2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
- Omega Results
- Pick ’em Contest
- Event-by-Event Previews
It took more than three years, but Veronika Popova has finally lowered her own Russian record in the 200 freestyle with a 1:55.08 in semifinals at the 2017 World Championships.
Popova set the record back in May of 2014 at the Russian Championships with a 1:55.98. But she spent three years trying to crack the record again, recently coming as close as 1:55.97 at the Mare Nostrum meet in Barcelona last summer. But she broke through in a big way tonight, going 1:55.08 to smash almost a full second off her record and take the third qualifying spot out of semifinals in Budapest.
Popova swam in what was by far the faster semifinal of the two. She rolled along with Katie Ledecky (1:54.69) and Emma McKeon (1:54.99) to take third in the heat, and all three beat the winner of the second semifinal, world record-holder Federica Pellegrini (1:55.58).
Popova will head into tomorrow night’s final in a medal position, hoping for Russia’s first-ever World Championships medal in the women’s 200 freestyle.
