Velimir Stjepanovic still positive despite rough first day in Kazan

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  • Bouncing back: Velimir Stjepanovic.

    Dubai-based Velimir Stjepanovic will have to make a quick turnaround following a disappointing 400m freestyle yesterday as he lines up for an even tougher 200m race Monday

    The Serb, who is the reigning European champion in both freestyle distances, swam a 3:49.49 in the 400 free on Sunday which placed him 19th in the preliminaries, more than two seconds off the slowest swimmer to make the final. 

    “I am physically fine and the taper was good, just a bad swim overall on my part,” Stjepanovic told Sport360 .

    "I have no other choice than to see what mistakes I made and move on" – Stjepanovic

    “It was exactly the same time I did last year in Berlin (at the European Championships) in the morning, however it wasn’t swum in the way it needed to be swum. It’s unfortunate, however you have to look at what was good and bad about the race and move on, better here than next year (at the Olympics).”

    Stjepanovic faces even stiffer competition in the 200m free where he will take on the likes of Sun Yang, Ryan Lochte, Paul Biedermann and Chad Le Clos, who will all be gunning for gold in the abs-ence of Yannick Agnel, the reigning Olympic champion in the event. 

    “I have no choice other than to see what mistakes I made and move on and channel the feelings I have to the 200 tomorrow,” said Stjepanovic. “The field is even stronger and deeper on the 200 so I’m going to have to forget about today and be ready tomorrow.”

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    World junior record holder Mack Horton cut a disappointed figure in the mixed zone as the 19-year-old also missed out on a place  in the 400 free final after admitting he had misjudged his heat on his World Championships debut.

    The Aussie teenager came into Kazan having swum the world’s fastest time this year, but admitted he was found wanting on the big stage as he finished 11th in the heats.

    “It was my first international meet and I wasn’t really sure of the pace,” said Horton, who will also swim in the 800m and 1500 freestyle events.

    “It took me by surprise, but there’s still a long way to go in the meet.”

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