Women’s 200 freestyle race footage is courtesy of swimswam partner Universal Sports Network.
Swimswam / Braden Keith coverage of the 200 freestyle at the 2013 FINA World Championships:
Missy Franklin has been nothing but golden at this meet. Though she scratched the 50 backstroke semifinal, her most vulnerable event, she is now three-for-three in finals with gold medals, swimming a 1:54.81 for victory in the women’s 200 free. This one was the best of the group, however, as it was her first lifetime best of the meet so far. That means she broke a full second off of her 17-18 National Age Group Record set at the Olympics last year.
Italy’s Federica Pellegrini once again had a big closing kick, about what we saw from her in the semi-finals, and found herself back on the podium in 1:55.14. She was unable to repeat her gold medal from 2011, but after the year she had in 2012, that silver medal will feel really good around her neck.
France’s Camille Muffat, the Olympic Champion, took bronze in 1:55.72, and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was 4th in 1:56.63.
Spain’s Melanie Costa-Schmid was 5th in 1;57.04, missing her Spanish Record from the semi’s, and the top 8 were rounded out by Australia’s Kylie Palmer (1:57.14), American Shannon Vreeland (1:57.41), and the second Frenchwoman Charlotte Bonnet (1:57.56).
Full women’s 200 free finals results available here.
I honestly believe Missy learned a thing or two from Katie and the payoff was pure gold.