Pan Pacific 2006 Swimming Championships

Originally posted by gull80 Very sportsmanlike conduct by Schoeman after the 50 prelims (reported in the New York Times): American Cullen Jones was fastest in the men's 50 free preliminaries, touching in 22.14. Roland Schoeman of South Africa was second. Jones was part of the U.S. team that broke South Africa's 2-year-old world record in the 400 freestyle relay Saturday night. ''Cullen who?'' Schoeman said after the 50 preliminaries. By the way, Cullen Jones is African American. Gull: There is more to the story than that and I linked it here - www.nytimes.com/.../AP-SWM-Pan-Pacific-Swimming.html What I would like to ask Roland is why he is standing on the sidelines watching this for 2 years instead of swimming and challenging the Americans. He complains that it has taken 2 years to break this record but at least the USA swims in the relay at big international meets and does not duck its competition. Last year the only swimmer they did not have was Darian Townsend and they had a replacement that was just as fast. They didn't even field a relay in Montreal. This year they are mssing Ryk Neethling but so what, put a relay out there and see what you can do. Yesterday I said that the USA had a chance to break the World Record if they could match the intensity of the 800 Relay. They did that and more and with Piersol being hot from last night they have a chance to break 3:30.68 from 2004 in the Medley Relay tonight. Aaron will go for the World Record tonight and the key legs in my mind will be Hansen and Crocker (assuming Crocker swims and not Phelps). Jason Lezak had a great pressure split last night and I expect him to do the same tonight. He comes thru on those relays when he has to. Benndan Hansen has the 200 *** tonight and it will be the first time he will face Kosuke Kitajima in this event since 2004 Olympics. Kosuke did not qualify last year for this event when Hansen won in Montreal so this will be the first time Hansen could win head to head in this race. I didn't give Kosuke a chance judging from what he did in the 100 and a rumor of him being sick and off. His prelim swim suprised me but maybe he went all out because he had to beat two Japanese swimmers to get in the final. I pick Hansen here for a close win and maybe not a World Record. Just as the pressure is on Hansen to win there will be pressure for Megan Jendrick to win and make the World team. I am predicting she will win and have enough to make the time standard to qualify for the World team. What happen to Jessica Hardy in the 200 ***? Going 1:06 in the 100 and then 2:37! The 50 Free in both the Men and Women look good tonight. I am going to pick Cullen who to win and beat Rolland even though he just set a SCM World Record. I think Cullen can take last nights momentum and win. He is capable because he has already gone :21.94 at Nationals. I pick Kara Lynn in a close one with Natalie but it could go either way. In the 200 IM Katie Hoff is going to win and maybe hit or break 2:10.00 but I am not sure if she has enough for the World Record. The Mens 200 IM is the race that everyone is looking forward to. Ryan Lochte stratched the 200 Back yesterday to get extra rest that he will need if he is going to win tonight. You would think that Michael would be tired from all the swimming he has done and this would be the time for an upset. Not likely. I just can't pick against Michael the way he is swimming in this meet. He seems to feel how to seal the deal when he is on the last 50 of his IM. The last time he was challenged in an IM was against Vendt in 2002 and it will take an even greater effort by Lochte than that to get the win. I pick Phelps by .50 but I don't believe he has enough in the tank for a World Record. I am going to take the winners of last nights 400 Free in the Womens 800 Free (Shibta) and the Mens 1500 Free (Park) because they are swimming well but its really anybody race and it will come down to who has energy left after a long meet.

Originally posted by gull80 Very sportsmanlike conduct by Schoeman after the 50 prelims (reported in the New York Times): American Cullen Jones was fastest in the men's 50 free preliminaries, touching in 22.14. Roland Schoeman of South Africa was second. Jones was part of the U.S. team that broke South Africa's 2-year-old world record in the 400 freestyle relay Saturday night. ''Cullen who?'' Schoeman said after the 50 preliminaries. By the way, Cullen Jones is African American. Gull: There is more to the story than that and I linked it here - www.nytimes.com/.../AP-SWM-Pan-Pacific-Swimming.html What I would like to ask Roland is why he is standing on the sidelines watching this for 2 years instead of swimming and challenging the Americans. He complains that it has taken 2 years to break this record but at least the USA swims in the relay at big international meets and does not duck its competition. Last year the only swimmer they did not have was Darian Townsend and they had a replacement that was just as fast. They didn't even field a relay in Montreal. This year they are mssing Ryk Neethling but so what, put a relay out there and see what you can do. Yesterday I said that the USA had a chance to break the World Record if they could match the intensity of the 800 Relay. They did that and more and with Piersol being hot from last night they have a chance to break 3:30.68 from 2004 in the Medley Relay tonight. Aaron will go for the World Record tonight and the key legs in my mind will be Hansen and Crocker (assuming Crocker swims and not Phelps). Jason Lezak had a great pressure split last night and I expect him to do the same tonight. He comes thru on those relays when he has to. Benndan Hansen has the 200 *** tonight and it will be the first time he will face Kosuke Kitajima in this event since 2004 Olympics. Kosuke did not qualify last year for this event when Hansen won in Montreal so this will be the first time Hansen could win head to head in this race. I didn't give Kosuke a chance judging from what he did in the 100 and a rumor of him being sick and off. His prelim swim suprised me but maybe he went all out because he had to beat two Japanese swimmers to get in the final. I pick Hansen here for a close win and maybe not a World Record. Just as the pressure is on Hansen to win there will be pressure for Megan Jendrick to win and make the World team. I am predicting she will win and have enough to make the time standard to qualify for the World team. What happen to Jessica Hardy in the 200 ***? Going 1:06 in the 100 and then 2:37! The 50 Free in both the Men and Women look good tonight. I am going to pick Cullen who to win and beat Rolland even though he just set a SCM World Record. I think Cullen can take last nights momentum and win. He is capable because he has already gone :21.94 at Nationals. I pick Kara Lynn in a close one with Natalie but it could go either way. In the 200 IM Katie Hoff is going to win and maybe hit or break 2:10.00 but I am not sure if she has enough for the World Record. The Mens 200 IM is the race that everyone is looking forward to. Ryan Lochte stratched the 200 Back yesterday to get extra rest that he will need if he is going to win tonight. You would think that Michael would be tired from all the swimming he has done and this would be the time for an upset. Not likely. I just can't pick against Michael the way he is swimming in this meet. He seems to feel how to seal the deal when he is on the last 50 of his IM. The last time he was challenged in an IM was against Vendt in 2002 and it will take an even greater effort by Lochte than that to get the win. I pick Phelps by .50 but I don't believe he has enough in the tank for a World Record. I am going to take the winners of last nights 400 Free in the Womens 800 Free (Shibta) and the Mens 1500 Free (Park) because they are swimming well but its really anybody race and it will come down to who has energy left after a long meet.