Editorial content for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships is sponsored by FINIS, a longtime partner of Swimming World and leading innovator of suits, goggles and equipment. Who Will Win the Men’s 100 Freestyle at the World Championships? The men’s 100 freestyle has long been considered the blue-ribband of swimming, and when the best swimmers in the world gather to race the event this July in Fukuoka, Japan, look for a showdown between some of the most prominent figures in the sport. The headliner is David Popovici, the Romanian teenager who captured world titles in the 200 free and 100 free last year before breaking a 13-year-old world record in the 100 free at the European Championships in August. Popovici will be favorited to defend his title, but his competition could include the Olympic champion and winner of the two previous world titles, Caeleb Dressel. The American has not competed since pulling out early from last year’s World Championships, but he is the only other active swimmer to break 47, and he is scheduled to make his 2023 racing debut next week at the Atlanta Classic. Certain to be in the race is Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, Dressel’s longtime rival and the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the event. Chalmers has recorded some of his best-ever swims in recent years, including a short course world title in the event in December. The best swimmer in the world so far this year is China’s Pan Zhanle, who recorded an Asian-record time of 47.22 at his country’s national championships this week. Also worth watching are 2022 Worlds medalists Maxime Grousset (France) and Joshua Liendo (Canada), the latter of whom became the second-fastest man ever in the 100-yard free at the NCAA Championships in March. Who will come out on top when medals are on the line at the World Championships? Will Popovici’s world record come under fire? Will any surprise swimmers jump into contention? Vote on your choice in the comments.
Matt Richards (team GB) 47.72 at the British Champs in April & improving at every competition
popovici seems like a slam dunk here
Popovici will dominate 100 m for the next couple of years. He is young, talented and if he keeps being down to earth, that’s it. I think he will win this next one.
Huge Dressel fan…. but not quite in top form just yet…. Popovici seems the sure bet….
POPOVICI
i reckon kyle chalmers might have this one his shoulder has recovered and he is swimming 48.0 while being untapered and unshaved. It will be a very good race to watch tho
David Popovici