Some of the big names in swimming like those of the American Katie Ledeckythe French Leon Marchandthe australian Ariarne Titmusthe Canadian Summer McIntosh or the romanian David Popovich They are called to become the big stars of the World Cups. But Fukuoka It will also have significant casualties, because some athletes have preferred to prioritize the preparation for the Olympic event that will take place in Paris a year from now, or due to physical or mental problems they have preferred to rest.
That is the case of Caleb Dresselone of the figures in American swimming (seven Olympic golds, 13 world titles), who already resigned in the middle of the Budapest World Cup last year, due to anxiety problems, after several stoppages related to his mental health and has shown that he is far from his best form in recent American trials.
Nor will the Hungarian Kristof MilakOlympic and world champion in the 200-meter butterfly, citing physical and mental fatigue, and the need to “recharge batteries”, the same as the British Adam Peaty. “I am not at the physical or mental level to compete against the best swimmers in the world,” the triple medalist explained in a statement in the tokyo games.
To that list will be added the American Simon Manuelthe Canadian Penny Oleksiak the hungarian Katinka Hoszu, the south african Chad Le Clos or the Australian sisters Cate y Bronte Campbell.
Katie Ledecky (EEUU, 1997)
Fukuoka expects the best version of Ledecky26 years old, one of the great swimming phenomena since Michael Phelps, With seven titles and a dozen Olympic medals and 19 world titles behind him, he is competing in his sixth consecutive World Cups. The American who has been intractable in the recent selective Indianapolis with an overwhelming victory in the 800 meters (8.07.07), the third best time in history, his best mark since the Rio 2016 Games, and also in the 1,500, where he marked with 15.29.64 the sixth best mark of all time. In it world, will try to become the first swimmer to win the same event in six world championships. She is already the first to claim five consecutive titles.
Ariarne Titmus (Australia, 2000)
Among the reasons that explain the return of the Ledecky more competitive is the appearance of the Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus22, his nemesis since the 2019 World Cups in South Korea, where he defeated her in the 400 free. With that victory Titmus It broke the hegemony of the American athlete in the middle and long distance since the World Cups in Barcelona in 2013. Not only that. She conveyed the image that Ledecky was vulnerable. In the Tokyo Games, she gave the blow by winning the 400 final, relegating the American to second place. Titmus doubled gold in the final of the 200, but ended up giving in to Ledecky in the final of the 800 to hang the silver. She has also been the first to snatch a world record from the American: the 400, at the 2022 Australian championships (3.56.40).
Summer McIntosh (Canada, 2006)
One of the latest teenage sensations in the world of swimming, who broke into the tokyo games with 14 years to classify fourth in the final of 400 free and that was confirmed a year ago in the Budapest World Cup with his world titles in the 200 butterfly, 400 medley and a silver in the 400 free and a bronze in the 4×200 relay. In his history, he already has a world record, the 400 freestyle, which he achieved last March at the Canadian selection tests for the World Cups (3.56.08) advanced in the ranking the mark of Ariarne Titmus and improving his personal mark in more than three seconds. McIntosh He is on his way to becoming the star of swimming in the next decade if nothing strange happens and his presence promises strong emotions in Fukuoka.
Leon Marchand (France, 2002)
It was the feeling of the World Cups last year, world champion in the 200 and 400 styles and silver in the 200 butterflies and a good part of the looks in Fukuoka will be on this new talent of French swimming. In Budapest impacted his performance on the opening day, in which he signed the second best time in history with 4.03.84, approaching the world record of 4:03.84 of the American Michael Phelps, that has lasted since 2008. that has remained practically intact since it was established in 2008. Behind its preparation in Arizona State, there is the american guru Bob Bowmanthe ‘coach’ who scripted the career of Phelps. Marchand He tries to stay away from comparisons and pressure, but his possible impact on these World Cups and the proximity of the paris games they will only make it grow on this Toulouse-born sportsman.
David Popovici (Romania, 2004)
It is the phenomenon that comes. At 18 years old, the future is Popovich. Finalist in Tokyo at just 16 years old. 100 and 200 freestyle world champion a year ago in the World Cup, world record holder in the 100 free, or what is the same, the fastest swimmer on the planet after lowering the mark achieved by Cesar Sky in 2009 with a polyurethane swimsuit, now prohibited due to its buoyancy. A lover of philosophy, son of a psychologist, Popovici has just enrolled in the Faculty of Psychology in Bucharest, a city where he likes to ride his bike and which he says lacks nothing, rejecting numerous offers from the most prestigious universities in the United States to recruit him. Free spirit, pure talent in the water, Popovic emerges like a unicorn from the pool, in a country with a long gymnastic tradition, but little aquatic tradition.
2023-07-22 09:17:45
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