This is the kind of swim that the US men's team needed.
Special congratulations to Klete Keller and his anchor leg. It's not easy swimming anchor when you know Thorpe is bearing down on you. Keller kept his cool and held on for gold and a new American record.
Also must say that Klim had a good split. I was fooled, and so was swiminfo into thinking that they would go with Stevens rather than Klim. Experienced showed however and Klim did swim well.
When was the last time that the US won this race? (I remember 84 and Bruce Hayes and 88 but think the Russians won in 92 and Aussies in 96 and 2000).
Long live the "revival" of US middle distance swimming.
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Originally posted by kiwi surfer
Awesome just awesome. Like you I think Thorpe went out too fast and to me at least he doesn't look to be in absolute top condition.
I disagree on both points. Thorpe had a very good split so he is in top condition. I also think his strategy to close the gap earlier was a good one. It's just that Keller had the forethought to keep to his race plan and not get flustered when Thorpe closed on him.
Obviously Phelps was tired from his 200 fly and no doubt from the cumulative pressure of the Olympics/Spitz challenge. Fortuanetly, Hackett couldn't repeat his 200 performance.
Caps off to Lochte, who also kept to his game plan and didn't get rattle when Klim closed early and to Vanderkaay.
I also have to hand it to Klim. He hasn't swum this race in a very long time. He had to endure a time trial to get on the relay and then put together a very good split, compared to Stevens. And at the end of the race was the first Aussie to congratulte the US
Originally posted by kiwi surfer
Awesome just awesome. Like you I think Thorpe went out too fast and to me at least he doesn't look to be in absolute top condition.
I disagree on both points. Thorpe had a very good split so he is in top condition. I also think his strategy to close the gap earlier was a good one. It's just that Keller had the forethought to keep to his race plan and not get flustered when Thorpe closed on him.
Obviously Phelps was tired from his 200 fly and no doubt from the cumulative pressure of the Olympics/Spitz challenge. Fortuanetly, Hackett couldn't repeat his 200 performance.
Caps off to Lochte, who also kept to his game plan and didn't get rattle when Klim closed early and to Vanderkaay.
I also have to hand it to Klim. He hasn't swum this race in a very long time. He had to endure a time trial to get on the relay and then put together a very good split, compared to Stevens. And at the end of the race was the first Aussie to congratulte the US
