
With the start of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2021 nearly here, it's time to check in with the top short course competitors in Abu Dhabi
Daiya Seto – Japan
Japan's dynamic World Record holder Daiya Seto won two golds at the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2018 in the 200 Butterfly and 400m Medley, where he holds the World Record (03:54.81). Recent results at the FINA Swimming World Cup 2021 suggest he will be aiming to beat his own record in Abu Dhabi. Watch this space.
Tom Dean – Great Britain
21-year-old Tom Dean became the first British male swimmer to claim two golds at the same Games in more than a century, leaving Tokyo as reigning Olympic champion in the 200m Freestyle and 4x200m Freestyle Relay. His 200m freestyle would also set a new national record time of 1:44.22. Will Dean be able to win his first World Championship (25m) title in Abu Dhabi?
Florian Wellbrock - Germany
1500m Freestyle bronze medallist Florian Wellbrock took bronze on the last day of pool swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The performance rewarded him with his second medal of the Games, after his gold in the 10km Marathon Swimming event. Wellbrock became the third man ever to break the 14:10 threshold in the 1500m freestyle at the recent European Short Course Swimming Championships 2021 in Kazan (RUS) in November. Abu Dhabi is waiting.
Arno Kamminga – Netherlands
It’s been a magical year for 26-year-old breaststroker Arno Kamminga. After earning his first-ever Olympic medal, taking silver in the 100m Breaststroke at Tokyo 2020. He would follow up three days later with a silver in the 200m Breaststroke. Kamminga has been in impressive form of late, including setting a new World Record (1:36.18) in the Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2021 in Kazan.
Sebastian Szabo – Hungary
21-year-old Sebastian Szabo claimed the European title at the European Short Course Swimming Championships 2021 in Kazan, equalling the World Record (21.75) of Nicholas Santos (BRZ) in the 50m Butterfly. Szabo also took home gold in the 100m Butterfly and became the first Hungarian to win a gold in the 50m Freestyle Short Course.
Kliment Kolesnikov -- Russia
Russian backstroke specialist Kliment Kolesnikov is leading the way as the next generation of Russian swimming. The 21-year-old from Moscow holds World Junior Records in the 50, 100 and 200m Backstroke. After securing his first Olympic medals this summer, claiming silver in the 100m Backstroke and bronze in the 100m Freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Kolesnikov will be looking to continue his run of form in Abu Dhabi.
Zach Apple – USA
Watching Zach Apple at Tokyo 2020 this summer, you wouldn’t know the 24-year-old from Ohio didn’t start swimming year-round until he was 16-years-old. The sprint freestyle specialist claimed his first Olympic gold medal in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay in Tokyo, and would later take home a second Olympic gold in the 4x100m Medley Relay, helping set a new World Record along the way (3:26.78).
Gregorio Paltrinieri – Italy
World Record holder in the 1500m Freestyle, Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) will be looking to add to his growing medal tally in Abu Dhabi. The 27-year-old from Carpi will be aiming to build on his 800m Freestyle performance at Tokyo 2020, where he claimed his first Olympic silver medal.
Short course women swimmers to keep your eye on
Margaret MacNeil - Canada
What a year so far for MacNeil as the Canadian was named Best Female Athlete of Tokyo 2020 at the seventh edition of the ANOC Awards 2021 in Crete, Greece. 21-year-old “Maggie” not only won Canada’s first gold of Tokyo 2020 in the 100m Butterfly, but she also took home silver in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay and bronze in the 4x100m Medley Relay. The stage is set in Abu Dhabi.
Holly Barratt - Australia
The Australian has been one of the most consistent swimmers in the FINA World Cups, with eight podium finishes, including gold in the 50m Butterfly at the FINA Swimming World Cup 2021 in Kazan in October. The 33-year-old will be looking to build on her silver in the 50m Butterfly and bronze in the 50m Backstroke at the FINA World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou (CHN) in 2018.
Lydia Jacoby - USA
The 17-year-old Jacoby from Anchorage burst onto the international competitive swimming scene in 2020 and 2021. Jacoby, the first swimmer from Alaska to qualify for an Olympic Games, left Japan with gold in the 100m Breaststroke and silver in the 4x100 Medley Relay. Jacoby will be eyeing up her first World Championship (25m) title in Abu Dhabi.
Simona Quadarella - Italy
Quadarella will be eyeing up the podium in Abu Dhabi, following her gold and silver at the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju (KOR) in the 1500m Freestyle and 800m Freestyle respectively. 22-year-old Quadarella will be confident after claiming her first Olympic medal in Tokyo, taking bronze in the 800m Freestyle.
Ranomi Kromowidjojo – Netherlands
Sprint freestyle specialist Kromowidjojo will be looking to use her meet experience to add to her medal haul (167) in Abu Dhabi. The three-time Olympic Champion will have confidence looking back at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Hangzhou (CHN) in 2018, where the 31-year-old nabbed eight medals.
Yufei Zhang – China
At just 17-years-old, the sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist Zhang broke the World Junior Record in the 200m Butterfly at the FINA World Championships in Kazan (Rus). Tipped as a rising star in Chinese swimming, Zhang already had expectations to meet in Tokyo. The 23-year-old broke the Olympic record and the World Record in the 200m Butterfly and the 4x200 Freestyle Relay respectively, winning gold medals in both events. Zhang will be looking for her first FINA World Championship (25m) gold medal in Abu Dhabi.
Farida Osman - Egypt
Farida Osman, ambassador for the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2021 in Abu Dhabi, has established herself as the fastest female swimmer in Africa and the Arab world. The 26-year-old Egyptian will be aiming to build on her two bronze medals in the 50m Butterfly from the FINA World Championships 2017 in Budapest and the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju respectively.