2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sunday morning at the first session of the 2024 World Aquatics Championships gave some answers about the level of preparation for this meet from one of the world’s best men’s distance training groups.
American David Johnston finished 12th in the heats of the men’s 400 free in 3:46.99 while 2023 World Championship silver medalist Ahmed Hafnaoui finished 17th, with both missing out on the finals in Doha.
Both swimmers skipped the NCAA season to go train with Mark Schubert at The Swim Team in Southern California. While their teammate Will Gallant was a late withdrawal for the meet, Johnston and Hafnaoui did decide to race.
Johnston, previously of the University of Texas, finished 12th in prelims in 3:46.99, about a second shy of his best time of 3:45.75. Hafnaoui, previously of Indiana University, was 17th in 3:48.05, off his 3:40.70 from last year’s World Championships that missed gold by .01 seconds.
It’s important to note that Hafnaoui has been back in Tunisia training for the last three weeks while updating his American visa, saying that he’s been using the plans of his Tunisian coaches and not Schubert during that time.
Other day 1 observations that gives us some indication of where top swimmers are in their tapers:
- Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski, who is competing for the USC varsity this season, was 19th in the 400 free in 3:48.71. That improves his best time of 3:49.3 by six-tenths, indicating that he’s ready-to-roll and remains the favorite in the 200 fly later in the meet.
- Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen was 3:45.52 in heats of the 400 free. That’s about 1.2 seconds off his best, but he was also safely into the final, so maybe we’ll get more information in the evening. With Hafnaoui’s form, Wiffen is probably the favorite in the 800 and 1500 even if he’s not at his best.
- Americans Carson Foster and Luke Hobson look in great form, both splitting 47-seconds on the American 400 free relay. Hobson was 47.70 and Foster anchored in 47.83. Great Britain’s Matthew Richards was 47.76, possibly making him the favorite in the men’s 100 free, while China’s Pan Zhanle was only 48.26 – enough to get China into the final, but not necessarily enough to spook anyone in the 100 free final.
- Michael Andrew looked good in prelims of the men’s 50 fly with a 23.03 as he chases four gold medals in four 50s. So too did Cam McEvoy in 23.19, right on his best, and making him a favorite for something special in the 50 free later in the meet. Isaac Cooper might be one of the only Australians who’s fully-firing at this meet.
- Kate Douglass didn’t show her hand too much in prelims of the 200 IM in 2:10.01, but she always seems to be able to siwm fast – rested or not.