2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet site
- Competition Schedule
- FinaTV Live Stream
- Entry Lists
- Results
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Now 2 of the biggest favorites to medal in the event have both withdrawn. After American Katie Ledecky pulled out due to illness, Australia’s Emma McKeon has also withdrawn, according to Australian journalist Phil Lutton.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.
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.
At the very least, it’ll save her 200 free energy for the relay.
relay(s) – potentially four of them for her to swim on – all with good chances of medals
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
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?
Only Cate
Thanks!
she’s obviously faking it, just doesn’t want to lose again
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!
mckeon and mckeown are 2 different swimmers. mckeon withdrew from the 200 free. mckeown is entered in 100 and 200 back.
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.
At this rate she may have her pick of dance partners . All competition is going out on a gurney . Long live Queen Rica .
Oh my..
The silver medal curse has struck. That Worlds medal from last time is most definitely cursed