Women's 400 IM

She went a 4:33 in the 400 IM in 2011, and was #2 in the world rankings for that event in 2011, so its hard to say she was not a medal favorite - and she was the top 200 IM swimmer in 2011, so perhaps its just that Chinese swimmers don't get the US media exposure that swimmers like Hozzu who swam the US college circuit did; She was also a 1:58.2 200 meter 200 free swimmer in 2011, #31 in the world. At age 16, she's at a stage of life where growth and improvement is to be expected. Missy Franklin dropped from 1:59 to 1:55 in 200 free, and 2:08 to 2:50 200 back from 2010 to 2011 when she aged from 15 to 16, so similar drops at that age are not unusual. And similar suprise last 50 free splits from strong fdreestyle swimmers do happen form time to time - at this year's ACC men's championships, the winner split 24.36 (one of the fastest alltime last 50s of this event) to overtake the leader after 150 who came home in 27.5. Ye Shiwen's last 100, while fast, was only about a second faster than Stephanie Rice's last 100 when she set her world record. I bet the Chinese put her on their 800 free relay though, if she went 1:58.2 last year, you have to think she has a 1:56+ in her now (or better). With their grueling training, Olympic athletes can swim numerous/back to back events. I don't find this suspicious. They recover quickly. I find it much more suspicious to not be even a clear medal favorite, smash your PR, smash the tech suit WR and come back in the last 100 in 58+. Also quite odd that she is not in the 400 free or other freestyle events. No one cares about German triathlon forums.

She went a 4:33 in the 400 IM in 2011, and was #2 in the world rankings for that event in 2011, so its hard to say she was not a medal favorite - and she was the top 200 IM swimmer in 2011, so perhaps its just that Chinese swimmers don't get the US media exposure that swimmers like Hozzu who swam the US college circuit did; She was also a 1:58.2 200 meter 200 free swimmer in 2011, #31 in the world. At age 16, she's at a stage of life where growth and improvement is to be expected. Missy Franklin dropped from 1:59 to 1:55 in 200 free, and 2:08 to 2:50 200 back from 2010 to 2011 when she aged from 15 to 16, so similar drops at that age are not unusual. And similar suprise last 50 free splits from strong fdreestyle swimmers do happen form time to time - at this year's ACC men's championships, the winner split 24.36 (one of the fastest alltime last 50s of this event) to overtake the leader after 150 who came home in 27.5. Ye Shiwen's last 100, while fast, was only about a second faster than Stephanie Rice's last 100 when she set her world record. I bet the Chinese put her on their 800 free relay though, if she went 1:58.2 last year, you have to think she has a 1:56+ in her now (or better). With their grueling training, Olympic athletes can swim numerous/back to back events. I don't find this suspicious. They recover quickly. I find it much more suspicious to not be even a clear medal favorite, smash your PR, smash the tech suit WR and come back in the last 100 in 58+. Also quite odd that she is not in the 400 free or other freestyle events. No one cares about German triathlon forums.