Australia’s breaststroking ace, Christian Sprenger, looks to be on the mend from shoulder surgery and ready to compete, as indicated by his Instagram account over the weekend.
After winning individual respective silver and gold medals in the 100m breaststroke at the 2012 London Olympics and 2013 World Championships, Sprenger was favored to continue his streak with some potential gold-medal-winning results at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
However, where he entered that meet as the world’s top-ranked 50m and 100m breaststroker, a shoulder injury held Sprenger to a modest bronze in the 50m breaststroke and a missed opportunity to even make the final in the 100m distance. The injury forced Sprenger to then pull out of last August’s Pan Pacific Championships entirely.
The 2015 Australian Swimming Championships are slated for Friday, April 3 – Friday, April 10, with the men’s 100 breast on April 6th and men’s 50m breast on April 10th.
Christian, if you read this, please remember my 10 year old daughter’s school speech that your ongoing determination in swimming inspired her to write…… we provided Ashley Callus a framed copy to pass onto you as she was marked 55/55! Please re-read her words and remember how you inspired her and hopefully she may inspire you now, to never give up 🙂
Sprenger’s best from last year was 58’87, in march. He could have been faster than Peaty in summer without his injury.
Aside from Peaty, who else in the current breastrokers field has been consistently performing? Even Sprenger’s old nemesis Van der Burgh has shown some vulnerability… So I don’t think the breastroker world has moved on that much.. Though the favouritism tag has definitely shifted to Peaty and the Brits in general
Sprenger’s return is likely to be a relief to AUS swimming hierarchy although what level he may be able to attain remains to be seen ….. and he will certainly be short on racing. He will most likely stick to the 100 so the 200 “black hole” will most likely remain.
Has Men’s BRS moved on without him ? Remains to be seen. He may or may not return to his previous level …. although AUS will be happy if he can at least return to sub minute. Peaty is most certainly on top at the moment but will he be able to sustain that “high” until Rio ? It’s the same question that can be asked in women with… Read more »
I think there are two important numbers everyone needs to remember …. 31 and 21 ….Sprenger will be 31 yrs old in December … Peaty will be 21….I know who I’ll be backing in Rio…. Also Sprenger set his 100 PB back in 2013 , when without doubt he was the one world top breastrokers’…now he is older and coming back from a major shoulder injury
Peaty has set all his Pb’s in 2014 …including the 50m WR… leading into the 2015 World Championship he has some major momentum….
I think Christian’s pb in the 100 is not that far off Peaty’s pb… And the fact that he is now the underdog to Peaty would help to motivate him, someone to chase
Breaststroke is ridiculous right now. Sprenger is gonna bounce back, and the 100 and 200 breaststrokes are going to be the most exciting races at Kazan and Rio.
I wish Christian all the best but I think he may find the World of Breastroke has moved on without him ………….#Adam Peaty…………..#British Mens Breastroke