Headed To Hangzhou: Dahlia Could Capture Triple Gold

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, December 11th – Sunday, December 16th
• Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center, Hangzhou, China
• SCM
• Provisional Entry List

Without fly queen Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden and Pan Pacs champion Rikako Ikee of Japan among the competitors headed to Hangzhou, the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m fly events may prove to be some of the most surprising races of the meet.

Although Dutch Olympian Ranomi Kromowidjojo holds one of only two sub-25 second 50m fly of the field set to compete, it’s a furious race to the wall in which anything can happen.

American Kelsi Dahlia collected multiple fly medals at this meet in Windsor in 2016 and has had a stellar 2018 already with an American Record in the 100m fly. But, Hungarian Katinka Hosszu comes in as the defending gold medalist and may seek to her dual fly titles in the 100 and 200 and add to her historic career medal count.

Women’s 50 Butterfly:

• World Record – 24.38, Therese Alshammar (SWE), 2009
• SC World Championships Record – 24.58, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014 Doha
• 2016 Champion – 24.92, Jeanette Ottesen (DEN)

As in the 50m free and 100m free throughout this year’s World Cup Series, Kromowidjojo went back-and-forth with Sjostrom in this sprint fly race. Kromo’s personal best and world-leading effort of 24.51 from the Series added a textile World Record to the Dutch Olympian’s resume, with her time sitting only 2nd in history to the suited 24.38 thrown down by Therese Alshammar back in 2009.

At the 2016 edition of these Short Course World Championships, Kromo was entered to swim the 50m, but wound up not swimming it, so we’ll get to see her try to follow-up her 2017 Short Course European Championships title with her first World Championships gold in this SCM event in Hangzhou.

But she won’t be the only racer carrying a sub-25 second time into the competition, as USA’s Kelsi Dahlia busted out a near-personal best of 24.97 to land as the 4th ranked swimmer in the world this season.

The former Louisville Cardinal and NCAA champion holds a personal best and American Record of 24.94 from the heats in Windsor, but wound up touching in 25.27 in the final that year to claim silver behind Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen. Dahlia’s heats effort has her listed as the 9th fastest performer of all-time and with another sub-25 under her belt from Budapest, the 24-year-old is on the right path for a medal.

China’s Zhang Yufei notched a personal best of 25.31 already this season, while Kromo’s teammate Maaike De Waard was just .01 behind with a season-best of 25.32. She’s been as fast as 25.24 just last year and wound up taking Short Course European Championships bronze in 25.46.

Russia’s Rozaliya Nasretdinova also collected a personal best of 25.37 this season, while Aussie stalwart Holly Barratt should be in the mix with her 11th ranked time in the world of 25.61.

Predictions for Women’s 50 Butterfly:

Women’s 100 Butterfly:

• World Record – 54.61, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014
• SC World Championships Record – 54.61, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2014 Doha
• 2016 Champion – 55.12, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

Dahlia is hungry for gold in this 100m fly event after finishing with the silver behind Hungarian Katinka Hosszu back in 2016. The American has already busted out a new personal best, World Cup and American Record of 54.84 to sit as the 2nd fastest swimmer ever in the event. Only World Record holder Sjostrom has been faster with her mark of 54.61.

Dahlia registered the only sub-55 second time of 2018 of those competing in Hangzhou, which means if she’s on form, it will be her race to lose. But, if Hosszu indeed races the event, we all know of what the Iron Lady is capable when it comes to collecting the top prize in any event she swims. She holds a personal best and National Record effort of 55.12 that gave her gold in Windsor, so the seasoned veteran has history on her side.

Fellow stars n’ stripes swimmer Kendyl Stewart also threw down a personal best in this 100m fly event this year, notching a mighty 56.47 to check-in among the top 25 performers in history. Ahead of her in terms of personal bests, however, are Svetlana Chimrova of Russia and Kimberly Buys of Belgium. Both National Record holders, Russian Chimrova owns a PB of 45.39, while Belgium’s Buys carries a career-fastest of 56.44.

Japan may see a finalist in the top 8 in Ikee’s absence in the form of Ai Soma. The 21-year-old has been making strides in this event, notching a lifetime best of 57.19 en route to qualifying for Hangzhou.

Predictions for Women’s 100 Butterfly:

Women’s 200 Butterfly:

• World Record –1:59.61, Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 2014
• SC World Championships Record – 1:59.61, Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 2014 Doha
• 2016 Champion – 2:02.15, Katinka Hosszu (HUN)

The 2016 Short Course World Champion Hosszu is also leading the world heading into Hangzhou with her 2:02.86 effort from the World Cup Series. Hosszu is in fact the only swimmer in the world with a sub-2:03 time, as China’s Zhang Yufei resides in the #2 spot with a mark of 2:03.09, a lifetime best. That’s a significant jump ahead of what Zhang produced in 2016, a 2:05.10 for bronze.

American Dahlia will certainly be in the mix for a medal, carrying a solid 2:03.31 into the event, but holding the American Record and PB of 2:02.89 from 2016. That mark gave her the silver behind Hosszu and she has potential to take at least the 100/200 fly double in Hangzhou.

Japan will have two strong competitors in Suzuka Hasegawa and Nao Kobayashi. The former has only been as fast as 2:04.36 this year, but holds a career-fastest of 2:02.96, the 3rd quickest among the field. Kobayashi collected a PB this year in 2:05.51 and may now be hitting her prime at a later 25 years of age.

Predictions for Women’s 200 Butterfly: