World Record holder Sarah Sjostrom turned in a successful FINA Champions Series, sweeping multiple events, winning the most individual golds. She brought home nearly $150,000 in six days of racing. We could thank FINA, but most commenters might agree, the thanks for these purse dollars should go to ISL, the International Swimming League.
Sjostrom’s not slowing down on her ramp-up to the 2019 World Championships. See recently turned in a 23.78 50m free at the Swedish Senior/Junior/Para Swimming Championships, making me nervous about my prediction that Simone Manuel will win the 50 free gold in Korea. See that prediction here.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – PREDICTIONS:
Sjostrom sweeps the 50-100 fly. I’d love to see two world records, 24.3-4 50m fly, 55.3-4 100m fly.
50 & 100 fly WORD RECORDS currently are – 24.43 and 55.48. (And see all World Records here.)
I’m sticking with my Simone prediction. I’m sticking with my big-meet-swimmer theory. Simone edges Sarah in the 50 and 100 free…but after that 23.78 from Sarah…….I’m nervous about the 50. And, yes, I do think I’ll get crushed in the comments on this one. What do you think?
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
Why are you so confident about Simone in the 50? I get the 100 but I have seen no indication that Simone has the pure speed to win that event. I mean that fact of the matter is Sarah will be going for the WR in that event and I do not see Simone going 23.6
Manuel is my pick for the 100 but she’ll need a lot of luck or a huge PB to win the 50. There are three women who are a long way (for a 50) ahead of her best 50 time. Granted Campbell is hit & miss and Blume has been injured, but I still think they, along worh Sjostrom, will have too much.
Sorry Mel, but Sarah has the 50 free locked down.
We need GMM for other interaction swimmers!
Sjostrom is so far ahead of the rest of the world in the sprint flies that she seems to have shifted more of her training towards the frees where she faces real competition. As such I expect her to win the 50 and 100 BFs easily, but not quite in WR time (especially if she opts to compete in the 200 fr).
As for the frees, I think she wins at least one of them(with the 50 being slightly more like than the 100), probably in WR time.
Didn’t we see that video a month ago?
I don’t know about Cate, it’s usually not good to be peeking two times in a short amount of time.. so we will see
Prediction
WOMEN 50 FREE
1. Sarah Sjostrom 23.62 WR
2. Pernille Blume 23.76
3. Cate Campbell 23.84
4. Simone Manuel 23.96 AR
5. Ranomi Kromo 24.12
6. Bronte Campbell 24.19
7. Maria Kameneva 24.26
8. Etiene Medeiros 24.43
WOMEN 100 FREE
1. Cate Campbell 51.97 – I think she is finally going to prove herself in a big international final after some struggles in recent ones (2015,2016)… Possibly back to 2013/2014 where she really performed in the finals
2. Simone Manuel 52.25 AR
3. Sarah Sjostrom 52.48
4. Pernille Blume 52.69
5. Emma McKeon 52.87
6. Mallory Comerford 52.89
7. Taylor Ruck 53.03
… Read more »
Love this deep dive on predictions!
McKeon will be way higher than 5th in 100 fly. Probably 2nd .