World champ McEvoy aiming to go back-to-back in Doha

WORLD champion Cam McEvoy will dust off the cobwebs today (Sunday) in the first day of racing at the World Aquatics World Championships in Doha but will warm up his reshaped shoulders in the 50m fly first before attempting to defend his 50m freestyle crown.

McEvoy, along with Shayna Jack (pictured), Elijah Winnington and Isaac Cooper, heads a 15-strong Dolphins’ pool team that also features five gold medallists from the Dolphins team that helped Australia to win the overall medal tally at the Fukuoka World Championships in July.

The 29-year-old will attempt to become only the fourth swimmer to win back-to-back 50m freestyle world titles alongside Tom Jager (1986, 1991), Cesar Cielo (2009, 2011, 2013) and Caleb Dressel (2017,2019).

McEvoy revealed yesterday that by reshaping his body to add 10kg of muscle and reducing his overall training volume, he hadn’t ruled out swimming until the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

McEvoy will get a read on his competition in Doha, where in-form English star Ben Proud will also race in heats from Friday.

It is the first time that a long course (50m pool) World Championships has been held in the same year as an Olympics and McEvoy and Jack, a silver medallist in the women’s 50m freestyle at last year’s Worlds, view this meet as vital race preparation ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Jack was outstanding at the last World Championships, adding three relay gold medals to her individual silver for the Dolphins.

Over the next eight days in Doha, Jack will race three individual freestyle events – the 50-100-200m and she is seeded in the top three for all.

The St Peters Western swimmer arrived in Doha, with seven of her clubmates and coach Dean Boxall, off the back of a three-week training camp in Thailand and is ready to race Swedish sprint queen Sarah Sjostrom – a record 21-time individual world medallist.

Head coach Rohan Taylor said: “This group is ready to race, and you will see some fast swimming. Our swimmers see this as an opportunity to post some great swims.”

“For some, this is about getting ready for Paris and then there’s the likes of Jaclyn Barclay and Iona Anderson who dominated the backstroke at World Junior Championships last year in Israel. This is their first senior meet and an important part of their career progression.”

DOHA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Dolphins Racing Day 1:

Elijah Winnington – 400m free

Brianna Throssell & Alex Perkins – 100m fly

Cam McEvoy & Isaac Cooper – 50m fly

Kiah Melverton – 400m free

Sam Williamson – 100m breast

Relays:

Women’s 4x100m free