World Championships Entry Lists Released: Benedetta Pilato, Yang Junxuan Will Not Defend World Titles

world-championships-Benedetta Pilato of Italy competes in the 100m Breaststroke Women Semifinal during the FINA Swimming Short Course World Championships at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Melbourne, Australia, December 14th, 2022. Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Benedetta Pilato -- Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

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World Championships Entry Lists Released: Benedetta Pilato, Yang Junxuan Will Not Defend World Titles

World Aquatics has posted the entry lists for the Fukuoka World Championships that begin with open water and diving competition Saturday, with pool swimming to follow beginning on Sunday, July 23.

The full entry lists are available here.

The list revealed that Summer McIntosh, the No. 1-ranked swimmer in the world in the 200 IM and world-junior-record holder, will not compete in the event in Fukuoka, instead choosing to focus on the 200 and 400 freestyle, 200 butterfly and 400 IM. McIntosh is the reigning world champion in the 200 fly and 400 IM and last year’s silver medalist in the 200 while her 800 free relay leadoff leg would have been good enough for gold last year.

We also know that Sarah Sjostrom is only competing in 50-meter events (butterfly and freestyle) in Fukuoka. Sjostrom owns the world records in the 100 fly and 100 free but will skip those races. She did not race the 100 fly last year, but she was the silver medalist in the 100 free, so that absence was a surprise.

Additionally, two individual women’s champions from last year’s Worlds will not compete in their gold-medal events. Benedetta Pilato, the surprise gold medalist in the women’s 100 breaststroke, did not qualify for Italy’s team in the race, with the spots instead going to Lisa Angliolini and Martina Carraro. Pilato will still be among the favorites in the 50 breast, where she holds the world record. In the women’s 200 free, China will be represented by Li Jiaping and Liu Yaxin, with last year’s world champion Yang Junxuan out of the event (along with 2022 bronze medalist Tang Muhan). Yang will be in Fukuoka but only to swim in the 100 free and on relays.

The list of women’s medalists from last year’s meet not competing in those events this year include 800 free silver medalist Kiah Melverton, 200 back silver medalist Phoebe Bacon, 200 breast silver medalist Jenna Strauch, 200 fly silver medalist Hali Flickinger, 200 IM bronze medalist Leah Hayes, 100 back bronze medalist Claire Curzan, 400 free bronze medalist Leah Smith, 100 free silver medalist Torri Huske and 50 free co-bronze medalists Meg Harris and Erika Brown. Huske will still defend her world title in the 100 fly while several others will swim relays this year.

On the men’s side, we knew that Caeleb Dressel, who won the 50 fly last year before leaving early from Worlds, would not be in Fukuoka, and other men’s absences include 200 back silver medalist Luke Greenbank, 200 breast co-silver medalist Yu Hanaguruma, 50 fly silver medalist Nicholas Santos (now retired) and multi-time bronze medalist Michael Andrew.

Check out Swimming World’s full coverage of the meet, including previews of each swimming even t.

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