SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers to predict the top women’s 100 freestyler worldwide by the end of this summer’s season:
RESULTS
Question: Who will be the world’s top W100 freestyler by the end of the summer?
- Sarah Sjostrom – 47.9%
- Simone Manuel – 31.0%
- Cate Campbell – 15.6%
- Bronte Campbell – 1.8%
- Other – 3.7%
Almost half of voters predicted that Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom would hold the world’s fastest 100 freestyle time by the end of this summer’s season.
Sjostrom is the current world record-holder, and it makes sense for her to be a heavy favorite. She set that world record leading off the 4×100 free relay at Worlds last summer, but by the time the individual event rolled around, Sjostrom had already swum eight races over five days and lost to Simone Manuel.
Manuel got more than 30% of the votes. She’s pulled clutch upsets in each of the past two years, beating then-world-record-holder Cate Campbell at the 2016 Olympics and Sjostrom last summer. Cate Campbell got just 15% of the votes, and sister Bronte Campbell just 1.8%. Bronte will not compete at Pan Pacs as she’s nursing a shoulder injury. That’ll put a damper on her chances to put up the world’s fastest time, but she does currently lead the world.
Other candidates pulled almost 4% of the votes.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters to predict the world’s top 100 backstroker by the end of the summer on the men’s side:
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I’m not sure, feels like a bit of a down/building year for Sarah. Sure, 52.1-52.2 isn’t insane to believe considering her in season times. And Blume is looking good, so there could be a real push in that event at Euros. But so far this summer she has done nothing to suggest WR form.
It sounds like Sjostrom has just as much focus on the upcoming World Cup as the Euros. I think she wants to make some cash while she can. Next two years will be all about the championships.
Erika “Downtown” Brown for the Gold in 2020. Ya heard it here first.
I will predict that youngsters Ikee and/or Ruck will upset one or both Campbell and Manuel at Pan Pacs in this event…Sjostrom likely to out perform all out of Europe Champs.
Before Ruck surprises Simone / C1 on the 100 free , there will be at least one year or 2 gap time …..
Ikee won’t break 53 this summer.
Surprised only 2% opted for Bronte. Also, where is the Pernille Blume option? She just went 52.6 outside of her taper meet guys!
While Simone Manuel is very talented, her talent has been winning in clutch situations, not in having the fastest time.
The title of this article in no way says who will have the top time in the 100 free this year? It says who will be the top 100 reestyler. If Simone wins at Pan Pacs this summer….she will be the Olympic… World and Pan Pac Champion. She will hold all three titles in the 100 free. If you can’t race and beat Simone when it counts in the big meet…that’s a problem. I’m team Simone. Always. Let’s go.💪
“If Simone wins at Pan Pacs this summer….she will be the Olympic… World and Pan Pac Champion. She will hold all three titles in the 100 free.”
‘would love to see that:)
Top freestyler means the highest ranked freestyler, in rankings which go by time. C2 isn’t competing at Pan Pacs and Sjostrom isn’t even eligible to compete there, so winning pan pacs has nothing to do with this poll.
She was the fastest last year (and ever) Albeit not in the final at worlds.
Despite 52 27 is a half of second away from world record it is still exceptionally fast result in women swimming. Sarah Sjostrom was faster only two times and Cate Campbell only once. This time cannot be done casually. I don’t think that Simone Manuel will make new personal best this season. So there is a very good chance that the result of Bronte Campbell will stay as the #1 this season.
Sjostrom will hit 51 at Euro’s I’m guessing like 51.9… idk if anyone is gonna touch that disgusting 51.7 for a little while
Why will she swim 51.9 if 52.3 – 52.4 will be enough to win Euro championship?
If she made once 51.7 it doesn’t mean that she can swim close to this time whenever she wants.
Why not?
Because swimming under 52 sec is very hard and requires special conditions. Just two years ago nobody would even think it was possible.
Cate Campbell’s 52.06 was a swim from the future and then she returned back to her 52.3 area. Sjostrom’s crazy 2017 season gave us this wr that will stay as long as her 50 fly achievement. With the slightest deviation from her form she bounced back to 52.3 in the championship race. She commented that it was like having a refrigerator on her back. This season that has only European championships as major meet she is in 52 middle form. To swim under 52 sec requires special training and motivation. It could happen should Cate Campbell… Read more »
She went 52.30 with a reaction time of 0.36 at Swedish nationals yesterday, and she is not even in form. Excited to see what times she will do at European championships 😀
Isn’t that a false start?
That was her reaction time for a takeover. You’re allowed a -0.03 reaction time in relay takeovers.
It was her split in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Would like to see an article on this if possible!
When did this happen?
At the Swedish nationals!