I know it was a rolling start, but 49.1?? Tyler McGill went 51.1 in semis. Does anyone know if Lochte has ever swam fly in international competition? Seems like since the beginning of time, it's been Crocker and Phelps on the relays.
Isn't the world record 49.8? And Ryan seems to have more stamina than Phelps.
If Ryan were to pick the 100 fly, I think Phelps would rise to the challenge. But the 200... The problem for Phelps is that he hasn't been training hard core since Beijing, and just will have a difficult time matching Lochte's base.
49.1
Holy Cow. That shows that he's been focusing on fly. And he's got another year and a half. Holy. F'ing. Cow.
And yet, Lochte always go out neck and neck (or rather, neck and shoulders) w/ Phelps in the butterfly leg of the 400IM. Without focusing on fly in training!
Frankly, I don't see Phelps regaining his laser focus that he showed btw 2000 and 2008.
Here's how Phelps did at the NBAC Christmas meet. I don't know if he was rested, shaved/unshaved, training straight through, or what.
50 free: 20.12
100 free: 43.16 (prelim only)
100 back: 46.68
100 ***: 53.75
100 fly: 47.10
www.nbac.net/.../1292267888_2010 XMas Meet MM Report.htm
Here's how Phelps did at the NBAC Christmas meet. I don't know if he was rested, shaved/unshaved, training straight through, or what.
50 free: 20.12
100 free: 43.16 (prelim only)
100 back: 46.68
100 ***: 53.75
100 fly: 47.10
www.nbac.net/.../1292267888_2010 XMas Meet MM Report.htm
How could he have been tapered when he hasn't been training? Ha. All the swims are just okay. Kind of hard to read anything into them.
Here's how Phelps did at the NBAC Christmas meet. I don't know if he was rested, shaved/unshaved, training straight through, or what.
50 free: 20.12
100 free: 43.16 (prelim only)
100 back: 46.68
100 ***: 53.75
100 fly: 47.10
www.nbac.net/.../1292267888_2010 XMas Meet MM Report.htm
I think the 100 free and 100 *** times are pretty good for what was surely an unrested swim. That fly time looks like something he swam with a huge lead.
53.75 is a very good 100 *** time no matter who is swimming. At the recent UT invite, where most of the fast guys rest a bit (to make NCAA cuts) Eric Shanteau won with a 53.55. The fastest NCAA guy swam 53.73.
The winning 100 free time at this UT meet was 42.52. An unrested Weber-Gale swam a 42.94.
Phelp's 100 back time was just behind the winning 46.56.
Isn't the world record 49.8? And Ryan seems to have more stamina than Phelps.
If Ryan were to pick the 100 fly, I think Phelps would rise to the challenge. But the 200... The problem for Phelps is that he hasn't been training hard core since Beijing, and just will have a difficult time matching Lochte's base.
49.1
Holy Cow. That shows that he's been focusing on fly. And he's got another year and a half. Holy. F'ing. Cow.
Good point, but for some reason I just can't imagine Phelps getting beaten in the 200. It's arguably his best event.
The 49.1 split was his 3rd event of the evening and to me the hardest part of getting 8 golds is being able to sustain peak performance for so many races. I find his ability to race over and over again inexplicable. That is a skill he seems to have mastered.
For perspective, though, I think Crocker was a 48.8 in college flat-start. At this point Lochte is only really really good at fly, not quite gold medal contender.
Good point, but for some reason I just can't imagine Phelps getting beaten in the 200. It's arguably his best event.
And yet, Lochte always go out neck and neck (or rather, neck and shoulders) w/ Phelps in the butterfly leg of the 400IM. Without focusing on fly in training!
Frankly, I don't see Phelps regaining his laser focus that he showed btw 2000 and 2008.
