 breaststroke race for the first time in eight years at the 2022 Commonwealth Games as Wilby took home the gold. Peaty will be looking to put the 2022 season behind him and get back to dominating the sprint breaststroke events. They will be joined by Austrian Bernhard Reitshammer, entered on a 1:00.03. Peaty’s training partner Greg Butler comes in as the fourth seed in a 1:00.04 and will look to dip under the minute for the first time. Edinburgh University’s Archie Goodburn and Irishman Eoin Corby go in as the fifth and sixth seeds, both entered on a 1:00.50.
The women’s 100 freestyle will see the British duo of Anna Hopkin and Freya Anderson go up against Loughborough University’s American sprinter Catie DeLoof. Hopkin will be looking to back up her successful short course campaign, which saw her win a bronze in the 50 freestyle at the 2022 World Short Course Championships in Melbourne. DeLoof has been in fine form, producing a 54.17 to win the BUCS Long Course Championships. Lucy Hope, Paige Madden and Kim Busch will all be looking to topple the three fastest seeds in what promises to be one of the most exciting races of the weekend.