RIVALS FLEE
Titmus has 200m gold for the taking
AFTER knocking out the undisputed champion of women’s swimming, Ariarne Titmus is suddenly having problems finding other sparring partners.
The Australian teenager sent shockwaves through the sport when she mowed down the previously unbeaten Katie Ledecky to win the 400m freestyle title at the world swimming championships.
And now the Terminator is looming as the unbackable favourite to add the 200m freestyle to her expanding gold medal collection after her three biggest threats, Ledecky, Emma McKeon and Taylor Ruck, all pulled out of the fourlap race, citing a combination of illness and a preference to focus on other events.
With Italian world record holder Federica Pellegrini and Sweden’s Olympic silver medallist still lurking around, Titmus will have her work cut out to win, but if she can repeat her stunning performance from the 400m, it’s hard to see anyone catching her.
“I don’t really know what the go is. It doesn’t bother me that much,” Titmus said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a little bit easier to try and win the title. The three girls that pulled out were probably my main challengers so it is a little bit easier now.
“But Pelligrini is still in there and Sarah is still in there so it’s still a really tough challenge.”
Ledecky also pulled out of the 1500m final, where she was the overwhelming favourite to win, because of health issues and may also be in doubt for the 800m, which Titmus has also entered, though the American team hasn’t made any decisions.
“Katie has not been feeling well since arriving to Gwangju on July 17 and these precautionary measures are being taken to ensure her wellbeing and proper recovery, and to allow her to focus her energy on an abbreviated schedule,” US team managing director Lindsay Mintenko said.
Rising Canadian teenager Ruck pipped Titmus to win the 200m gold at last year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast but withdrew from the heats because team officials were concerned she was overextending herself.
“It’s her first world championships and she was looking at a very busy program consisting of four individual events which would have heats, semifinals and potentially four or five relays,” Canada’s head coach John Atkinson said.
“The world championships this year is the prelude to Olympic Games preparation next year and this is all part of keeping the long-term best interests of the athlete at the centre of the decision.”
McKeon held off Titmus to win at last month’s Australian trials but has also taken on a gut-busting schedule in South Korea.
McKeon has already won a gold medal as part of Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 100m butterfly so wants to conserve her energy for her other races, including the 4x200m relay where she will team up with Titmus as Australia chase more gold.
“Emma will be fine,” Titmus said. “She is just feeling a little bit off which sucks but she’ll be back.”