Reigning World Champion and world record holder Giorgio Lamberti of Italy competed in the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay but not this event after a bout of flu at the Italian trials kept him from qualifying.
ɹˈeɪnɪŋ wˈɜːld tʃˈæmpiən ænd wˈɜːld ɹˈɛkɚd hˈoʊldɚ dʒɪˈoːɹdʒɪˌoʊ lˈæmbɚɾi ʌv ˈɪɾəli kəmpˈiːɾɪd ɪnðə fˈoːɹ tˈaɪmz tˈuːhˈʌndɹɪd mˈiːɾɚ fɹˈiːstaɪl ɹˈiːleɪ bˌʌt nˌɑːt ðɪs ᵻvˈɛnt ˈæftɚɹ ɐ bˈaʊt ʌv flˈuː æt ðɪ ɪtˈæliən tɹˈaɪəlz kˈɛpt hˌɪm fɹʌm kwˈɔlᵻfˌaɪɪŋ.