European Championships Preview – Women’s Individual Medley

200 IM

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor of Great Britain had a breakthrough competition at the Commonwealth Games winning gold in the 200 IM and silver in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly. The 18 year old  will plan to take that momentum and run with it in Berlin. O’Connor comes into the competition with a season and lifetime best of 2:08.21 in the 200 IM.

O’Connor has made some very impressive improvements in the 200 IM over the last season. She finished the 2013 season with a lifetime best time of 2:10.33, entering the games in Glasgow she had lowered that to a 2:09.63. Although she did compete at the Olympics, in the 100 breaststroke and the 2013 World Championships, O’Connor is still very green when it comes to major international competition, but as she showed in Glasgow she is more than ready to take on all comers.

Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands has a wealth of experience on the international stage, but primarily in the sprint freestyle events. Over the last year she has begun to focus on the 200 IM and has made a very successful transition, becoming a legitimate medal threat in the event. Heemskerk came into the 2014 season with a lifetime best of 2:13.13 and has dropped almost three full seconds, posting a 2:10.21 in April at the Swim Cup.

Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, who is the reigning world and two time European champion in this event, comes into Berlin with the third fastest time of the year having recorded a 2:10.60. Since her disappointment in London, where she finished eighth, Hosszu has taken the proverbial bull by the horns and dominated her competition in this event.

At last summer’s World Championships in Barcelona she posted a time of 2:07.92 winning the event by close to a second and a half over Olympic silver medalist Alicia Coutts. Hosszu is the favourite going into the championships, but there is a chance that O’Connor could give her a run for her money.

Aimee Willmott of Great Britain comes into the championships with a season’s best that is identical to Hosszu’s, having posted a 2:10.60 in April. Willmott, who is a more accomplished in the 400 IM, has taken strides forward in this event coming into the 2014 season with a lifetime best of 2:12.73. At the Commonwealth Games Willmott finished just outside the medals in fourth posting a time of 2:11.25.

Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain has the next fastest time of 2:11.26. The Spainiard’s success on the international stage over the past few years has been impressive and we are more than likely going to see more great performances in Berlin out of one of the most versatile swimmers in Europe. Belmonte has a lifetime best of 2:09.45, which she posted en route to collecting the bronze at the World Championships in Barcelona.

Evelyn Verraszto of Hungary has taken home hardware in this event at the past two European Championships, winning the silver in 2010 and the bronze in 2012. Verraszto comes into the competition with a season’s best time of 2:11.86. She does have a history of strong performances at this event and comes into Berlin with a lifetime best of 2:09.87, which she posted in 2009 and a textile best of 2:10.10 which she recorded in 2010.

My top six:

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 2:07.46 (2009)
2. Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (GBR) – 2:08.21 (2014)
3. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) – 2:09.45 (2013)
4. Femke Heemskerk (NED) – 2:10.21 (2014)
5. Aimee Willmott (GBR) – 2:10.60 (2014)
6. Evelyn Verraszto (HUN) – 2:09.87 (2009)

400 IM

The top ranked European in this event will be bypassing the championships. Hannah Miley of Great Britain, who won the Commonwealth Games in a time of 4:31.76, has chosen not to participate in Berlin.

With Miley out of the meet Mireia Belmonte Garcia goes into the championships with the season’s fastest time of 4:32.92, which she posted in April. Belmonte has a lifetime best of 4:31.21, which she recorded last year at the World Championships where she earned the silver finishing behind Katinka Hosszu.

The key for Belmonte in this event will be how close she can keep her competitors going into the final 100 meters. The Spaniard is one of the best distance freestylers in the world and if she has Hosszu in her sights after the breaststroke she could cause an upset.

Aimee Willmott, who earned the silver behind Miley in Glasgow posting a 4:33.01, will be heading into Berlin with the second fastest time of the season. Willmott competed in this event at the 2012 Olympics and finished ninth at the 2013 World Championships. She has made significant improvement in this event dropping more than five seconds off her time of 4:38.43 which she posted last summer.

Katinka Hosszu took this event at the 2012 European Championships and the 2013 World Championships. Hosszu comes into the event with a season’s best time of 4:33.80 and has a textile best of 4:30.41, which she posted en route to her victory in Barcelona.

Stefania Pirozzi comes into the competition with the fourth fastest time of the year having recorded a 4:36.75. The 20 year old Italian has limited experience on the international stage, but did compete in this event at both the 2012 Olympics and 2013 World Championships. She has made great improvement over the last year going from a 4:39.79 to a 4:36.75.

Catalina Corro Lorente of Spain comes in with the fifth fastest time of the season having posted a 4:39.57. Corro has dropped an incredible eight seconds off her personal best of 4:47.49 that she started the season with.

Hungarian Evelyn Verraszto is very well known for her ability in the 200 IM, competing in the event at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Since London Verrszato has put more of a focus on improving her 400 IM as well. She posted a lifetime best of 4:38.50 in 2013 and has a season’s best of 4:39.57.

Zsuzsanna Jakabos of Hungary has gone through a year which has been almostly completely focused on recovering from the shoulder surgery that she underwent in October. Jakabos has had great success at the European Championships in the past winning the bronze in the event in 2010 and the silver in 2012. She finished sixth at the 2013 World Championships last summer, posting a time of 4:34.50, but has only swam the event once since that point.

In June Jakabos recorded a 4:41.15 in Canet. If she is healthy and at the top of her game she could make the race for the bronze an interesting one.

My top six:

1. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 4:30.31 (2009)
2. Mireia Belmonte Garcia (ESP) – 4:31.21 (2013)
3. Aimee Willmott (GBR) – 4:33.01 (2014)
4. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN) – 4:34.50 (2013)
5. Stefani Pirozzi (ITA) – 4:36.75 (2014)
6. Catalina Corro Lorente – 4:39.57 (2014)