The Swimming Thread - Pool/OW

[Otispunkmeyer]

944fan said:

Stands were 3/4 empty for last nights session. Between races you could hear a mouse fart.

Peaty is looking good was a second ahead of everyone else in the semi for 100m breast.

The commentary on Eurosport leaves a lot to be desired. Some Scottish chap talking utter crap and some woman who sounds a lot like Becky Adlington but was being called Jo by the other chap.

Half way through the 400m they didn't talk for about 2 mins. Was a blessed relief.

Its Joanne Jackson. Former Olympic medalist and one time WR holder in the 400 Fr. She should know what she's on about but it sounds like she doesn't!

Have to say that we aren't looking that great at the moment. Ladies 4x100 team didn't even make a final and the guys came 7th. Walker-Hebborn only 4th in his semi and didn't make the final for the 100 back. This is only europe as well, what about when the Americans, the Aussies and the Chinese rock up in a few months time?

James Guy, not sure what he was playing at but there was clearly something up there in his 400 heats. I mean what was the point in coming if you are just going to treat it as a training swim?

Peaty is a nailed on success I think, but the other good results are going to fall the stalwarts like Halsall and Miley. Everyone else is looking decidedly like an also-ran. Proud might do something, he's quick, but on sprints nearly anyone can come up trumps the margin is so small.

Ms Hosszu is some kind of freak beast. Anhilated everyone in the 400 IM. Then got out and did the 200 back and did the same there. She only had the mens breastroke semis for a rest! Miley put in a decent time but looked like Wilmott was a bit off her best too.

Hopefully the dulled performances by some are deliberate due to training cycles.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Tuesday 17th May 10:59

[944fan]

She is the better of the two commentators but has an annoying habit of saying "you know" at the start and end of every sentence.

Yeah I wondered about James Guy, wasn't prepped at then carried out with his training plan straight after. Very odd.

It doesn't look all that good for Rio does it. The Americans have a very strong team, Phelps and Lochte look good (seen the latest Speedo ad - Lochte looks fking huge), Franklin looks like she is in good shape and Ledkey can;t seemingly go near a pool without breaking a world record.

Plus no doubt there will be dopped up Ruskies to spoil some fun :-)

[Otispunkmeyer]

944fan said:

She is the better of the two commentators but has an annoying habit of saying "you know" at the start and end of every sentence.

Yeah I wondered about James Guy, wasn't prepped at then carried out with his training plan straight after. Very odd.

It doesn't look all that good for Rio does it. The Americans have a very strong team, Phelps and Lochte look good (seen the latest Speedo ad - Lochte looks fking huge), Franklin looks like she is in good shape and Ledkey can;t seemingly go near a pool without breaking a world record.

Plus no doubt there will be dopped up Ruskies to spoil some fun :-)

Fingers crossed someone at british swimming knows what they are doing. They are in the building next door actually, supposed I could go ask them!

Just can't get over Hosszu.... 4:30 twice in a day for the IM and manages to go 3rd fastest into the final on the 200 back with only about 5 minutes rest. I doubt any of our lot could do that, rested or not. She's on another planet.

Mighty good 50 fly from that Gorosov guy is it? sub 23 for 50 fly, the guy looked like he was surfing a wave. Incredible.

[944fan]

Yes Hosszu is very impressive. I realise there is an enormous gulf in everything but I am fked for hours after one race, recovering that quickly is amazing.

[944fan]

Great swim from Peaty.

Watching on BBC2, nice to have becky and Mark doing the analysis but BBC, I have said this before and will say it again, please don't put Helen Skelton on telly again. She is appalling. Bring back Claire Balding

[Otispunkmeyer]

944fan said:

Great swim from Peaty.

Watching on BBC2, nice to have becky and Mark doing the analysis but BBC, I have said this before and will say it again, please don't put Helen Skelton on telly again. She is appalling. Bring back Claire Balding

I've been watching via LEN's own channel on DailyMotion. No Commentary at all. Bliss.

[944fan]

Hosszu continues to pretty much dominate. Was pipped in the 100 back by a championship record having not long won the 200Im by a clear body length.

Was on the podium getting her IM medal wearing her cap as she then had to go straight into the 100 back.

Good win for Murdoch, brits doing slightly better but can still see a lot of them being shoved down the results table come Rio by the US and China.

There is a journalist/analyst chap who uses a computer programme to estimate medal wins at the Olympics by analyse the form of all atheletes ( not just swimming). Apparently it is pretty accurate and got 16 out of 20 right for London. Anyway the system is currently predicting the US to win the medal table and also showing 5 medals for Phelps, including 4 golds.

ETA - correct 6 medals, 5 gold:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/phelps...

[Otispunkmeyer]

Phelps has just had a baby though, so perhaps that might take the edge off him. I don't expect him to get 5 golds. I expect he will be top 3 for all his events (not including relays, they may well be nailed on already) but I think individual golds for him are going to be extremely difficult to come by. They're not going to be as easy as some where in the past for him.

As for us, I think you'll be right. We'll be going down a few pegs once the USA, China, Japan (also great breaststrokers), Australia show up. Bar Peaty who is clearly faster than everyone else in the world by clear margin, I think many of our swimmers will find themselves just out of the medals. Might even be a few who don't make finals.

[944fan]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Phelps has just had a baby though, so perhaps that might take the edge off him. I don't expect him to get 5 golds. I expect he will be top 3 for all his events (not including relays, they may well be nailed on already) but I think individual golds for him are going to be extremely difficult to come by. They're not going to be as easy as some where in the past for him.

Check this interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd3OhqOgBj4

Says he has doubled his squat in a year and his BF is down from 13% to 5%. Seems like desire and attitude are in the right place which he didn't have in London. Just his age going against him.

[Otispunkmeyer]

I can't wait.

I guess the next thing will be will it happen at all. I don't think its going to well down in Rio!

A lot of Phelps' old foils are doing very well too. Laszlo Cseh for example has gone very well at the Europeans the other week and Mr Le Clos is sure to be right up there. The Aussie blokes too are looking extremely strong.

I wonder how Lochte is doing? I think he's still in it isn't he? or has he hung up his speedo's?

[944fan]

I can't wait either. The fact that it is not a nailed on cert for Phelps to win makes it more interesting. I suspect as well that some of the others must be able to sense a prospect as well which in the past they didn't have. Even the closet rival must have had slight doubt stepping on to the blocks next to Phelps.

Lochte is still about. He is winning races at the local meets in the US but is not setting the timing boards alight. He has been taking tips from Phelps though it would seem. He is massive now, obviously been putting in the effort in the gym. He is also dating a Playboy bunny apparently. Tough at the top.

[Otispunkmeyer]

To be fair Lochte needs all the help he can get. He's thick as mince.

Phelps definitely looking sharp in the fly and the IM, but his freestyle is off. According to SwimVortex he's been competing recently with the hope being he would post a time good enough now to be considered a shoe in for the 4x200 freestyle relay and so would be able to forego that event at trials to focus on the other two and reduce his programme. Trouble is he came 4th. He needs to improve or he might not be in any of the freestyle relays.

[944fan]

Lochte has just set a PB in the 100 breast. Apparently talk of him trying to break is own WR at the 200IM in Rio

[Otispunkmeyer]

944fan said:

Lochte has just set a PB in the 100 breast. Apparently talk of him trying to break is own WR at the 200IM in Rio

100 breast? must be branching out. No way he's gonna topple the likes of Peaty, CVD, Murdoch et al. 200 IM will be interesting to see, contested by Mr Phelps as well.

[944fan]

Think he has been working on it to improve his IM. I doubt he will be trying that at the Olympics, as you say he will be wiped by the others

[Merp]

Back in the pool this week for the first time since mid april.
Its been so long the new trunks I got for my birthday at the start of May needed the tags removing!

Feeling pretty good, bashed out a bit of long course fly 28/29ish for 50m.

...I need to race!!

[944fan]

I have entered to the Coniston end to end race. Was supposed to do this last year but my eye infection put paid to that.

Also got a 3.8km swim race this Saturday. I did this one last year and locked 01:07:09. I am hoping to go under 1:05. Although I was in better swim shape last year I cocked up my pacing and went out far too slow.

Also going to practice a mass start but getting at the front.

[944fan]

I got an 8 sec PB in the 3.8km OW. That was mostly down to just getting a better start, but it does show that my fitness is pretty much back up to where it was a year ago.

Had a great sprint finish with one chap, annoyingly I beat him to the shore but he got straight up and ran to that mat, I took about 10 seconds steadying myself as I felt quite dizzy.

I was 12th out of 29. 7th male and 2nd in the male 14-39 cat. Does mean I was beaten by people mostly older than me though

[Monch]

944fan said:

I got an 8 sec PB in the 3.8km OW. That was mostly down to just getting a better start, but it does show that my fitness is pretty much back up to where it was a year ago.

Had a great sprint finish with one chap, annoyingly I beat him to the shore but he got straight up and ran to that mat, I took about 10 seconds steadying myself as I felt quite dizzy.

I was 12th out of 29. 7th male and 2nd in the male 14-39 cat. Does mean I was beaten by people mostly older than me though

Might have good news for you.
I raced the 3.8k, finished under the hour.
But two people I know garmined the race, one was 3976m and the other 4025m.
So allowing for slight swimming deviations, and the times that others did, all a touch slower, the general consensus, although unscientific....
Was that we reckon it was a 1300m lap.
So you probably swam 3900, and got out to cross the mat.

So well done!

[944fan]

Nice, I'll take that. I used my Garmin 910XT, but on my wrist where it tends to have the odd brain fart. Mine clocked 3846m but I started it late as I wasn't ready for the go signal so it definitely sounds like it was long.

The course has changed since last year because of the aqua park. Last year the 3.8 started a little way back from the rest of the pack and did 3 and a bit laps.

Nice one on the sub 60, maybe next year I will be close to that.

There is another one in August. Was considering doing the 3.8 again, but then thought about the 10k. Also next year I want to set some good times on Oly distance tri so thought about doing at 1500m test event. Can't decide.