2024 SC Worlds Previews: Russian Athletes Join The Fight For Medals In Men’s Relays

2024 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 10-15, 2024
• Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
• SCM (25m)
• Meet Central
• Roster Index
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

2024 Short course world championships will begin tomorrow. While we wait, let’s analyze the possible relay team compositions and make our predictions based on absences, returning athletes, and performances from this season.

The previous edition in Melbourne saw just three countries sharing all the medals of men’s relay: United States, Italy and Australia. This time the landscape looks very similar apart from some “new” contenders as swimmers from Russia’s neutral athlete team.

4×100 FREE 

• World Record: 3:02.75 – Italy (Alessandro Miressi, Paolo Conte Bonin, Leonardo Deplano, Thomas Ceccon), Melbourne 2022
• Championship Record: 3:02.75 – Italy (Alessandro Miressi, Paolo Conte Bonin, Leonardo Deplano, Thomas Ceccon), Melbourne 2022
• 2022 SC World Champion: Italy

In Melbourne, Italy made history by winning the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay, setting both the world and championship records with a time of 3:02.75. The team, composed of Alessandro Miressi (46.15), Paolo Conte Bonin (45.93), Leonardo Deplano (45.54), and Thomas Ceccon (45.13), resulted in a dominant performance which left the competition field way back.

As the World Championships in Budapest approach, the USA team will likely field a lineup with some adjustments. While the Americans claimed bronze in 2022, they are expected to make changes for 2024. With the absence of Hunter Armstrong, who could have provided valuable support, the USA will rely on swimmers like Jack Alexy and Chris Giuliano, who swam magnificent times in long course during the past summer and with newcomers possibly contributing to the relay. Kieran Smith and Carson Foster may also be part of the relay as much as Shaine Casas, but will have to face the tricky schedule which sees the 200 IM in the same session of 4×100 free.

Italy, meanwhile, will face the challenge of competing without half of the 2022 gold medal lineup. Both Thomas Ceccon and Paolo Conte Bonin are missing from the Budapest roster, but Italy can still count on the leadership of Alessandro Miressi and Leonardo Deplano, both of whom will be aiming to maintain Italy’s high standards in the relay. They will be joined by Giovanni Caserta, who was part of the Olympic team, and Carlos D’Ambrosio, another standout swimmer from Italy’s recent results. While Italy is not at full strength, their new talents will try to be contenders for a podium finish.

Russia’s Neutral Athlete team will also be a serious threat in Budapest. Despite the absence of their top swimmer, Kliment Kolesnikov, the team can still rely on Egor Kornev and Dmitrii Zhavoronkov, who come into the event with personal bests of 45.97 and 46.69, respectively, both set last November during the national championships in St. Petersburg. There Aleksandr Shchegolev who enters the 200 free touched in 46.71  placing the fourth behind the three just mentioned. These swimmers, combined with potential additions like Andrei Minakov, who has a 46.56 personal best, could give Russia a strong shot at a medal,.

Australia faces a challenge as well, with the absence of Kyle Chalmers, who is a key figure often guaranting a sub-45-second leg. Despite this, the Aussies are not to be underestimated. Matthew Temple, who was part of the 2022 squad, will return and swimmers like Edward Sommerville, Harrison Turner, and Maximillian Giuliani could step up to fill the gaps in the team. While the Australians may not be quite as strong as they were in 2022, they remain a serious contender.

As we look ahead to Budapest, the USA appears to be in the best shape overall, given their versatility and depth. Italy will still be a major force, provided Miressi and Deplano can deliver their best performances. Russia, though missing Kolesnikov, will be dangerous, and Australia, while facing some key absences, should not be ruled out.

SwimSwam’s Picks — Top Four

4×200 FREE

• World Record: 6:44.12 USA (Kieran Smith, Carson Foster, Trenton Julian, Drew Kibler, Melbourne 2022
• Championship Record: 6:44.12 USA (Kieran Smith, Carson Foster, Trenton Julian, Drew Kibler, Melbourne 2022
• 2022 SC World Champion: USA

At Melbourne’s world championships the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay saw the United States dominate, setting both the world and championship record with a time of 6:44.12. This performance featuring Kieran Smith, Carson Foster, Trenton Julian, and Drew Kibler, left Australia behind with a gap of 2seconds, with a team led by Kyle Chalmers and Mack Horton.

In the hungarian pool the USA will likely return with a near-identical lineup, aiming to defend their title. The key athletes—Luke Hobson, Kieran Smith, and Carson Foster—will all swim in the Duna Arena. As Luke Hobson will be the new member respect to Melbourne, Trenton Julian will probably confirm his position to pursue another gold medal.

Australia, on the other hand, will have a difficult time replicating their past performance without all the members who helped winning the silver medal in 2022. The lineup will feature Edward Sommerville without any doubt. The 19 year-old became the national champion and new australian record holder of the 200 free in October, swimming a time of 1:40.64. As Sommerville will be the leader of the team, Maximillian Giuliani will follow, showing up with a best time of 1:41.39 from the Australian championships. Swimmers like Elijah Winnington, who excels in the 400m freestyle will probably be considered as well as 100m freestyler Turner Harrison.

Italy’s chances will largely depend on the form of their emerging stars. The team could include Carlos D’Ambrosio, who recently set a personal best of 1:43.66 in Riccione, alongside Alberto Razzetti, Filippo Megli, and Davide Dalla Costa, all of whom performed in less than a 0.5s gap in their national championships. With the experience of Razzetti and Megli, Italy has the potential to challenge for a medal, but they will all have to go under 1:42.

SwimSwam’s Picks — Top Four

4×100 MEDLEY

• World Record: 3:18.98 – Australia (Cooper, Yong, Temple, Chalmers) = USA (Murphy, Fink, Julian, Smith), Melbourne 2022
• Championship Record: 3:18.98 – Australia (Cooper, Yong, Temple, Chalmers) = USA (Murphy, Fink, Julian, Smith), Melbourne 2022
• 2022 SC World Champion: Australia, USA

Looking back at Melbourne’s world championships the men’s 4×100 medley relay was one of the most astonishing races to watch. Australia and United States both touched the wall first in a new world record of 3:18.98, followed by Italy who estabilished a new european record in 3:19.06, just 0.08s behind the two teams. Most of members of these relays will be in Budapest trying to achieve another excellent performance.

United States could be the biggest uknown between previous edition’s medalists as will be lacking the best backstroker and breastroker of the country. Without Ryan Murphy and Nic Fink swimming times like 48.96 in the 100m back and 54.88 in the breastroke leg, US team will struggle in the first part of the race. Observing the field in fact, the other three teams most likely to win a medal will line up some of the fastest backstrokers and breastrokers in Budapest.

United States will probably substitute Murphy with Shaine Casas, who has a personal best of 48.84, and Fink with Michael Andrew, who is entered in both 50 and 100 breastroke and owns a lifetime best of 57.24. The flyer could be Dare Rose with Zach Harting likely start off in the heats.

The most interesting team will actually be the NAB (Neutral athletes B), the Russian approved swimmers. The delegation will show up with the strogest backstronger of the moment, as Miron Lifincev will be in Budapest, seeded with the best time of the season (49.26). In the breastroke leg they have Kirill Prigoda, the world record holder of 200m breast in short course who will return to internationa competitions with an entry time of 55.95 in the 100m breast, putting him in the top 3. Andrei Minakov and Roman Shevliakov will battle up for a spot in the fly leg as they will be both swim the 100m fly, with entry times of 49.71 and 49.81.

The reigning champions together with the americans is Australia. The dolphins will line up almost the same team as 2022 with only Chalmers missing. Isaac Cooper, Joshua Yong and Matthew Temple will all swim in Budapest and will try to replicate their performance as they went 49.46/55.55/48.34/44.63. The anchor will be the hardest to match, and the one who may take Chalmers’s position is Edward Sommerville who enters the 100m free with a time of 46.84.

In conclusion there’s Italy, the euroepan record holders and bronze medal in Melbourne 2022. At the previous edition the team was composed by Lorenzo Mora (49.48), Nicolo Martinenghi (55.52), Matteo Rivolta (48.50) and Alessandro Miressi (45.56). This time the olympic champion in 100m breast Martinenghi won’t be there to help Italy, same as the national record holder Rivolta who retired in January. Italy can count on several excellent breastroker though, as they already have Simone Cerasuolo, 5th seed in 100m breast with 56.28 and Ludovico Viberti with 56.86. Italian flyer will probably be one between Simone Stefanì and Michele Busa who swam respectively 50.15 and 50.30 at the last national championships in November. Lorenzo Mora and Alessandro Miressi will be the leader and the anchor of this relay, trying to get Italy another medal.

SwimSwam’s Picks — Top Four