World Aquatics Championships guide: Julian Linden examines key Aussie medal hopes, biggest threats

Some of Australia’s best Olympic medal hopes will test themselves against the world’s biggest stars this week. JULIAN LINDEN examines what the World Aquatics Championships will mean for several Paris contenders.

Julian Linden

3 min read

February 11, 2024 - 6:00AM

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 18: Elijah Winnington of Team Australia celebrates after winning Gold in the Men's 400m Freestyle Final on day one of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Duna Arena on June 18, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

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One of the most talented but underrated middle-distance swimmers Australia has ever produced, Elijah Winnington continues to fly under the radar.

Quiet, respectful, and a young man of deep faith, that’s just how the 23-year-old Queenslander likes to roll.

A little over 18 months ago, Winnington won his first world title with the fastest 400m freestyle time by anyone in the world for a decade.

This weekend, he’s shooting for his second world title in the gruelling eight-lap event, a feat only one Australian has managed before, Ian Thorpe.

He hasn’t received a lot of attention, partly because most of the world’s best swimmers are skipping the world championships, taking place in Doha, to focus on this year’s Paris Olympics.

But Australia also has a new 400m champion, Sam Short, who won the title last year, beating Winnington, who faded to finish seventh.

Australia's Elijah Winnington on his way to winning his first world title in 2022.

Those who have followed Winnington’s career closely were not alarmed because he’s always been a swimmer who mixes his form, often every second year. The good news for him and Aussie swim fans is 2024 is the year he has set to peak.

“It wasn’t anything terrible. It’s just a learning experience,” he said.

“That’s why I ultimately decided to do the Doha World Championships, literally just for that international experience.

“So when I stand up behind the blocks, it’s all to do with confidence and how much I can back myself. And the more chances I get at doing that at the bigger stages and racing really competitive people, then the better I’ll be prepared for when Paris comes around.”

Trained by master coach Dean Boxall, when Winnington does get everything right, he’s a phenomenal performer.

His time at the 2022 world titles — 3:41.22 — would have won him the gold medal at the 2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Sam Short is one of Australia’s rising stars in the pool.

The only swimmers to have gone faster since Sun Yang won gold at London in 2012 are Short (3:40.68) and Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui (3:40.70), both at last year’s world titles.

Instead of deflating Winnington, the elevated performances of his two biggest rivals for Paris have re energised him.

“If anything, it just helps me to stay motivated in training because I’ve always got something that I’ve got to keep pushing or keep chasing,” he said.

“Sam and Ahmed went incredible times but it’s just like another wake up call for me.

“I can’t just sit comfortable with where I think I am, which is actually the essence of what swimming is.

“It’s still a race and I think where I throw out the best is when I just get to race tactically.”

If Winnington does regain his world title in Doha, he’ll have earned it because the 400m has a stacked field.

Short is missing but the entry list still includes Hafnaoui, the Tokyo Olympic champion, Germany’s Lukas Martens and Irishman Daniel Wiffen, who broke Grant Hackett’s 800m short course world record in December.

Canadian teenage sensation Summer McIntosh has fired another warning to Ariarne Titmus.

Kiah Melverton will carry Australia’s hopes in the women’s 400m freestyle after world record holder Ariarne Titmus opted to stay home to continue preparing for the Olympics.

Not that she needed it, but Titmus has just been given another blunt reminder of the enormous challenge she faces in Paris from Summer McIntosh.

The Canadian teenage sensation is also skipping the world titles in Doha but can’t escape the spotlight after breaking Titmus’ Commonwealth record to hand American legend Katie Ledecky her first defeat in 13 years over 800m freestyle.

Titmus is already facing the prospect of racing McIntosh over 200m and 400m in Paris but was not expecting to meet her in the 800m — though she may be spared a third showdown because the 17-year-old Canadian already has so many events to choose from, including the 200m and 400 medleys and 200m butterfly.

Meanwhile, Australia’s female best sprinters have been given a boost for Paris with confirmation Swedish superstar Sarah Sjostrom isn’t planning to race the 100m freestyle or 100m butterfly at the Olympics.

Sjostrom holds the 50m and 100m world records in freestyle and butterfly but the 30-year-old said she was focusing all her energy on 50m freestyle for Paris.

Her main rival could be Australia’s Shayna Jack, who has gone to Doha and entered herself in 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.

Cam McEvoy, who won the men’s 50m world title last year aged 29, is also in Qatar looking to defend his title.