Get ready for an exciting day at the 2025 European Short Course Championships! Today, we're diving into the second day of prelims, and there's a bit of a shake-up in the women's 200-meter freestyle event. Two heavyweights are missing from the lineup, and it's going to impact the race dynamics significantly.
The 200 free is a highly anticipated event, but today, we'll be missing some key swimmers. Barbara Seemanova, the #6 seed, and Roos Vanotterdijk, the #9 seed, have both scratched from the event. Seemanova's withdrawal was expected, as she recently announced her decision on Instagram, citing medical advice. Vanotterdijk, on the other hand, is focusing her energy on the 100 IM, where she's the #3 seed and a strong contender.
Seemanova's absence leaves a gap in the field, as she finished second in this event two years ago in Otopeni. This means we're guaranteed to see a new face on the podium. The other medalists from that race, Freya Anderson and Freya Colbert, are still in the mix and seeded #1 and #3, respectively. Seemanova's last race was at the Slovakia Swimming Cup in October, where she clocked her season's best and entry time of 1:53.19.
But here's where it gets controversial... Vanotterdijk had an ambitious schedule, with a staggering nine events entered across the six days in Lublin. It's no surprise that she's starting to scratch some entries. She's the #2 seed in the women's 50 fly final tonight and broke the Belgian record in both heats and semi-finals yesterday. With her focus now on the 100 IM, she's a favorite to medal in that event as well.
And this is the part most people miss... Laura Lahtinen, the #9 seed from Finland, is also sitting out today's 200 free. She's likely conserving her energy for the 100 and 200 fly events, where she has a strong chance of making the podium. Ellie McCartney, the #35 seed, is also scratching from the 100 IM to prepare for the 100 breast final tonight, where she's the #8 seed.
So, who's left in the women's 200 free? Here's a quick rundown of the remaining swimmers:
- #1 seed Freya Anderson
- #3 seed Freya Colbert
- #23 seed Bea Hovda
- #33 seed Mari Moen
With these scratches, the race is wide open, and we could see some unexpected results. Who do you think will take the top spots? Don't forget to check out the live results and recaps to stay updated on all the action!
In this story:
- Freya Anderson
- Nandor Nemeth
Make sure to follow along and join the discussion! Who are you rooting for in these championships?
