James Magnussen 100 Freestyle Race Plan – Video

Swimswam / Braden Keith coverage of men’s 100 freestyle semi final at the 2013 FINA World Championships:

Whatever funk, illness, or whatever has plagued American Nathan Adrian through his first two swims in the Palau seems to have been shaken; he came out for this semi-final looking very focused and comfortable as he won heat 1 in 47.95. That puts him as the top overall seed. But his wasn’t even the best bounce-back story of these semi-finals.

Immediately afterward, Longhorn Aquatics’ Jimmy Feigen stepped onto the blocks and won heat 2 in 48.07 – the best swim he’s had of this meet after getting a lot of criticism for his performance on the men’s 400 free relay. The ability to channel his struggles into that sort of swim speaks well for his future as a professional athlete, where that sort of amnesia is a huge hallmark of success.

They weren’t the only two that recovered from poor prelims swims; Brazil’s Marcelo Chierighinibarely snuck into the 100 free semi-final as the 15th seed, but will be 3rd in the finals with a 48.11 behind Feigen.

Vlad Morozov and James Magnussen were matching 48.20′s, with Magnussen playing with fire a little bit after having easily taken the top swim in the morning. That means the four big favorites coming into the meet, plus Feigen, will hold center stage.

France’s Fabien Gilot, who was great in France’s 400 free relay victory, is the 6th seed in 48.21, followed by Australian Cameron McEvoy in 48.43 and Italy’s Luca Dotto in just 48.46. With the way this race came in seeded, nobody would have guessed that a 48.46 would have final’ed, but alas it did.

That means Cuba’s Hanser Garcia, whose potential has so many swim fans in the western hemisphere excited, failed to advance to the finals with a 48.54 for 11th, as did the Netherlands’Sebastiaan Verschuren, who scratched the 200 free final earlier in the meet to focus on this event. Verschuren was tied for 13th in 48.73.

Full men’s 100 freestyle semifinals results here.

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Sprinter
10 years ago

Morozov will win the 50 no doubt. Going out in a 21.94 ON THE FEET, is absurd.

PAC12BACKER
10 years ago

He sounds reasonably confident but no real insight here or emotion. I’d like to see a swimmer do an in your face interview like the heavyweight boxers used to do, Ali or Tyson. Or like Mr. T in Rocky. “I pity the fool!”. What’s your prediction for the race? “Prediction?… PAIN!!”

mcgillrocks
Reply to  PAC12BACKER
10 years ago

if anything in swimming, we need more rivalries. i mean we still have to be nice to each other as a whole, but in some sense missy franklin and cate campell hugging each other regardless of placing and time is not the most exciting outcome

look at cavic and phelps in the 100 fly: it was bloodsport, cavic would run his mouth and say anything to provoke Phelps, and the media (I distinctly remember sportscenter showing Phelps’ 2009 100 fly) and then Phelps would fire back in the pool. I think a little good old fashioned animosity would make the sport a little more interesting for swimming fans, and non-swimming fans

WHOKNOWS
10 years ago

Then he will take one look at Adrian, and he will buckle!

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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