Sorry to hijack this thread, but since it seems to more-or-less be about the nats, can someone explain with Mike Alexandrov was relegated to the B final in the 200IM even though his prelim time was seventh fastest?
Skip Montanaro
From www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../16334.asp
"In the B Final, Wildcat Mike Alexandrov won in a lifetime-best 1:43.58 after being relegated to the consolation heat due to being an international swimmer, even though he qualified in the top eight from prelims. USA Swimming must be somewhat confused about how to treat Alexandrov. First, the organization accepted him as a citizen when it ratified him as the 100 breaststroke America record holder from his time at NCAAs. Then, USA Swimming comes back and kicks him out of the championship heat for a national title. Either way, the time made him the sixth-fastest performer all time in the event."
More specifically, Alexandrov has dual citizenship with USA and Bulgaria. It is indeed confusing what nationality Alexandrov wants to claim. If he wanted to be an American, fine, but you can't switch back and forth. I think there's some rule about dual citizenship in FINA that you can't go to the other one once you proclaim one.
Alexandrov represented Bulgaria at worlds, three weeks after his American-record swim at NCAAs.
If it were up to me, I'd strip him of the AR.
Lochte probably enjoys underdog statusMaybe to some, but he is the American Record holder in the 100 and 200 back events and the 200 IM. And all of these records were set at the Georgia Tech pool where nationals are being held.
I don’t think anyone can touch him in SCY backstroke and is my clear favorite to win the 100, 200 back and 400 IM, unless he swims all 12 events he’s entered in and then he may be a bit tired come Saturday’s finals.
A word from down under (sorry, not Australia, but Brazil). We have never, ever gotten good standings or medals or whatever in LCM and Olympics. But once in awhile we have this great athlete that gives us hope. Thiago Pereira is the name of the moment. He beat some world records in SCM, I believe in Berlin, a couple of weeks ago and is in the news these days. But when you put him in the pool with Phelps, there is a huge difference on the long course. AND first he has to take care of Lochte. But the brazilian media doesn't know all these details. The media, poor media, doesn't know about Cielo, I guess top free fifty swimmer ever in the SCY today, but in the U.S. away from our poor reporters. It is odd that Thiago was a hero in the Pan American Games, but our true chance at a shot in Beijing would be with Cielo. Well, I remember watching a video of Spitz (maybe it was a film) underwater, in 1968 and our coach in Chattanooga, said he was a California promise, might do some good swimming later on. I believe he was my age, about 16...probably only a sophomore in high school. That is as close as I ever got to Spitz. I do swim with a former relay 200 free (200X4) from 2004, Bruno Bonfim. I asked him point blank last week: is Amanda Beard hot up front in person? He said, yes, she is...billy fanstone
Lochte swam a 1:43.8 200 IM in prelims, easily seeding him first for tonight, and a 19.22 50 free! Possibly, just possibly, this guy is even more versatile than Phelps. He can truly swim any stroke, any distance and be competitive at the highest level.
