You are working on Staging1

Australia’s Emma McKeon Also Drops 200 Free at World Championships

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The women’s 200 free at the 2019 World Championships, which kicks off with prelims races on Tuesday morning in Gwangju, has blown wide open in the hour before the session starts.

Now 2 of the biggest favorites to medal in the event have both withdrawn. After American Katie Ledecky pulled out due to illness, Australia’s Emma McKeon has also withdrawn, according to Australian journalist Phil Lutton. McKeon was the #3 seed and Ledecky the #4 seed.

The latest announcement, McKeon, is also said to be dealing with illness and will use the day as a “resting day,” Lutton says. McKeon took a bronze medal in her first individual final, the 100 fly, and also has a gold as part of Australia’s women’s 400 free relay. She still has a remaining individual entry in the 100 free, where she’s the #2 seed behind countrymate Cate Campbell, as well as presumably both Australian women’s relays, and possibly their mixed relays as well.

The 25-year old McKeon is a 4-time Olympic medalist, including an individual bronze in this 200 free in Rio. She placed 2nd in the 200 free at the 2017 World Championships, won the race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and took bronze at the 2008 Commonwealth Games.

Ledecky and McKeon tied for silver in this race in 2017 at Worlds.

In This Story

28
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

28 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Oceanian
5 years ago

Emma still has (potentially) five events left to swim in so a good decision to manage her programme if she is not 100%.

I look forward to hearing from the US & AUS (and other?) medical teams as to the actual nature of any illnesses rather than ‘Dr Guess’ and ‘Nurse Conjecture’ in these threads.

Ben
Reply to  Oceanian
5 years ago

At the very least, it’ll save her 200 free energy for the relay.

Oceanian
Reply to  Ben
5 years ago

relay(s) – potentially four of them for her to swim on – all with good chances of medals

sven
5 years ago

I am selectively interpreting this to mean that she and Ledecky have tied in this event for the second WC in a row. #unprecedented #twinning

nlm78
5 years ago

Quick question because I can’t remember (well be bothered to look up) the rule for replacements. If McKeon doesn’t improve with her health and decides to pull out of the 100m Freestyle heats (say the day before the heats), can they replace her with another person? Or will Australia only have Cate as their only competitor?

Zanna
Reply to  nlm78
5 years ago

Only Cate

nlm78
Reply to  Zanna
5 years ago

Thanks!

Caleb
5 years ago

she’s obviously faking it, just doesn’t want to lose again

Tm71
5 years ago

Interesting how the keyboard warriors (aka losers) aren’t saying McKeown is making an excuse. For a world class swimmer to skip an even there has to be a good reason especially if the swimmer if swimming multiple events kind KL and McKeown!

skip
Reply to  Tm71
5 years ago

mckeon and mckeown are 2 different swimmers. mckeon withdrew from the 200 free. mckeown is entered in 100 and 200 back.

Cayley
5 years ago

Please, don’t forget that the swimmer they lost to in 2017 is competing: the one and only, the lioness from Verona! Federica Pellegrini. This post is an insult to her and all the other great athletes.

13 % Chinese person
Reply to  Cayley
5 years ago

At this rate she may have her pick of dance partners . All competition is going out on a gurney . Long live Queen Rica .

Zanna
5 years ago

Oh my..

Nswim
5 years ago

The silver medal curse has struck. That Worlds medal from last time is most definitely cursed

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

Read More »