While many of the headlines about the Doha 2024 ad hoc World Championship meet in February has surrounded who isn’t going to be there, at least one big name has committed to attend.
2023 World Champion Cam McEvoy became one of the first swimmers to confirm his attendance for the World Championships this week, at the same time as swimming 22.00 in the 50 free at the Queensland Long Course Preparation Meet in Brisbane.
McEvoy was one of the biggest stories of the 2022-2023 international swimming season. The 29-year-old who says his goal is to work at NASA one disappeared from swimming after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He didn’t race an official meet for almost 15 months from July 2021 through October 2022, but returned to the pool for his first World Championship, in the 50 free, and the best time of his career.
Swimming Australia has offered automatic qualification for Doha 2024 to any members of its 2023 World Championship team.
“Post Doha, McEvoy will immediately re-set his priorities on a fourth Olympic campaign for Paris at the Australian Trials next June,” Swimming Queensland said in a press release.
McEvoy stands in contrast to the many swimmers who have already announced that they’ll skip the meet. Romania’s David Popovici, the World Record holder in the 100 free, is sitting it out. So too is Britain’s Adam Peaty, the World Record holder in the 100 breast, along with many British teammates like James Guy, though those statements were made over a year ago in response to their displeasure with the World Aquatics scheduling.
The United States is sending a maximum of 14 men and 14 women to the meet, which as a result will mean some stars staying home as well.
The meet in Doha was originally scheduled for the 2023 World Championships, part of a chain reaction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the Tokyo Olympics were postponed until 2021, that pushed the Fukuoka World Championships to 2022. Japan wasn’t quite ready to host the meet in 2022, though, and so a World Championship was added in Budapest that year. This pushed Fukuoka back to 2023, and Doha back to the 2024 Olympic year.
Many called for Doha to simply be rescheduled for 2025, a meet that was originally awarded to Kazan, Russia – which seems unlikely to be allowed to host a World Championship anytime soon after its invasion of Ukraine. Instead, the 2025 meet was reassigned to Singapore, meaning long course World Championships in four consecutive years rather than their usual every-other-year pattern.
Great chance to go after a PR and WR without any real pressure at a B World Championship. No one is within .5 seconds of him right now.
Does his new training routine lend itself to shorter tapers because he’s not doing as much mileage? If so, it could mean he’ll be still fine to be in peak form twice in a year. Plus it gives him another crack at the WR. Presumably, that’s his real goal
I would think so, more racing is better.
Smart.
50 free requires more quality races to be sharp.
I recall reading that 2023 was all about finding speed and that he’ll build up his training and swim the 100 in 2024. McEvoy always had good natural endurance for a sprinter. He did go 1.45 in the 200 a few times. He won’t get back to that level of endurance but if he gets close and with his newfound speed he could be a major factor in the 100 again.
he isnt focusing on the 100 only the 50 free but he will be a heat swimmer in the 100
That’s not what he said earlier this year.
That’s not what he said:
As for his long-term goals, he said his aim for the Paris 2024 Olympics as simply being as fast as he can in the 50 and 100 freestyles in addition to being a “valuable asset” for the Aussie 4×100 free relay team.
“We have insane depth in that event, and to be a part of that not only would be amazing to be in that team environment but also to be part of a team that has the potential to go forth and win a gold medal in that event,” he said of the 4×100 free relay. “So effectively everything we’re doing as a team is just trying to optimize that when that time comes.”… Read more »
he wont try for the 100
So, you’re accusing mcEvoy of lying?
🤔
When he says he’s only aiming for a relay spot he’s just trying to take the pressure off. He’s going to have to swim the 100 at trials even if he thinks he can do no better than earn a relay spot. But let’s say he finishes first or second, do you really think he will decline to swim it individually?
Not sure he’ll necessarily swim the 100 through the rounds unless he’s somehow producing sub48s in season.
More likely,he will look to put down a “marker” in the heats (as is likely to be the case with Chalmers with the 200).
I would not underestimate a guy who is as talented as he is and has a lifetime best of 47.04.
wonder if he will take a crack at 100 as well as 50?
Doesn’t have the 100 QT yet and even if he gets the QT at QLD Champs in December the selection criteria prioritises athletes that swam the 100 at 2023 trials and 2023 worlds.
Will depend on:
– what further work hemay have done for 100
– if indeed he still has any interest on pursuing a 4X100 given the new generation that stepped up in 2023
Even if these are Yes; will Chalmers and others put their hand up for Doha and will AUS field a relay given they’re already qualified ?
If he aims for the 4×100 it will be for Paris not Doha.
Agree.
If he already has a ticket for the 50 and no one else who has the QT wants to swim it at worlds, I presume they would just let him do it? Assuming he has at least the B cut.
I see no reason why not. The only swimmers that have the SA QT (48.06) are Chalmers, Southam and Cartwright.
As for his long-term goals, he said his aim for the Paris 2024 Olympics as simply being as fast as he can in the 50 and 100 freestyles in addition to being a “valuable asset” for the Aussie 4×100 free relay team.
“We have insane depth in that event, and to be a part of that not only would be amazing to be in that team environment but also to be part of a team that has the potential to go forth and win a gold medal in that event,” he said of the 4×100 free relay. “So effectively everything we’re doing as a team is just trying to optimize that when that time comes.”
https://swimswam.com/how-rock-climbing-helped-inspire-cam-mcevoys-new-approach-to-sprint-freestyle-training/
Dang, I thought it was gonna be SMU.
Me too. I thought Doha was out of scholarship money.
Was he ever so super excited to announce this on Instagram, and did he thank his parents, coaches, and teammates for their unwavering support as he looks forward to this exciting next chapter?
What?