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The men’s 100 free is often considered the glamor event of swimming, but it will be missing quite a bit of star-power at this month’s FINA World Championships.
Kyle Chalmers, the Australian teenager who won Olympic gold last summer, is out of Budapest after heart surgery. Reigning World Champion Ning Zetao didn’t make China’s World Champs roster. No one has swum any time faster than 47.90 this year.
Perhaps the favorite should be Cameron McEvoy, the Australian that most picked to win Olympic gold last summer before Chalmers did so instead. McEvoy is the second-fastest performer in history after blasting a 47.04 at Australia’s Olympic Trials last year, but he was nowhere close to that form in Rio, and he finished seventh in the 100 free final.
Pieter Timmers and Nathan Adrian, both medalists last summer in Rio, will be back, as will fellow Olympic finalists Duncan Scott, Caeleb Dressel and Marcelo Cherighini.
Read below to see what Swimming World’s trio of experts think will happen in Budapest. David Rieder, John Lohn and Andy Ross will each offer their predictions for who will finish on the podium.
Men’s 100 Free
Current Records:
World Record: Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009) — 46.91
Championship Record: Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009) — 46.91
American Record: David Walters (2009) — 47.33
2015 World Champion: Ning Zetao, CHN — 47.84
2016 Olympic Gold Medalist: Kyle Chalmers, AUS — 47.58
2017 World No. 1: Duncan Scott, GBR — 47.90
Swimming World Predictions
David Rieder’s Picks:
Gold: Caeleb Dressel, USA
Silver: Cameron McEvoy, AUS
Bronze: Nathan Adrian, USA
John Lohn’s Picks:
Gold: Cameron McEvoy, AUS
Silver: Caeleb Dressel, USA
Bronze: Nathan Adrian, USA
Andy Ross’ Picks:
Gold: Cameron McEvoy, AUS
Silver: Nathan Adrian, USA
Bronze: Duncan Scott, GBR
Previous Events
Day One:
Day Two:
Day Three:
Day Four:
Day Five:
- FINA CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE
- ULTIMATE SCHEDULE GUIDE
- QUALIFIED HIGH DIVERS
- MEDAL TABLE
- 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
- LIVE RESULTS
- OPEN WATER LIVE RESULTS
- PSYCH SHEET
- DAY EIGHT FINALS HEAT SHEETS
- DAY ONE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY ONE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY TWO PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY TWO FINALS RESULTS
- DAY THREE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY THREE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY FOUR PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY FOUR FINALS RESULTS
- DAY FIVE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY FIVE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY SIX PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY SIX FINALS RESULTS
- DAY SEVEN PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY SEVEN FINALS RESULTS
- DAY EIGHT PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY EIGHT FINALS RESULTS
Cameron mcevoy is not second, but third in history in the 100 free. Alain Bernard is second in 46.94
Bernard’s time was never ratified as the WR because his suit was not approved by FINA at the time (and in its current version, I don’t think it ever was). But I’m checking on this to get an official answer. Good point, Chrb.
Hhhmm, I’m going to be somewhat of a contrarian and suggest that McEvoy is far from a certainty to medal. The evidence we have to hand tends to suggest that his 47.04 was a case of “that one perfect race” and Rio has suggested that he’s is no less susceptible under pressure than Magnussen was.
His 47.9 at Trials certainly puts him in the medal hunt but his performances at Mare Nostrum were frankly pedestrian; he is traditionally quite a deal faster “in season”. That is why I see Scott as the real threat in Budapest to the US duo in this event
Caleb…