This is a really smart move --- she has little chance of winning a medal in the 100 - but she can win one in the 50.
Of course she will swim the Free relay -- the question will be the Medley relay - but they can decide that after the Free relay. With Coughlin as the Backstroker, she is the fastest in the Free by a good margin.
I think Dara will be on both relays. The question is will she be on both relays for the finals session. For the Free Relay, I say yes unless the four other swimmers in the 3rd thru 6th positions go faster than the :53.76 time that Dara posted at the Olympic Trials.
The big question is the Medley Relay and who will swim the Free leg of that relay in the Finals. Assuming that Natlie Coughlin beats Margaret Hoelzer in the 100 Back Finals than I believe she would be swimming the Back leg of the relay. If she does not, then she could be swimming the Free leg of the relay based on the time of :53.66 or a faster time at the Olympics in the individual event. Dara has a time of :53.76 for swimmers to beat to be on the Medley Relay.
I could also see Lacey Nymeyer getting that spot if Natlie does Back if she goes faster than :53.76 and gets a medal in the 100 Free individual event. Currently Dara is ahead (:53.76 to :54.02) but that could change with both swimmers with there performances in the Olympics. If Dara does not swim the prelims, then the :53.76 will be the benchmark. Lacey will probably swim the prelims if the coaches feel the individual event was not up to par. The 100 Free individual event will be over before this relay so the coaches will make the choice from these performances.
This is a really smart move --- she has little chance of winning a medal in the 100 - but she can win one in the 50.
Of course she will swim the Free relay -- the question will be the Medley relay - but they can decide that after the Free relay. With Coughlin as the Backstroker, she is the fastest in the Free by a good margin.
I think Dara will be on both relays. The question is will she be on both relays for the finals session. For the Free Relay, I say yes unless the four other swimmers in the 3rd thru 6th positions go faster than the :53.76 time that Dara posted at the Olympic Trials.
The big question is the Medley Relay and who will swim the Free leg of that relay in the Finals. Assuming that Natlie Coughlin beats Margaret Hoelzer in the 100 Back Finals than I believe she would be swimming the Back leg of the relay. If she does not, then she could be swimming the Free leg of the relay based on the time of :53.66 or a faster time at the Olympics in the individual event. Dara has a time of :53.76 for swimmers to beat to be on the Medley Relay.
I could also see Lacey Nymeyer getting that spot if Natlie does Back if she goes faster than :53.76 and gets a medal in the 100 Free individual event. Currently Dara is ahead (:53.76 to :54.02) but that could change with both swimmers with there performances in the Olympics. If Dara does not swim the prelims, then the :53.76 will be the benchmark. Lacey will probably swim the prelims if the coaches feel the individual event was not up to par. The 100 Free individual event will be over before this relay so the coaches will make the choice from these performances.
