Pan Pacific 2006 Swimming Championships

Originally posted by Peter Cruise Good analysis, Frank- except each country can only qualify 2 swimmers in each finals, but as many as they want in heats; the reason that so many Americans are going lights out in heats isn't just to be one of the 2 for finals, however, they can also use these times to qualify for world champs next year & improve upon Nats times. Natalie Coughlin went so far as to skip 100back at Nats, because she could swim it here & qualify for Worlds (and maybe set a world record tonight). I have never heard of a meet run like this. It seems to penalize countries that have good depth in events and penalize them. It also puts other countries at an advantage because they do not have to go all out in the prelims to make the finals and can coast a little more and make it and have more energy for the evenings finals. Last night Randal Bal had to swim in the B heat and he had the second fastest time in the event. He was out faster than anyone at the 50 mark with no one pushing him. Tonight Eric Vendt is almost 10 seconds faster in the 400 IM then people in the A heat. Cullen Jones also has the same problem in that he may watch up to seven swimmers go slower than himself in the A heat. This seems like a stupid way to run a meet. What if someone in the B heat breaks a World Record and they would not be recognized as the Pan Pac Champion. Its not likely but possible. I realize that times from the B heats can go toward qualifing for the World team but what ever happened to the Trials meet where you have to perform to make the team. It seems to me that this can create a lot of loopholes with swimmers trying to make the team. For instance, what if a swimmer in a Trials meet beats two swimmers that have faster times from a meet like this. Sounds like it could create a controversy. The only meet that I have ever heard of this format is the Olympic/World Trials to pick the top 2 swimmers in an event to make a team. Is this rule in because of what the USA did in 1976 in Monreal when they went 1-2-3 in 4 events? Tonights big race is the Men's 100 ***. Will Brendan take the momentum from the two World Records and beat Kosuke Kitajima. I remember Long Beach and how I thought he was a shoe in to win both events at Athens. Last years race in Montreal was decided by .16 so it will be real close and hopefully history won't repeat itself after Hansen set 2 World Records in 2004 and lost his next biggest race. I pick Hansen in a close one. Rolland Schoeman is in an outside lane and he seems to swim the best when he is there and I pick him to win the 100 Free. Phelps and Hoff will win the 400 IM's. I am going to pick Amanda Weir to win the 100 Free tonight. I also pick Tara Kirk to win the 100 *** also.

Originally posted by Peter Cruise Good analysis, Frank- except each country can only qualify 2 swimmers in each finals, but as many as they want in heats; the reason that so many Americans are going lights out in heats isn't just to be one of the 2 for finals, however, they can also use these times to qualify for world champs next year & improve upon Nats times. Natalie Coughlin went so far as to skip 100back at Nats, because she could swim it here & qualify for Worlds (and maybe set a world record tonight). I have never heard of a meet run like this. It seems to penalize countries that have good depth in events and penalize them. It also puts other countries at an advantage because they do not have to go all out in the prelims to make the finals and can coast a little more and make it and have more energy for the evenings finals. Last night Randal Bal had to swim in the B heat and he had the second fastest time in the event. He was out faster than anyone at the 50 mark with no one pushing him. Tonight Eric Vendt is almost 10 seconds faster in the 400 IM then people in the A heat. Cullen Jones also has the same problem in that he may watch up to seven swimmers go slower than himself in the A heat. This seems like a stupid way to run a meet. What if someone in the B heat breaks a World Record and they would not be recognized as the Pan Pac Champion. Its not likely but possible. I realize that times from the B heats can go toward qualifing for the World team but what ever happened to the Trials meet where you have to perform to make the team. It seems to me that this can create a lot of loopholes with swimmers trying to make the team. For instance, what if a swimmer in a Trials meet beats two swimmers that have faster times from a meet like this. Sounds like it could create a controversy. The only meet that I have ever heard of this format is the Olympic/World Trials to pick the top 2 swimmers in an event to make a team. Is this rule in because of what the USA did in 1976 in Monreal when they went 1-2-3 in 4 events? Tonights big race is the Men's 100 ***. Will Brendan take the momentum from the two World Records and beat Kosuke Kitajima. I remember Long Beach and how I thought he was a shoe in to win both events at Athens. Last years race in Montreal was decided by .16 so it will be real close and hopefully history won't repeat itself after Hansen set 2 World Records in 2004 and lost his next biggest race. I pick Hansen in a close one. Rolland Schoeman is in an outside lane and he seems to swim the best when he is there and I pick him to win the 100 Free. Phelps and Hoff will win the 400 IM's. I am going to pick Amanda Weir to win the 100 Free tonight. I also pick Tara Kirk to win the 100 *** also.