Pan Pacific 2006 Swimming Championships

ABC said next Saturday. However I may be wrong in what I read.

Brendans breaststroke swim www.swimnews.net/index.php

Phelps just set a new world record for the 200IM

Originally posted by geochuck Brendans breaststroke swim www.swimnews.net/index.php This link is outdated. That swim is now the second-fastest in history. Just wanted to say how proud I am of all the Americans at this meet. I think the Aussies who stayed home -- with the exception of Grant and Liesel -- should be quite worried about what the Americans did. That women's 400 free relay will be monstrous at worlds. Deep down, I want Ryan Lochte to take that 200 IM record. But do it at the Olympics, on the world's biggest stage. He's improved so much in two years that I think he really deserves it. The fact that he was within two-tenths of breaking it proves that he wants it.

Jeff: Thanks for the clarification of that link. As I was watching the clip I expected to see a lot closer race from lane 5. Then I realized that lane 5 was not Kosuke Kitajima because the guy didn't look like him and he congratualted Brendan on the swim and that would be a first. That must have been the prelim swim. Kitajimi was only .51 behind at the 100 and Hansen really pounded that last 100 to win by 2.37 seconds. I think Kitajimi went all out in the prelims just to make the final because he was the third seed behind his countrymen from Japan. In the finals he went .26 slower than his prelim swim and had nothing for the last 100. I think the meet was great for the USA team. Phelps with 2 Individual World Records and Piersol and Hansen with one each makes this a better meet than Monteal was last year. And now we have a future star with Cullen Jones having a great 100 in the Relay and the win in the 50 Free at :21.85 and being less than .10 from Gary Hall Jr American Record. Speaking of Hall, I wonder why he didn't swim the 50 last night? Ryan Lochte really showed everyone that he can swim Long Course this year and will challenge Michael in the future. Being .27 and then .24 from Phelps in the last two 200 IM races is the best he is ever done. Its too bad he didn't swim the 400 IM because the only event he had that day was the relay. Up until this past Nationals he has always been clobbered badly by Phelps in the 400 LCM IM. They have not gone head to head much but at 2004 Olympic Trials, Michael won by almost 10 seconds then this year at Santa Clara it was pretty much the same. Back in 2004, Ryan was the NCAA Champion and that year I believe he went 4:04 so his LC times didn't match up until this year. Last year he was 5th at Montreal in the 400 IM with a 2:13.67 and he still didn't match up to his SC times. The same with Backstroke in that he just smashed the short course records but has not had an impact in the International LCM formats. He has never challenged Piersol, or even Phelps or Markus Rogan. With what he did at NCAA's and SCM Worlds in China, people have been expecting a break thru and in the IM at least he is starting to seriously challenge Phelps and Czeh. I think both Piersol and Hansen proved at this meet that they are definately the best and if they can both win in 2007 and 2008 then there is a good arguement that they could be the greatest in there strokes off all time. If this happens, Aaron Piersol will be undefeated for 7 years. He seems to do his best when he swims against Phelps in the 200 judging from WR at Long Beach and here. Cocker didn't have Phelps to push him so he didn't do his best time. His World Records in 2003, 2004, and 2005 have always been set swimming against Phelps. The big suprise in the Women has to be Whitney Myers. Now Hoff has a challenger for the race to get the World Record. Myers had almost a 2 second drop and missed the American record by .06 and the World Record by .39 and I believe this WR will be gone at or before the 2007 World Championships. The big surprise for the men has to be Park. It will be interesting to see if he can keep improving as he gets older.

Originally posted by Frank Thompson Speaking of Hall, I wonder why he didn't swim the 50 last night? Hall and Lezak tied for 4th, so one of them wouldn't have been able to swim finals. I heard they flipped a coin to decide who go to swim rather than doing a swim-off. edit: no, wait a minute, since Schoeman qualified second, Lezak and Hall should have both been able to swim in the B heat. I don't get it. Seems like Hall should have been able to swim. Maybe only three total swimmers from one country were allowed to swim finals (combined A and B heats)?

Well, I just got home from PanPacs, tired but happy after yelling my lungs out after witnessing two world records & many other darn fine races: Whitney Myers just looked smooth as silk in laying the boots to Hoff in the 200IM, watch out tainted world record. Michael & Ryan staged a battle for the ages that propelled Phelps to his new world record; the joint was hopping. Coughlin actually swam too close to ropes in her 50, I think it hampered her stroke slightly (although it is hard to tell because she shortens her stroke drastically towards the end of the race). Cullen Jones is the real deal, he will lower the world record to around 21.50 within the next year or so, UNLESS...he goes too far with his idea that he has too lay on some muscle as his next progression (he emphasized that in post-race interview). I'd want him to be very cautious with that. 1500 was enthralling, at the 600 the first 6 were within 3 tenths or so- then Vendt started to pull away from everyone but the Korean kid Park, who while not drafting Vendt did seem to sit on him (in retrospect), 'cause at the 1450 Park just lit up the afterburners and pulled away. I was sitting directly above his lane at the start end of the pool & when Park would come directly at me I was amazed at his absolutely quiet nonresistive stroke; it was beautifully frictionless looking & no wonder he had lots left for a finish. Both relays fell a little short of world records but still were great swims. I saw a confused older couple mistake Rowdy for an usher; he went along with it & helped them find the bathroom- what a class act he is. G'night.

Deep down, I want Ryan Lochte to take that 200 IM record. But do it at the Olympics, on the world's biggest stage. He's improved so much in two years that I think he really deserves it. The fact that he was within two-tenths of breaking it proves that he wants it. originally posted by Jeff Commings I wonder why Ryan didn't swim the 400 IM? I understand that he scratched the 200 back to better rest and prepare for the 200 IM......but why not swim the 400 IM? Isn't he close to Micheal in that event as well? Newmastersswimmer p.s. BTW Nice job at worlds Jeff!

Kitajima & Hansen did shake hands after the 200 (I was watching for it; it came after a pause while Hansen watched his finish replayed on the screen) & it seemed genuine. I don't know what base speed Park has, but he will cerainly be a player for quite a while; getting down to Hackett territory is a question mark, though. I agree Vendt had a tremendous swim considering his short training, but also I think Park had decided to race him rather than necessarily try and blow away the field (if so, very well-disciplined of him). I cannot emphasize enough how much he had at the end. The South African woman who won the 200brst has a beautiful gliding stroke, half the turnover of the two American girls. I don't think she can get down to Lethal territory in the race however. I barely remember the women's 800 free, just shows how exciting the rest of the races were. When I woke up this morning I felt like I had been worked over by a 2 x 4, which I thought was a result of all the driving and maniacal cheering, but my wife pointed out that I always 'swim along' when watching good swim races (perhaps NBC will pick up a shot of me twitching & jerking while Hansen swam his 200brst).

Here's the Jones/Schoeman part of the AP story for people who don't want to have to register for something to read it. Rising U.S. star Cullen Jones won the men's 50 freestyle in 21.84 seconds, a Pan Pac record. Roland Schoeman of South Africa took silver in 22.12. Canada's Brent Hayden earned bronze, his fourth medal. Jones was part of the Phelps-led U.S. team that broke South Africa's 2-year-old world record in the 400 freestyle relay Saturday night. "Cullen who?" Schoeman said dismissively after the 50 preliminaries. He was piqued at a comment U.S. relay swimmer Neil Walker made about the record being back where it belongs. "They've got some of the best swimmers in the world and for them to take two years to break our record, come on. Catch up you guys," Schoeman said. Asked if he was on Schoeman's radar now, Jones didn't take his new rival's bait. "Roland didn't really know who I was coming into this meet," he said. "He was asking around about me. Hopefully, it's a good thing because it's just competition and he and I can still be civil."