Swimming short course world championships 2022: Schedule, preview and athletes to watch

Control the controllables is a mantra often used by athletes but those participating in the swimming short course world championships in Melbourne, Australia starting Tuesday (13 December) will have unseasonable weather to contend with in the first outdoor worlds since 2009.

The likes of teenage superstar swimmer David Popovici, a two-time world champion aged 17, and triple Olympic champions Kaylee McKeown and Adam Peaty are some of the star-studded names taking part in the six-day event at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, which could see wind and low temperatures impact races over the 25m course. Nevertheless, with Paris 2024 just 19 months away, the competition provides a gauge of form and bragging rights before heading into 2023.

See below for our one-stop guide to the short course world championships, which includes the schedule, athletes to look out for, and how to watch the competition.

Swimmers to watch: David Popovici, Kyle Chalmers, Lilly King...

The long- and short-course world record holders go head-to-head in the men’s 100m freestyle as Romania’s new sensation Popovici takes on Kyle Chalmers on his home turf. In June, a then 17-year-old Popovici claimed two world titles, announcing himself on the world stage with a bang. It might just take a world record to win this event.

“It’s good coming here knowing I’m not the best, yet, in short course,” Popovici told World Aquatics ahead of the meet. “Sometimes it's good knowing you’re not the actual favourite – and definitely not the crowd favourite. I’m okay with that – and I’m extremely pumped for this competition.

“My goal is to qualify for the final,” the now 18-year-old added. “As we all know, once you have a lane, you have a chance.”

Breaststroke queen Lilly King is one of the most decorated athletes in Melbourne. The American two-time Olympic gold medallist, 10-time world champion and four-time short-course world title winner also cannot wait to get started, saying in the pre-meet press conference: "I live for the rivalry. It's been fun for me to get behind the blocks and not know what's going to happen.

"I love to race and I love to win. I am excited it will be a dogfight. I have enjoyed racing these girls during 2022 and again here."

READ: Top things you did NOT know about breaststroke queen Lilly King

Kaylee McKeown, Alex Walsh, Ohashi Yui

The gold and silver medallists in the women’s 200m IM at the long-course world championships in Budapest in June go head-to-head with McKeown hoping the home crowd will cheer her on to a win against Alex Walsh this time around.

The American claimed three gold medals in Hungary and may have a clearer path to gold if McKeown opts to scratch the IM to focus on her Olympic gold medal-winning event, the 100m backstroke – the semi-finals of which take place immediately after the 200m final.

Olympic champion Ohashi Yui of Japan, who did not make the final at the long-course worlds, could also be in the mix.

The women’s 100m freestyle gold and silver medallists from Tokyo 2020 – Australia’s Emma McKeon and Hong Kong, China's Siobhan Haughey face off for the first time since the Olympics.

Six-time's a charm for Seto Daiya?

Great Britain’s three-time Olympic champion and double world record holder, Peaty, is somewhat of an unknown quantity despite his lengthy domination in the breaststroke sprints. A break from the sport after Tokyo 2020 and missing the long-course world championships due to injury, Peaty returned to international competition at his home Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July, but missed the podium in the 100m, the first time in almost a decade he hadn’t medalled in that event. He claimed 50m gold the following day but hasn’t raced since.

Nic Fink is the current dominant figure on the World Cup circuit, going nine-for-nine across the 50/100/200 breaststroke disciplines and the American is also the defending short-course world champion in the 50m breaststroke. World long-course champion Nicolo Martinenghi will also be in Melbourne but eight-time gold medal-winner in the longer event, Peaty, will want to lay down a marker that he’s back and taking his first world titles in the shorter distance will be the way to do it.

Meanwhile, Seto Daiya of Japan is going for a sixth straight title in the men’s 400m IM, and Trinidad & Tobago’s Dylan Carter is the top ranked swimmer in 2022 in the men’s 50m freestyle but will be up against reigning world champion, Ben Proud of Great Britain.

Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil the reigning Olympic champion and 2019 gold medallist in the 100m butterfly was absent from the most recent World Championships with American Torri Huske taking the title in close to a world record time. Last year’s silver medalist at the short-course worlds, Sweden’s Louise Hansson, and People’s Republic of China’s Zhang Yufei, the Olympic silver medallist, could also factor.

Zhang’s compatriot, Li Bingjie who claimed a world record in the 400m freestyle in October will line up against Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, China, who set the world record in her favoured 200m freestyle at last year’s championships. She also won the Olympic silver medal in the discipline in 2021. Also in the mix is Yang Junxuan, who won the long course World title in Haughey’s absence in June.

2022 FINA World Championships short-course schedule - Swimming

The swimming event finals below will take place each evening, Melbourne, Australia time. Click here to see the full schedule, including heats and semi-finals.

Tuesday 13 December

Men's 1500m freestyle

Women's 400m freestyle

Women's 200m medley

Men's 200m medley

Women 4x100m freestyle relay

Men 4x100m freestyle relay

Wednesday 14 December

Women's 800m freestlye

Mixed 4x50m medley relay

Women's 800m freestyle

Women's 100m backstroke

Men's 100m backstroke

Women's 50m butterfly

Men's 50m butterfly

Women's 4x200m freestyle relay

Thursday 15 December

Women's 100m freestyle

Men's 100m freestyle

Women's 200m butterfly

Men's 200m butterfly

Women's 100m breaststroke

Men's 100m breaststroke

Men's 400m freestyle

Women's 4x50m freestyle relay

Men's 4x50m freestyle relay

Friday 16 December

Women's 1500m freestyle

Mixed 4x50m freestyle relay

Women's 200m breaststroke

Men's 200m breaststroke

Women's 50m backstroke

Men's 50m backstroke

Women's 100m medley

Men's 100m medley

Women's 1500m freestyle

Men's 4x200m freestyle relay

Saturday 17 December

Men's 800m freestyle

Women's 4x50m medley relay

Men's 4x50m medley relay

Men's 800m freestyle

Women's 400m medley

Men's 400m medley

Women's 50m freestyle

Men's 50m freestyle

Sunday 18 December

Women's 100m butterfly

Men's 100m butterfly

Women's 50m breaststroke

Men's 50m breaststroke

Women's 200m backstroke

Men's 200m backstroke

Women's 200m freestyle

Men's 200m freestyle

Women's 4x100m medley relay

Men's 4x100m medley relay

Where to watch the 2022 FINA World Championships short course

The World Championships (25m) take place 13-18 December.

Click here for details on where to watch the action online and on TV in your region.