July has finally arrived in the swimming world. This year's highlight, the World Championships in Shanghai, are just three weeks away. What better way to get into the competitive spirit than by following the world's premier Junior competition. Think of it as the start of your own swimming spectator's taper.
What makes this competition so important?
That question is easily answered when you look at some of the previous winners during the last 10 years of this competition. The list includes Olympic Champions (Rebecca Adlington, Laure Manaudou, Diana Mocanu), World Champions (Paul Biedermann, Daniel Gyurta, Yulia Efimova, Katinka Hosszu, Gemma Spofforth, Mateusz Sawrymowicz, Laszlo Cseh, Milorad Cavic, Hanna-Maria Seppala) and World Record Holders (Anastasia Zueva, Rafael Munoz Perez, Aschwin Wildeboer Faber, Liam Tancock). When you cast the net out wider and include medalists at the European Juniors you find the likes of Federica Pellegrini, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Larissa Ilchenko, Keri-Anne Payne and Amaury Leveaux.
You don't need to be a historian of the sport to realise that this competition is a tremendous springboard towards future success.
Who will be this year's star attraction?
On paper that accolade goes to my pick for Olympic silver next year, Bence Biczo. The Hungarian comes into this competition ranked second in the world in the 200m Fly and will be looking to get a solid swim in before mounting a push for the podium in Shanghai.
Biczo, the 200m Fly victor last year, is not the only returning champion.Maxym Shemberyev, ranked 17th in the world this year in the 400m IM will look to make it back-to-back wins in that event. Turkey's US-based Ediz Yildirimer will be defending his 800m Free crown, while Ukraine's Nadiya Koba will be looking to improve on her impressive 25.46 from last year's 50m Free final.
One of the many great things about this competition is its unpredictable nature. Swimmers (and for those who are geographically challenged, some countries) you've never heard of have a habit of making a name for themselves on this stage. It serves as the perfect breakthrough meet for many top junior swimmers as they look to establish themselves in the senior ranks.
2011's Breakout Candidates
Velimir Stjepanovic - SRB, Iuean Lloyd - GBR, Christian Scheruebl - AUT, Arseni Kukharau - BLR, Gregorio Paltrinieri - ITA, Fabio Laugeni - ITA, Panagiotis Samilidis - GRE
Charlotte Bonnet - FRA, Amelia Maughan - GBR, Sycerika McMahon - IRE, Donata Kilijanska - POL, Mie Nielsen - DAN, Hazal Sarikaya - TUR, Molly Renshaw - GBR, Irina Novikova - RUS, Siobhan O'Connor - GBR, Liliana Szilagyi - HUN
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