Lochte scratches 200 Free

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:58:45 GMT

My wife, on the other hand, just wanted to know why they don't try to sell the sport by highlighting how ripped these guys are. It's harder to see in the body suits. They's have to televise practice & warm-up sessions to "see" the real benefits.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:21:31 GMT

My wife, whose knowledge of swimming is very cursory, asked me "why don't you think Piersol will lose, didn't he win the Gold medal last time..." Seems so obvious now! My wife, on the other hand, just wanted to know why they don't try to sell the sport by highlighting how ripped these guys are.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:10:59 GMT

My wife, whose knowledge of swimming is very cursory, asked me "why don you think Piersol will lose, didn't he win the Gold medal last time..." Seems so obvious now!

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

aquaFeisty — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:40:36 GMT

let's give grevers some credit. he swam a great race. He did indeed swim a great race... with an even greater finish! The sprint training at Ford seems to have served him well. Can't wait to see how he does in the 50 and 100 free!

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:25:57 GMT

Or the other, slightly more invasive procedure which is equally popular among cattle. :)

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

swimcat — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:54:19 GMT

let's give grevers some credit. he swam a great race.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

aquageek — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:46:35 GMT

Yes, but don't forget swimming is dying in the US.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

pwolf66 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:43:05 GMT

She had the WR (however briefly) the day before...then doesn't make the team. Brutal. But that will illustrate exactly how DEEP USA swimming is right now across the board. Going into most finals, you have 4-5 swimmers who have a VERY real shot of finishing 1 or 2. This has been incredible to watch so far.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Chris Stevenson — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:36:40 GMT

I agree with you about McGregory. That is completely heartbreaking to finish 3rd at trials three times. Bal's situation is tough too but McGregory... :( She had the WR (however briefly) the day before...then doesn't make the team. Brutal.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

knelson — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:22:45 GMT

Since they're Longhorns wouldn't it make more sense if they got branded ?

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:16:41 GMT

Seriously? They aren't swimming well? What trials are you watching? Hansen didn't have a great finals swim but I think his prelim and semi swims were great ... there are two in the finals of the 200 free ... what more do you want? I was referring to how flat Hansen looked in the finals and how Klueh looked at that point. Shanteau, and after last night Peirsol and Berens makes me wrong. I am glad for that Hook 'Em! Hope this sets up well for Crocker and Hansen/Peirsol get the 200 WRs back.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

aquageek — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:24:33 GMT

Do they all have the silly tattoo like Smith? One of those horns has roots here in sleepy Charlotte.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

knelson — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:04:54 GMT

Five Horns made semis in the 100 free, too. Looks like Peirsol's WR in the back got 'em fired up!

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:54:59 GMT

Olympic Relays But remember Larsen Jensen is already on the Olympic Team for the 400 fr, if he has an amazing 200 free in practice at the Olympics they'll consider using him. I don't think attempting this is even an option for him. IF he goes a 4:41 in the 400 he might be able to convince someone to atleast give him a shot in a time-trial, but considering that he has tonights competition to prove he deserves the spot this has got to be his only chance. If I was the coach and he told me that he wanted to time trial to earn a spot on the relay, I would ask him why he has been training for the 200 when the US needs him to swim well in the 1500 and 400. SO who will be the odd guys out? I think Jensen and Beal.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:03:37 GMT

The 100 back will be great. My bet is the first titan will go down and Piersol doesn't make the team in this event. I don't know about Piersol. I am rooting for him, though. He did have a good semi swim. Did I hear correctly that he is not shaved? However, it's going to be one heck of a race no matter who wins.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:51:04 GMT

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:43:07 GMT

I'm so bummed for Bal, more for him than Lochte since Lochte has other events. I'm sad for McGregory too. How crappy to have such great swims in prelims and semis then to get third AGAIN in finals. HOWEVER - did I call the Peirsol thing or what?!?! I agree with you about McGregory. That is completely heartbreaking to finish 3rd at trials three times. Bal's situation is tough too but McGregory... :(

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:39:37 GMT

The men's 800 free relay is going to be really really fast. They are going to go below 7:00 in 5 weeks! I am glad that Lochte went ahead and gave the coaches the proof that they need to put him on the relay in Beijing. Clearly he deserves a spot on the relay. He probably would have been on the relay anyhow, but now we won't have a repeat of the minor Phelps/Hall controversy from Athens. The 100 back will be great. My bet is the first titan will go down and Piersol doesn't make the team in this event.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:27:07 GMT

wait, is the 4x200 relay made up based on times or top 6 in finals? some combination of both? Top 2 are on for sure, then coaches discretion. His time last night pretty much assures him a spot in the relay. The 100 Back will be the race of the night, if not the meet. The 1-4 spots are a complete tossup. It will be awesome!

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:49:05 GMT

wait, is the 4x200 relay made up based on times or top 6 in finals? some combination of both?

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Frank Thompson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:12:26 GMT

Top 2 are on for sure, then coaches discretion. His time last night pretty much assures him a spot in the relay. The 100 Back will be the race of the night, if not the meet. The 1-4 spots are a complete tossup. It will be awesome! The Top 2 are not necessarily on for sure. John Piersma won the 200 Free at the 1996 Olympic Trials and beat Josh Davis (1:48.97 to 1:49.29) and they were the two selected to represent the USA in the 200 Free. Piersma swam a poor swim in the prelims of 1:50.XX and was not even selected to swim the prelims of the 800 Free Relay to be given another chance to prove himself. It probably mattered that he swam a poor 400 Free in the prelims and the coaches decided to swim others swimmers that made the top 6. Another example of this is Lindsay Benko who was second in the 200 Free at the 2004 Olympic Trials but did not swim as fast in the heats of the 200 Free in the Olympics in Athens. Because the coaches thought she didn't swim as fast as expected in the individual event, she swam the prelims to prove that she could swim as fast as the trials swim. It didn't happen and she was off the final of the 800 Free Relay. In 1996, Jenny Thompson was 7th in the 200 Free at Olympic Trials and did not qualify to swim in the relay per top 6 rule. The coaches can over rule that if they feel the relay would be faster with another swimmer on it. Jenny didn't even swim prelims and swam on the gold medal winning relay in the finals. In 2000, she didn't even swim the individual event at Olympic Trials but swam in the finals on the gold medal winning relay. These decisions by coaches are not without controversey. I remember reading something about Christina Teutcher in 2000. She swam the 200 Free in the Olympic Trials and had a time that was faster than the others that were sent to swim the relay. She was told she did not have to swim the prelims to prove that she could swim the time that was done in the Olympic Trials and it would be best to rest up for the 200 IM individual event, which she took a bronze medal. As the story goes she found out 10 minutes before the 800 Free Relay final started that she would not be swimming the relay. She let her emotions speak in an interview with Swimming World about 6 months after the Olympics.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

ande — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:46:41 GMT

Olympic Relays top 6 in the 100 & 200 freestyle go to the Olympics the idea is 4 relay members and 2 alternates are eligible to make the olympic team, the Olympic Committee has a selection proceedure document, where they place priorities, 26 men and 26 women can make the team With Phelps and Lochte making multiple events they won't be close to 26 mens members. That's why making to 6 in the 200 free tonight is critical I believe Michael PHELPS and Peter VANDERKAAY, will be first and second, Klete could step up and pop a great one. That leaves Dave WALTERS, Ricky BERENS, Danny BEAL, Larsen JENSEN, and Erik VENDT fighting for the next 3 spots, who ever is 7th and 8th won't be on the Olympic Team for the 4 x 200 relay But remember Larsen Jensen is already on the Olympic Team for the 400 fr, if he has an amazing 200 free in practice at the Olympics they'll consider using him. At the Olympics there's a prelim swim and final swim, anyone who swims in prelims earns the medal if one is won in finals. Olympic coaches test the swimmers in practice and see how well they swim their events at the Olympics. On Relay Day: Prelims: 4 swimmers will be chosen to swim prelims, maybe the 4 slowest, USA has the luxury of swimming the 4 slowest and still making top 8, their instructions will be SAFE STARTS and swim as fast as you can. The fastest swimmers don't have to swim in the morning so they can get extra rest. Usually you see 4 swim the morning 2 rest then the 2 fastest from the morning swim at night along with the 2 very fastest who didn't swim in the morning at this olympics we might see 4 swim in the morning then 4 different swimmers swim at night, BUT coaches will pick the 4 fastest swimmers to swim in finals, whether they were top 6 or not, Lochte is going to let his 1:45.6 time stand. The controversy in 2004 was Michael Phelps didn't swim the 100 free at trials but he had a faster 100 free time. Gary Hall was very vocal that Phelps shouldn't be on the final relay. Eddie said the fastest swimmers swim at night, Gary had a time to beat and didn't. My guess is phelps will swim the 100 free prelims and post a fast 100 time then drop the semis and finals going into 2008 trials before the LZR I believed in the 100 free it was going to take a 48.6 - 48.7 to make the US Olympic team, I now think top 6 will be in the range of 48.2 - 48.5 and top 2 should be under 48 wait, is the 4x200 relay made up based on times or top 6 in finals? some combination of both?

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

knelson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:40:11 GMT

It should be a dogfight between Peirsol, Bal, Grevers and Lochte. I was actually wondering if Lochte might go for the 200 free. Things might have been different had the 100 back final been first on tonight's schedule.

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Former Member — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:25:46 GMT

I predict a tie for second and a swim-off! Wouldn't that be incredible?

RE: Lochte scratches 200 Free

Chris Stevenson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:22:04 GMT

I don't know about Piersol. I am rooting for him, though. He did have a good semi swim. Did I hear correctly that he is not shaved? However, it's going to be one heck of a race no matter who wins. If I understood the interview correctly, he didn't shave for prelims and clipped for semis. Certainly he will shave for finals, way too competitive to do otherwise. Regardless who wins, there will be some long faces after the race. What a brutal meet.