World Aquatics Championships Doha: The Entry Lists Released
The anticipation for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships is mounting as the full entry lists for the swimming events have been released, and while some premier swimmers are sitting this one out to prepare for the Paris Olympics, many top-tier talents will be heading to Doha. The meet will serve as an excellent opportunity for them to add to their impressive track record of swimming accomplishments and gain significant international racing experience.
The women’s individual events are packed with 10 medalists from last year’s World Championships in Fukuoka out of the 17 events, while the men’s program will feature 14 of the 17 events with a medalist from 2023. Among the notable names attending the Doha championships are individuals who clinched individual world titles last year, such as Sarah Sjostrom, Ruta Meilutyte, Kate Douglass, Cameron McEvoy, Ahmed Hafnaoui, and Hunter Armstrong. The presence of these celebrated swimmers promises an exciting and competitive event.
The Return of Swimmers to the Global Stage
One of the most anticipated events is the comeback of men’s 50 and 100 breaststroke world-record holder Adam Peaty to the global stage after his impressive performance at the Tokyo Olympics. His presence at the Doha meet is expected to deliver strong performances as he aims to position himself for a potential Olympic three-peat in the 100 breast, a feat that few men’s swimmers have accomplished before. Another exciting development is the absence of Qin Haiyang, who swept the breaststroke events at the 2023 Worlds, leaving room for contenders like Arno Kamminga, Nicolo Martinenghi, and Nic Fink to pose a challenge for Peaty.
On the women’s side, expectations are high for Kate Douglass as the gold-medal favorite in the 200 IM and 200 breaststroke, especially after joining the sub-2:20 club earlier this month. Fans are also eager to watch the intense showdown between Australia’s Shayna Jack and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, as well as Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey. The entry lists also include a range of other Fukuoka medalists, such as Marrit Steenbergen, Erika Fairweather, Simona Quadarella, and many others, promising a thrilling and competitive spectacle.
Racing and Olympic Relay Qualifications
In the men’s splash-and-dash, fans can expect an exciting race between Cameron McEvoy, Ben Proud, and Michael Andrew, while the distance events will showcase an intriguing battle between veteran swimmers Gregorio Paltrinieri, Mykhailo Romanchuk, and Florian Wellbrock. The absence of superstar Leon Marchand opens the door for American Carson Foster to potentially have a remarkable performance. Additionally, there will be intense competition in the IMs and butterfly events, with swimmers like Duncan Scott, Daiya Seto, Krzysztof Chmielewski, Roman Mityukov, and others vying for podium returns in Doha.
Moreover, the Doha championships will provide an opportunity for Olympic relay qualification, with only the medal-winners from each relay event at last year’s Fukuoka Worlds having secured their spots in Paris. This means that swim powerhouses like the United States and Australia have little at stake in Doha, while other countries like Great Britain, China, and Canada still have work to do. The uncertainty surrounding which relays each country will contest adds further excitement and intrigue to the upcoming event.
