BUDAPEST – Forty two American swimmers secured a spot in the U.S. team travelling to Budapest for this week’s world championship event July 14-30.

Staged almost three weeks before the swimming competition in Budapest, the nationals saw an abundance of excellent results and great races.

At the top of the times included five-time Olympic and three-time World champion Nathan Adrian, who finished first in the men’s 100m freestyle in 47.96 beating the young swimmer Caeleb Dressel (47.97). This year these were the third and the fourth best times in this event so they both will race in Budapest.

At the Nationals, it was also decided that Adrian’s partners in men’s 4x100m freestyle relay will be World Championships newcomers Dressel, Townley Haas and Zachary Apple.

The battle in 100m was repeated in the shortest and fastest event, however, the result was quite the opposite this time. Dressel (21.53) beat Adrian (21.87) by the third best time of this year, hence they will both enter the World Champs in July.

In fact, this was the third national champion title of Caeleb Dressel in the one-week series after finishing first in 50 and 100m butterfly, and his fourth solo qualification. Dressel was asked if swimming in multiple events will hinder him.

“If I focus all my attention to a specific event at a time, I am capable of putting all my energy into it. I guess this is the secret,” said Dressel, who is aiming at improving the last 25m in the time left until the World Championships kicks-off, adding that in the company of such excellent and fast swimmers it is not that hard to boost your performance.

Townley Haas, relay member attending his first World Champs, has demonstrated his skills in a solo event, the 200m freestyle, by sweeping the final in the second best time of this year (1:45.03) and qualified for the World Championships. Haas admitted it was easier to swim knowing that he had already secured his place for summer. Chase Kalisz set new personal best and number one time of this year (1:56.51) in men’s 200m and 400m medley alike. Although Kalisz aimed for qualification only, after the tournament he said he could further improve his result in Budapest. Kevin Cordes swept men’s breaststroke events including 50m, 100m and 200m with great results. In 100m he was second best (58.74), in 200m (2:07.41) and 50m (26.88) he was third best in the international field.

As expected, Olympic champion Ryan Murphy excelled in the 200m backstroke (1:54.30) and was runner-up to Matt Grevers (52.71) in 100m.

In the women’s operations, Stanford’s Katie Ledecky was the greatest star of the nationals and she did not disappoint the home crowd. She swept all three events, that is 200m (1:54.84), 400m (3:58.44) and 800m (8:11.50) freestyle with the best times of this year.

In spite of this she told she hadn’t set any specific goals concerning her results, she just wanted to do her best while enjoying what she was doing. In her view, long years of hard work and training brought these achievements.

The world record holder will enter 1500m as well, in Budapest, thanks to her time achieved already this season, therefore in this course she did not race with fellow swimmers, among whom it was Leah Smith who touched home first. Her time of 16:01.02 is the second best this year, it goes without saying that it was Ledecky who could do better than that back in spring (15:35.65).

Leah Smith finished second in the 200m, 400m and 800m, too, behind her great rival, so she qualified for the World Champs. She will enter the 400m medley, as well, she won this event in 4:33.86.

Lilly King swept the women’s breaststroke events with outstanding results. Her time on 50m (29.66) was the best this year and a new American record.

“Setting a new American record is always great, yet I hope I can do a little bit better and reach for breaking the World Record in Budapest. When sprinting, you have no time to think, I swam as fast as I could,” said King, who finished first with the second best time of the world in the 100m and 200m as well. Katie Meili came second in both shorter events and got her ticket to Budapest.

FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 50 Fly

(Swimming World magazine)

The first of the stroke 50 finals of the World Championships will be missing a key name in defending World Champion Florent Manaudou. Manaudou is better known for his freestyle, but his powerful butterfly got him the win at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan.

In his absence, it’s wide open as far as finding a favorite for gold. So far this year, three swimmers have broken 23 seconds: 36-year-old Brazilian Nicolas Santos, 22-year-old Brit Ben Proud and another Brazilian, Henrique Martins.

Read below to see what Swimming World’s trio of experts think will happen in Budapest. David Rieder, John Lohn and Andy Ross will each offer their predictions for who will finish on the podium.

Men’s 50 Fly

Current Records:

World Record: Rafael Munoz, ESP (2009) — 22.43

Championship Record: Milorad Cavic, SRB (2009) — 22.67

American Record: Bryan Lundquist (2009) — 22.91

2015 World Champion: Florent Manaudou, FRA — 22.97

2017 World No. 1: Nicholas Santos, BRA — 22.61

Swimming World Predictions

David Rieder’s Picks:

Gold: Nicholas Santos, BRA

Silver: Ben Proud, GBR

Bronze: Caeleb Dressel, USA

John Lohn’s Picks:

Gold: Andrey Govorov, UKR

Silver: Nicholas Santos, BRA

Bronze: Ben Proud, GBR

Andy Ross’ Picks:

Gold: Ben Proud, GBR

Silver: Caeleb Dressel, USA

Bronze: Nicholas Santos, BRA

FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 100 Free

The men’s 100 free is often considered the glamor event of swimming, but it will be missing quite a bit of star-power at this month’s FINA World Championships.

Kyle Chalmers, the Australian teenager who won Olympic gold last summer, is out of Budapest after heart surgery. Reigning World Champion Ning Zetao didn’t make China’s World Champs roster. No one has swum any time faster than 47.90 this year.

Perhaps the favorite should be Cameron McEvoy, the Australian that most picked to win Olympic gold last summer before Chalmers did so instead. McEvoy is the second-fastest performer in history after blasting a 47.04 at Australia’s Olympic Trials last year, but he was nowhere close to that form in Rio, and he finished seventh in the 100 free final.

Pieter Timmers and Nathan Adrian, both medalists last summer in Rio, will be back, as will fellow Olympic finalists Duncan Scott, Caeleb Dressel and Marcelo Cherighini.

Read below to see what Swimming World’s trio of experts think will happen in Budapest. David Rieder, John Lohn and Andy Ross will each offer their predictions for who will finish on the podium.

Men’s 100 Free

Current Records:

World Record: Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009) — 46.91

Championship Record: Cesar Cielo, BRA (2009) — 46.91

American Record: David Walters (2009) — 47.33

2015 World Champion: Ning Zetao, CHN — 47.84

2016 Olympic Gold Medalist: Kyle Chalmers, AUS — 47.58

2017 World No. 1: Duncan Scott, GBR — 47.90

Swimming World Predictions

David Rieder’s Picks:

Gold: Caeleb Dressel, USA

Silver: Cameron McEvoy, AUS

Bronze: Nathan Adrian, USA

John Lohn’s Picks:

Gold: Cameron McEvoy, AUS

Silver: Caeleb Dressel, USA

Bronze: Nathan Adrian, USA

Andy Ross’ Picks:

Gold: Cameron McEvoy, AUS

Silver: Nathan Adrian, USA

Bronze: Duncan Scott, GBR

FINA World Championships Predictions: Men’s 400 Free Relay

If there’s been any constant over the last decade of international 400 free relays, it’s been seeing France on the medal stand. The French medal streak goes back all the way to the 2007 FINA World Championships, and teams from that country have won the World title in both 2013 and 2015.

But that consistent streak will end this summer, as France loses both Florent Manaudou and Fabien Gilot from its World Champion and 2016 Olympic silver medal-winning relays and will not even have an entry this summer in Budapest. The Australia, Olympic bronze medalists in Rio, lose 100 free gold medalist Kyle Chalmers to a heart issue.

So it’s tough to see the Nathan Adrian and Caeleb Dressel-led Americans as anything but heavy favorites for Budapest. The competition was so quick at U.S. Nationals that Ryan Held, who swam on the gold medal-winning 400 free relay in Rio, swam a 48.53 in the 100 free… and placed seventh.

Read below to see what Swimming World’s trio of experts think will happen in Budapest. David Rieder, John Lohn and Andy Ross will each offer their predictions for who will finish on the podium.

Men’s 400 Free Relay

Current Records:

World Record: United States — Phelps, Weber-Gale, Jones, Lezak (2008) — 3:08.24

Championship Record: United States — Phelps, Lochte, Grevers, Adrian (2009) — 3:09.21

American Record: Phelps, Weber-Gale, Jones, Lezak (2008) — 3:08.24

2015 World Champion: France — 3:10.74

2016 Olympic Gold Medalist: United States — 3:09.92

Swimming World Predictions

David Rieder’s Picks:

Gold: United States

Silver: Brazil

Bronze: Australia

John Lohn’s Picks:

Gold: United States

Silver: Brazil

Bronze: Russia

Andy Ross’ Picks:

Gold: United States

Silver: Brazil

Bronze: Australia