2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
- Friday, July 29 – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
- Birmingham, England
- Sandwell Aquatic Center
- Start Times
- Prelims: 10:30 am local / 5:30 am ET
- Finals: 7:00 pm local / 2:00 pm ET
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Event Schedule
- Entry List
21-year-old Ariarne Titmus may have opted out of this year’s World Championships in Budapest, but the Aussie is now ready to rock at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
After contracting COVID-19 after the Australian International Team Trials, the women’s 400m freestyle world record holder explains how ‘she is finally feeling back to herself’, just in time to potentially produce something special in Birmingham.
“I think I’ve got some really good work in,” says the Dean Boxall-trained Titmus. “I’ve made some shifts and I’m feeling really good for Comm Games. I think I’ve improved in some areas since Trials.”
At this year’s Aussie Trials this past May, Titmus put up a super strong 200m free outing of 1:53.31, a mark less than half a second off of the world record and just .22 away from her 1:53.09 national record clocked in 2021.
But her groundbreaking performance came in the 400m, where she took down a legendary Katie Ledecky (USA) world record with a monster result of 3:56.40.
At these Commonwealth Games, Titmus is set to take on the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events. She’ll not only have her own domestic rivals of Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Madi Wilson and Kiah Melverton with which to contend. But, she’ll also be taking on 15-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh of Canada specifically in the 4free.
In the video above, listen to Titmus explain what clocked with her WR-setting performance from earlier this year, as well as what she believes she has in store in Birmingham just days from now.
Just praying that nobody over there tests positive for rona and has to withdraw.
She will definitely be targeting WR’s in both 200 and 400 and I think she can do it. Whilst she swam incredibly well at trials this year, she was off short preparation and would not have been fully tapered. As with all the very elite swimmers, they will be cruising in the semi-finals, without half the worlds best to compete for a finals spot. Don’t underestimate how fast the finals will be, with the extra bit of energy they save in the morning swims. CWG have often seen WR’s, there is also less pressure, like when swimmers smash the first leg of a relay. Many swimmers perform better when they are relaxed. CWG are seen as a fun competition, I… Read more »
The CG’s will be her big statement for the year and she’ll be primed for the 200 now that she has the WR in the 400. I give her more than an outside chance of breaking it. One advantage is that it will be on the first day when she’ll be at her freshest. What might work against her is that she won’t have anyone who goes out hard like McKeon did at the Australian trials or Haughey at the Olympics.
Titmus swam faster in this year’s trials then she did in the Olympics without a rabbit.
After the Olympics we should not be concerned about her ability to pace races-she put on a master class.
She won’t have much competition.
So the races may look like time trials. McIntosh might stay close for a few laps in the 400.
That’s probably was her plan. To avoid feeling pressure and swimming a couple fast races.
Same competition apart from McIntosh in the Aussie trials where she swam a WR in the 400 free & the 3rd fastest 200 free ever.
I’ll take a slight improvement there.
She shoulda swam worlds
So should Dressel
What did happen to Dressel? Did he just Pop(ovici) out?
He did show up at least
Titmus was very very clear right from the start that she wasn’t going to Worlds … and she said why. You know that comm games is huge for Australians and Worlds was a last moment add in for the year.
Yes, Titmus was very clesr (as she told Reuters) that she wished to avoid the “external pressure” of competition against Ledecky this year.
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/titmus-undecided-another-ledecky-showdown-2022-06-01/
She did say that & she did & than proceeded to break Ledecky’s WR, a win win for everyone.
Well, ended up with covid anyways post trials so, along with other factors a good decision!
Didn’t hear about that. I guess I give her a pass then.
Well, she did not want to. Let’s respect that and move on.
Enough to win very comfortably in 200.
Should win 400 although McIntosh scares me. Coming near the end of the program with both having some physically demanding races (Titmus – 800, McIntosh – 400IM/200FLY) may mitigate against spectacular times.
Will swim 1.53 hopefully even 1.52 in the 200 free.
McIntosh is not competing with Titmus this year in the 400 free.
I’d hate to do a parley with Wombat. His version of taking a risk would be to back Winx eachway.
He’s extra cautious with the Aussies, maybe it’s his Sth African side coming out.
But yes eachway on Winx wouldn’t be a great conversation starter.
Just someone with longer terms of reference than most here (as far back as the mid 70s) so I’ve seen the “lean years” and many very good AUS performers built up sky high by media but for whatever reasons not fully fire internationally. WR happen ….. when they happen rather than as part of any set linear pattern. I’m just seeing fewer likely ones than some of you …… but I can certainly be wrong just as often as anyone else.
Rob, I thought it was the 200 that McIntosh was skipping. She’s on the entry lists for 400fr. Titmus has to be favoured but McIntosh is clearly very dangerous.
Do actually play the horses from time to time… Read more »
1:54.0
1.52.97
1:52.99
1:52.98
i would cry if she tied it
I’d almost be okay with that as long as no one broke it within a day of her and for her to then not be in 1:53 form over the next few years….