The first world swimming championships to be held in an Olympic year begin Sunday in Doha and air daily live on Peacock.
Most nations sent smaller teams than usual given many swimmers are training for Olympic Trials. For the U.S., many are also in the middle of the NCAA season.
The U.S. roster of 20 is led by Kate Douglass, who won six medals at the 2023 World Championships, and Carson Foster, who won three individual medals between the 2022 and 2023 Worlds.
Internationally, headliners include Swede Sarah Sjöström (a record 21-time individual world medalist), Brits Adam Peaty, Tom Dean and Duncan Scott, Japan’s Daiya Seto, Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte and Tunisian Ahmed Hafnaoui.
SWIMMING WORLDS: Broadcast Schedule | Entry Lists
Douglass is entered in six individual events, though swimming all of them through finals would mean one night session where she races three times, which is rarely done. She could scratch out of races.
USA Swimming will not enter a women’s 4x100m free relay but plans to enter later relays that Douglass could be a part of.
Her preliminary individual lineup: 50m and 100m freestyles, 100m and 200m breaststrokes, 50m butterfly and 200m individual medley.
She is the reigning world champ in the 200m IM and reigning U.S. champion in the 100m free. In January, she broke the American record in the 200m breast.
MORE: Douglass took different strokes to swim success
Simone Manuel owns the female record of seven medals at one world championships (2019). Missy Franklin owns the female record of six gold medals at one worlds (2013).
Peaty, the world record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist in the men’s 100m breast, competes at his first global championship since the Tokyo Games.
The 29-year-old missed worlds in 2022 (fractured bone in his foot) and 2023 (didn’t enter trials, citing mental health).
In Peaty’s absence last July, China’s Qin Haiyang won the world title in 57.69 seconds to become the second-fastest man in history. Qin is not competing at these worlds.
Peaty owns the top 14 times ever, led by his world record of 56.88. His best time in limited action since Tokyo is 58.88.
If the 30-year-old Sjöström earns a medal in all three of her individual events (50m and 100m butterflies, 50m freestyle), plus a relay medal, she will tie the absent Katie Ledecky’s female record 26 career world medals.
Last year, Sjöström broke her tie with Michael Phelps for the most medals in individual events only.
