Day 4 of 5 prelims is just an hour away at the 2011 USA Swimming National Championships, and World Championships swimmers continue to pull out of the meets in droves. They’ve made their appearances, signed their autographs, and earned their APA money, and with that they should be satisfied. Now it’s time for them to head home for some well-deserved rest.
We won’t get to see an encore performance of Missy Franklin in the 200 backstroke. The story swirling is that Franklin agreed with her coach Todd Schmitz that she wouldn’t have to swim any events that she ended World Champs number one in the world at. Schmitz probably didn’t imagine when he made that deal that this would include two events (the 200 free and 200 back), but that’s why we’re not seeing her swim, as she will have a day off to prepare for two more events on Saturday (100 free, 400 medley relay).
Kathleen Hersey (200 back)
Missy Franklin (200 back)
Ryan Lochte (100 free/200 IM)
Tyler Clary (200 IM)
Peter Vanderkaay (1500 free)
Those still swimming, however, will give plans plenty to root for on Friday. With the absence of Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps, and Tyler Clary (probably the three best IM’ers in the world right now), Nolan all of a sudden moves into pole position in the men’s 200 IM as the top overall seed. With this being his best event, it will be curious to see how he handles the pressure. So far this meet, he’s been good, but not as good as some of the expectations that have been leveled upon him.
Nathan Adrian/Jason Lezak/Matt Grevers/Scot Robison/Tyler McGill/Cullen Jones/Garrett Weber-Gale/Ricky Berens/Dax Hill (100 free)
David Nolan/Kyle Whitaker/Austin Surhoff/Todd Patrick/Conor Dwyer/Bill Cregar (400 IM)
Sean Ryan/Arthur Frayler/Zane Grothe/Andrew Gemmell/Michael McBroom/Michael Klueh/Ryan Feeley (1500 free)
Kathleen Hersey/Teresa Crippen/Lyndsay DePaul (200 fly)
Liz Pelton/Elizabeth Beisel/Morgan Scroggy (200 back)
The race I really want to see is the women’s 200 fly. Kathleen Hersey and Teresa Crippen were the two American representatives at the World Championships, and they will be chased by Lyndsay DePaul, recent USC grad, who had a phenomenal 400 IM last night out of the B-Final.
There are a few other swimmers to watch out for in this race as national-championship-contenders with the top two probably tired from two long weeks of travel and competition. Like DePaul, Texas A&M’s Cammile Adams had a great 400 IM last night. She’s not seeded at the end of these psych sheets because she’s entered with a yards time, but that yards mark converted to meters would make her the 2nd seed at a 2:08.1.
Elaine Breeden will be the 3rd seed in this race representing the home-team Stanford Aquatics that have been having a great meet so far. Also keep your eyes on Kim Vandenberg, who is officially representing the New York Athletic Club. Many don’t realize that the 27-year old UCLA grad, who was a 2008 Olympian, is still competing, because she’s one of the few Americans who trains outside of the US with the famed club in Marseille, France, but she enters this race as the 5th seed.
Really looking forward to seeing Jimmy Feigen in the 100, especially after that 50 yesterday.