Men’s 1500 Free Final Goes Full European

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tomorrow’s 1500m freestyle final for the men is a European-only affair, as swimmers stemming from off the continent, including Ameria’s Jordan Wilimovsky, Vietnam’s Huy Hoang Nguyen and Australia’s Jack McLoughlin finished outside the top 8.

Leading the pack is the defending gold medalist Gregorio Paltrinieri, the man who crushed a new European Championships Record in the 800m free for gold earlier in the meet. Paltirnieri cruised to the top seed in a time of 14:45.80, with Germany’s Florian Wellbrock just behind in 14:47.52.

Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk, the 2017 silver medalist in this event, lurks as the 3rd seed in 14:47.54, while NC State-bound 19-year-old Alexander Norgaard posted a huge new Danish National Record in 14:47.75.

Along with the aforementioned names missing from the final is the World Record holder Sun Yang of China, who has all but officially said good-bye to this event, while the 2017 bronze medalist from Budapest, Mack Horton of Australia, as done the same.

As such, we are seeing the following 8 swimmers heading to the final tomorrow night.

TOP 8- FINALS QUALIFIERS

  1. Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)- 14:45.80
  2. Florian Wellbrock (GER)- 14:47.52
  3. Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR)- 14:47.54
  4. Alexander Norgaard (DEN)- 14:47.75
  5. Henrik Christiansen (NOR)- 14:50.28
  6. Domenico Acerenza (ITA)- 14:52.03
  7. David Aubry (FRA)- 14:53.38
  8. Sergii Frolov (UKR)- 14:55.06

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Siobhan
5 years ago

Yet the American women continue to be great in distance freestyle: Katie Ledecky, Kate Ziegler, Janet Evans, Brooke Bennett, Tiffany Cohen. Why the men have fallen off is rather strange.

Dcswim
Reply to  Siobhan
5 years ago

The women have had the 1500 WR for 40 years on August 19th. When was the last time the men held it or even the 800? 1976, and only for three years…

PowerPlay
5 years ago

US men haven’t really improved since 1976. The world has passed them by. Talented US distance swimmers should go train in Europe or Australia.

Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

Never go full-on European.

Swimmomtoo
5 years ago

Build more meter pools, get rid of American unit system, go international! It will not only help US swimming on the world stage, it will help US in general. How backward it is to still use yard/mile/pound/pint!

Aflyer
5 years ago

NCAA heavily focuses on sprinting. Less attention on long distance

Man of Steel
5 years ago

EU! EU! EU!

Man of Steel
Reply to  Man of Steel
5 years ago

Doesn’t have the same ring to it…

woods
5 years ago

You never go full European…

Randy
5 years ago

What happened to Zane Grothe?

Philip Johnson
Reply to  Randy
5 years ago

MIA

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