2018 Euros: Hosszu Drops 200 Back To Battle O’Connor In 200 IM

2018 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Multiple Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu of Hungary was already carrying a pared down event schedule into Glasgow, but the 29-year-old has scaled it back even further.

Hosszu has competed in the women’s 100m backstroke at these European Championships, where she finished off the podium in 4th (59.64) and she’s currently ranked 2nd headed into tonight’s 200m IM final behind Britain’s Olympic silver medalist Siobhan Marie O’Connor. Hosszu was set to take on the 200m backstroke today as well, making it her 3rd individual event, but the Hungarian was a no-show for her heat, most likely choosing to conserve energy to take on O’Connor head-to-head in tonight’s 2IM final.

The pair dueled at the 2016 Olympic Games where Hosszu narrowly beat O’Connor for gold, topping the Brit 2:06.58 to 2:06.88. This year O’Connor has been as fast as 2:09.80 en route to taking the Commonwealth Games title.

Hosszu swam the 200m back at the LA Invite last month where she won the event in a time of 2:13.62, a mark that would have seen her into tonight’s semi. At that meet she also took the women’s 200m IM in a mark of 2:11.53, but has already been much faster here in Glasgow with a semi time of 2:10.49.

There is still one Hungarian remaining in the women’s 2back, as Katalin Burian sits 2nd seeded after the prelims in a time of 2:10.22 behind leader Daria K. Ustinova of Russia’s 2:08.89.

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About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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