Call me an old fashioned cynic, but Gary Hall's oh so exclusive "Race Club" seems to generate more amusement than intimidation. To review the bidding for those with real lives, Mr. Hall announced a few months ago his intent to form his own club dedicated to elite swimming. It has a fabulous location and training facility in the Florida Keys. It will cover travel, training and living expenses. (I'm tempted to ask who is fronting the money, but I won't denigrade Mr. Hall's ability to raise funds.) If you want to join them, send in a resume; don't call us; we'll call you. Let us look over your accoplishments and decide whether you are worthy.
Hmm, great facilities, don't have to share pool time with the non-world class members (i.e. 99%) of a Swim Club, just about all expenses paid. Unless you have your own lucrative endorsement deal, what swimmer wouldn't want to join this team?
Well, the initial members of the "Swim Club" were announced last week. www.swiminfo.com/.../6097.asp Eight Olympians sounds real impressive. But then you look at the list a little more closely. Eleven swimmers, and although I have not googled everyone of them, all of the ones I have googled are in their late 20's or older. Or in other words, 3 of the 11 swimmers are chronologically at the back end of their careers, and they have not yet made their nation's Olympic Team. Closer scrutiny reveals 10 of the 11 are men. Just about all of them swim the 50 free or 50 fly, and few of them seriously compete in anything other that the 50 or 100 free or fly. In contrast to the lack of age, gender and event diversity, the team does have members of many nationalities and ethic backgrounds. However, the most telling stat of all is that roughly half of the members I checked are not currently ranked in the World Top 20 Rankings, LCM or SCM, in any event.
Overall, the "Swim Club" sort of reminds me of the kind of team a rookie fantasy league coach would assemble--there are a lot of names you would recognize, but their most productive years may be behind them. To be fair, all of these folks are amazing, world-class swimmers. Their careers to date have been awesome, and they remain extraordinary today by any standard, except arguably World Rankings. In contrast, I am an opinionated loud mouth. I would be delighted to see them find new speed and light up the scoreboards next year with medals and records, and make a complete monkey of me. As of right now, I think may the "Swim Club's" gloss may have exceeded its actual capabilities.
Matt
Former Member
I agree with this:
Originally posted by TerryT
What a bunch of cry babies, Hall Jr finally has a club for the post college age sprint swimmer and all I hear sour grapes.
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Maybe someone else has the will to start a IM or distance club if they think The Race Club isn't for them.
Also the presentation of The Race Club in this thread as being made of oldies and over-the-hill is misinformed.
A lot of claims in USMS are misinformed anyway and fed with cliches for the feeble middle-aged.
Shoeman (R.S.A.) is 23 years old, and a world-class sprinter for some years.
Heck, in 1999 he was #1 in the world with a 22.04 in 50 free Long Course.
Just in December, 2003 he went 48.7 in 100 meter free Long Course, good for #3 in 2003 in the world.
He swam 22.13 in 50 free Long Course a month ago, and Hall (U.S.) went 22.18.
Busquets (Pur.) and Foster (U.K.) are not to take lightly in the 50 free at the Olympics, either.
They are racing beasts.
Coach Jon Olsen (U.S.) appears to know what it takes to be a world-class sprinter like he was in the 90s when representing the U.S. in two Olympics.
Michelle Engelsman swam 24.80 in 50 meter free during the Australian Olympic Trials to make the Australian Olympic Team.
She is coached by Jon Olsen (U.S.) in The Race Club.
I didn't find a picture of Michelle Engelsman, but I found a picture of three other Australian sprinters:
foxsports.news.com.au/.../0,5001,333808,00.jpg
Libby Lenton, Jodie Henry and Alice Mills.
Michelle Engelsman (The Race Club) and Libby Lenton qualified in individual 50 meters free;
Libby Lenton and Jody Henry qualified in individual 100 meters free;
(Libby broke Inge de Bruijn's (Ned.) world record and Jody tied it.)
Go Michelle from The Race Club!
Originally posted by lefty
The Australian women were FAR more impressive than the guys at their trials. Only 3 gold medal threats for the AUS men: 200 Free, 400 Fee and Mile. (800 relay and Piper 200 *** too I suppose). But looking at the 800 free relay, I now favor the US. Klim is OUT: the 3,4 guys for AUS will be 1:48s. US should have 4 guys under 1:47 (with relay starts).
What did I miss here Lefty? At NCAAs NO ONE was impressive in the 200 free. Phelps cancels out Hackett but Thorpe is at least 3 seconds ahead of the next US swimmer. Who are the other three on the relay? Keller (sometimes great sometimes medicore) Davis (does he even swim the event anymore) Dusing (o.k. he's probably can be counted on to match one of the other 2 Aussies). I think the Aussies are favored until one other US swimmer proves he can swim a 1:46 with a flat start.
What about the 4 X 100 relay? This should be a real tight race bewtween US, South Africa, Netherlands, Russia, Australia etc. I do think the US will get it's revenge and Phelps will be on the relay.
The Australian men are pretty young but yes, the women look much more formidable.
Originally posted by seltzer
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What did I miss here Lefty? At NCAAs NO ONE was impressive in the 200 free. Phelps cancels out Hackett...
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Hackett (Aus.) went 1:45.61 in the 200 meter free, a personal best that overtakes -by a little, I grant you- Phelps' (U.S.) best 1:45.99.
Grant Hackett can hack it, right now.
But yeah, they roughly cancel each other out, at a high level.
(Also, as a side note, watch for the rise of a new batch of U.S. sprinters, in time for the 2008 Olympics, with 100 meter specialists Kyle Bubolcz (born in 1986) and Matt Grevers (born in 1985). But Phelps (born in 1985) is still the most precocious one).
Here's the deal with the Race Club: They are not formed as a team with United States Swimming because they want their swimmers to stay loyal to their home teams. However, they registered as a USMS team so they can compete together at a few meets here and there, such as Nationals.
The Australian women were FAR more impressive than the guys at their trials. Only 3 gold medal threats for the AUS men: 200 Free, 400 Fee and Mile. (800 relay and Piper 200 *** too I suppose). But looking at the 800 free relay, I now favor the US. Klim is OUT: the 3,4 guys for AUS will be 1:48s. US should have 4 guys under 1:47 (with relay starts).
Hacket WAS awesome in the meet. I hope he doesn't repeat his 00 experience and have a bad meet.
Looks like Neil Walker is approaching his old form. Went a 49.5 at councilman. Who won't be on the 400 free relay at night at the olympics: Hall, Walker, Lezak, Phelps or Crocker.
Oh and ION, what do you know about Salim Illes? Finally, Krayzelberg said he WILL NOT be doing the 200 back at trials. Focusing on the 100 only. Clearly that will be Phelps 5th event.
Originally posted by lefty
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Oh and ION, what do you know about Salim Illes?
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I follow him too.
He is from Algeria, and trains in France, with Racing Club de France.
He went 49.00 in 100 meter free two years ago.
Hi Shipley,
I don't really have too many thoughts about the Race Club because I don't know too much about them (if you were asking ME- I'm not even sure if you were!) I know they are fast, but I don't really no their "motives" if that's the right word, for going to Nationals. Are they still eligible for Oly. Trials and all that? Are they trying to make the team, etc?
I'm not a sprinter at all so I don't pay too much attention, although if I'm at the pool I'll definitely watch :)
Originally posted by seltzer
Originally posted by lefty
What did I miss here Lefty? At NCAAs NO ONE was impressive in the 200 free. Phelps cancels out Hackett but Thorpe is at least 3 seconds ahead of the next US swimmer. Who are the other three on the relay? Keller (sometimes great sometimes medicore) Davis (does he even swim the event anymore) Dusing (o.k. he's probably can be counted on to match one of the other 2 Aussies). I think the Aussies are favored until one other US swimmer proves he can swim a 1:46 with a flat start.
What about the 4 X 100 relay? This should be a real tight race bewtween US, South Africa, Netherlands, Russia, Australia etc. I do think the US will get it's revenge and Phelps will be on the relay.
The Australian men are pretty young but yes, the women look much more formidable.
SOme good Points Seltzer, I do disagree though: the US wipes the floor in the 400 Free realy. US will have 4 guys with 48 flat start. Noone else will have 2. RE: The 800 Free relay: did you see the results from AUS trials? Two 1:45s and two 1:48's. Keller has never been mediocre in a big meet. He is more likely to split 1:44 than 1:47. The problem will be Thorpe. Keller will need a 2 second lead. If you aggregate the US Times (1:46.0, 1:46.6, 1:47.0, 1:47.1) they are exactly the same as AUS (1:44.0, 1:45.6, 1:48.5, 1:48.6). The US guys have consistantly swam better in relays so I say advantage US.
