BUTTERFLY EVENTS

A 47sec sprint would be a reference swim telling that he has the speed to put up a real fight in the 100m fly, though the shorter event is definitely Caeleb Dressel’s territory.

The American has the top three times in 2021, Milak has the next four out of five (Aussie Matthew Temple is the only ‘exception’), so this favours Dressel but his schedule is much busier then Milak’s and that can also be a factor.

As for the 200m, it’s something similar as the 100m breast with Peaty: the Hungarian looks simply untouchable. While his rivals are dreaming of going under 1:53 in the final, Milak already had two 1:51 blasts in the spring, both better than Michael Phelps’ mighty-shiny 1:51.51 from 2009, and he is very much in the mood to improve his breath-taking 1:50.73 WR from Gwangju. Daiya Seto (JPN) got the closest to him in early 2020 with an 1:52.50 but the Japanese had to go through some personal issues and could not repeat that fine swim ever since.

 

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY EVENTS

Japan’s brightest hopes

Indeed, Seto’s focus is on the IM events where he is the reigning world champion. Still, we should mention here too that the extra year changed many things. Seto went through some hellish months while the former speedy boy of the short-course events Michael Andrew (USA) transformed himself to a formidable medley swimmer in the long pool. Now he owns three of the top four times in 2021 and Britain’s Duncan Scott also sent a strong message in April – these two already produced sub-1:56 swims in 2021.

Seto’s compatriot Kosuke Hagino puts his entire focus on the 200m, he let the 400m go – where he is the title-holder – in order to save his best to the shorter distance. So it can even be a 1-2 for the home nation in the event where the last four titles went to a certain Michael Phelps between 2004 and 2016.

Seto’s shape will be on test right at the beginning as he is the favourite in the 400m on the first day of the finals. Interestingly, this season hasn’t seen outstanding swims so far, it’s Seto, 2017 double world champ Chase Kalisz (USA) and Hungary’s veteran David Verraszto who had the top three efforts in 2021, though only 0.50sec separate them. Russia’s upcoming star Ilya Borodin was tested positive for Covid just days ago in ROC’s last training camp so the new European champion was removed from the roster – what a pity since he could have been a medal-contender.