Above, see video highlights and post-race comments from swimmers in the men’s 200 free, including winner Cameron McEvoy, whose magnificent swim was slightly overshadowed by the comeback heroics of 34-year old legend Grant Hackett, who earned a spot on the World Championships relay.
Even better for Hackett fans, he says that despite his 1:46, he thinks he can drop “a chunk” of time between now in Worlds with improved starts, turns, and a more patient stroke.
Report below via Jeff Grace
Men’s 200 freestyle – Finals
With the line-up set in the men’s 200 freestyle final it was easy to predict that there would be great storylines and exciting racing, it did not disappoint.
20 year old Cameron McEvoy led the race from start to finish taking the event in a time of 1:45.94. His time puts him on top of the world rankings surpassing Yannick Agnel who posted a 1:45.97 earlier this week.
400 freestyle champion David McKeon made a push in the final 50 meters to try to catch McEvoy, but was unsuccessful eventually finishing second in a time of 1:46.33 which is good enough for fourth in the world rankings.
Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist Thomas Fraser-Holmes and teammate Grant Hackett had an extremely exciting battle for the bronze. Fraser-Holmes turned 15 one-hundredths ahead of Hackett at the 50, 12 one-hundredths of a second at the 100 and 14 one-hundredths of a second at the 150.
Hackett almost took over the medal winning position, but fell one one-hundredth short of that feat. Fraser-Holmes took the bronze in a time of 1:46.83 followed by Hackett who touched in a time of 1:46.84.
2014-2015 LCM Men 200 Free
GUY
1.45.14
View Top 26»2 Sun
YANGCHN 1.45.20 08/04 3 Ryan
LOCHTEUSA 1.45.36 08/03 4 Paul
BIEDERMANNGER 1.45.38 08/04 5 Kousuke
HAGINOJPN 1.45.82 04/09 6 Sebastiaan
VERSCHURENNED 1.45.91 08/04
All four men were under the FINA standard of 1:47.31 which means that Hackett has accomplished the first significant goal of his comeback, making the Australian national team. Hackett, who will swim on the 4 x 200 freestyle relay, will be competing at his sixth World Championships.
Daniel Smith finished fifth in a time of 1:47.27 followed by Kurt Hezog (1:47.77), Ned McKendry (1:48.03) and Jacob Hansford (1:48.73).
hackett’s progress has been incredible. A little over a year ago he was nowhere near a pool and in stillnox rehab – now he’s making world championship team in meet #3 in 200 free? Love our US swimmer comebacks but they were in 50 Fr. . And remember Thorpe’s highly publicized comeback effort – nothing close to these results. If Hackett carries forward this trajectory into Rio look out.
Hackett is the man!
This is a barrier shifting comeback. Before Gary Hall Jr’s age 30 gold medal and before Dara Torres, many thought that being elite in your 30s was impossible. Now we have a sport where 4/8 of the finalists in the men’s 50 free in 2013 world champs were in their 30s.
Even after this wave of old vets showing continued success, many probably thought “only sprinters can stay competitive”. As far as I know, Hackett is the only distance swimmer to be this successful into his mid 30s. Hopefully this trend will only continue.
Here is race video of the 200 free:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdBNPEdAKtA
you the real MVP
had the opportunity to meet Grant and talk with him at the dual In the pool in Indianapolis when I was a kid.so glad to see you back in swimming!
Hackett, wow, what an amazing talent. Great to see him back.
Very happy for Hackett. He looks tan, rested, and ready. Would be great if he busted out a 1:44.0 in the relay.
Wow, that seems like it makes Australia the favorite for the 4×200 relay. The USA should be right in there if Phelps gets reinstated, but if not, it’s going to take a breakout swim or two by one the USA relay-only swimmers (Malone, McLean, Weiss, and Youngquist) to give them a realistic shot at gold. Or…another epic Australia relay collapse. But right now, sure looks good for the team from Down Under.
Lately, Australia men relays did not seem to be performing well when marked as favorite:
men 4×100 free in 2012 London and 2013 Barcelona
men 4×200 in 2013 barcelona who should have fought for medal but instead not even qualified to final
men 4×200 last year who on paper (combined times of its top four swimmers) should have won Pan Pacs and yet lost to USA and Japan.
This makes for one very tough 4×2 relay. I would love to watch Grant win a medal on the relay to set him up nicely for another in Rio! This guy has been competing internationally since 1997! What an incredibly gifted athlete!