Its interesting that they would add a Mixed Medley Relay instead of a Mixed Free Relay.
My thinking is that a mixed medley presents more of a challenge to the coaches. With mixed free, barring event limitations, you just toss in your two fastest men and women. I don't think it's that simple in a mixed medley. (Or maybe it is, and I'm just not thinking about the problem correctly.)
It isn't, there are a lot more possibilities with mixed medley relays. As a summer league coach, I address this problem every other week (five age groups, A/B/C relays per age group). In our summer league, a further complicating factor is that you can have 3 or even 4 females in a "mixed" relay, not just 2.
Free relays are easy, Team Manager will even suggest them for you and usually they are correct or close to it.
Anything that opens to the door to countries with smaller programs being able to potentially mount a competitive relay makes the competition more interesting, as far as I'm concerned. And it seems to me that you've got a little more possibility for that scenario playing out with mixed medley than with mixed free.
Even if it turns out to be not-too-hard for coaches to put together mixed medley relay squads, it's provided us with a new (and interesting) topic of conversation. :)
the only team that enters into the picture is Great Britain because of Adam Peaty.
otherwise the powerhouse teams will still be the powerhouse teams.
joseph schooling is not going to get singapore a relay medal by himself
You're right. We should fight this because it's not perfect! NO MIXED MEDLEY RELAYS
/sarcasm
the only team that enters into the picture is Great Britain because of Adam Peaty.
otherwise the powerhouse teams will still be the powerhouse teams.
joseph schooling is not going to get singapore a relay medal by himself
What about Hungary in the mixed medley?
If Hungary actually included Hosszu and Cseh in their mixed medley team, they might be minor medal contenders. At both Kazan Worlds and 2016 Euros, they didn't. Instead, they swam a 54.xx male backstroker, a 59.xx female flyer (and one of their 1:01.xx breaststrokers in preference to Daniel Gyurta).
the only team that enters into the picture is Great Britain because of Adam Peaty.
otherwise the powerhouse teams will still be the powerhouse teams.
joseph schooling is not going to get singapore a relay medal by himself
Right now, sure. I'm thinking of possibilities farther into the future.
