Phelps Begins Last Run at Olympic Three-Peat in 100 Fly Prelims

The prelims on day 6 of this meet will see the fastest-of-the-fastest on the men’s side take on the 50 free, but also has the longest race on the women’s side in the 800 free. We’ll see American sensation Katie Ledecky in that 800, along with Kate Ziegler and defending champion Rebecca Adlington – Britain’s best chance at gold at this meet.

Michae Phelps also begins the preliminary rounds of the 100 fly, which is the 5th and final shot at a men’s three-peat, which is something that still has not ever been accomplished in Olympic swimming.

Full PDF Results available here.

Men’s 50 Free – Prelims

George Bovell’s decision to scratch the 100 free and focus strictly on this 50 paid off in the prelims, as he posted a 21.77 for the top seed. The Trinidadian sprinter, once an Olympic medalist in the 200 IM, is the 4th-best in history, and though he couldn’t match that time here, he does move to 7th in the world.

The two Brazilians sit close behind him with a 21.80 from defending World Champ Cesar Cielo of Brazil and a 21.82 from his understudy Bruno Fratus.

In all, just 6 men were sub 22-seconds in this opening round. That includes American Anthony Ervin in his meet debut with a 21.83 for the 4th seed, and South African Roland Schoeman breaking through for the first time this season with a 21,92. The 6th seed will be American Cullen Jones, who in his 100 freestyles thus far have looked great for 50 meters: a good sign for this race.

Among other finalists include both Australians (James Magnussen and Eamon Sullivan), France’s Florent ManaudouGideon Louw, and Canadian Brent Hayden. All of those men were between 22.0 and 22.2. The biggest misses include Great Britain’s Adam Brown in 22.42, Sweden’s Stefen Nystrand in 22.32, and France’s Amaury Leveaux in 22.35. This was the 4th Olympic Games for the 30-year old Nystrand.

Women’s 800 Free – Prelims

Katie Ledecky, the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic Team at 15, was fantastic at the US Olympic Trials in late June. She was fantastic again here in the opening round of the 800 free in an 8:23.84, but she is up against a different class of swimmer in London. That swim will leave her with the 3rd seed headed into finals.

She was out very fast again, with an opening 400 of 4:09.68; but the two top seeds Rebecca Adlington of Great Britain (4:09.40/8:21.78) and Lotte Friis of Denmark (4:08.19/8:21.89) were both out faster, and it will be very interesting to see how the young Ledecky responds when she’s not swimming from the front – a position in which she’s thrived.

As for Adlington’s swim, it was a good warm up though she would be disappointed if not at least an 8:18 in finals. The crowd roared like they haven’t yet in a preliminary round at the London Aquatics Centre when Adlington took the pool, and she rewarded them by taking the top spot headed toward finals, which won’t be held until Friday night.

Mireia Belmonte-Garcia is 4th in 8:25.26, followed by New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle (8:25.91), a tie for 6th between Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas and Venezuela’s Andreina Pinto ((8:26.43) and France’s Coralie Balmy (8:27.15).

For Pinto, that makes her the first ever Venezuelan under 8:30 and crushes her own National Record. She trains in the United States with Gregg Troy and the Gator Swim Club; she’s been having a fantastic season as she climbs into the national view, but really kicked things into a different gear in this race. Balmy has had a great meet, but normally stumbled with a slowish back-half of this 800.

Both Chinese swimmers, surprisingly, missed, topped by Yiwen Shao in 9th in 8:27.78. They have had an extremely up-and-down meet this week. Spain’s Erika Villaecija-Garcia was 10th in 8:27.99. Canada’s Alexa Komarnycky struggled at Trials, but seems to have shaken off her funk and went a best time here of 8:28.11 for 11th place. That makes her the 2nd-fastest Canadian in history.

American Kate Ziegler was 21st in 8:37.38. She’s been battling the flu this week, and added more than 15 seconds from Trials.

Men’s 100 Fly – Prelims

Chad le Clos has really improved his speed and looked quite good in the prelims of this 100 fly after his upset in the 200. He will take the top seed into tonight’s final in 51.54. That’s a best time by half-a-second and a new South African Record. He was to face the same double tonight as will Michael Phelps, the 2nd seed in 51.72, but le Clos scratched the 200 IM without much of a chance at a medal.

Russia’s Evgeny Korotyshkin is the 3rd seed in 51.84, followed by Konrad Czerniak (51.85) and Milorad Cavic (51.90).

Germany’s Steffen Deibler (51.92) and Tyler McGill (51.92) were the only other swimmers under 52 seconds, for a total of 7.

Australia’s Chris Wright took 10th in 52.11.

There were no really huge misses for this final, though a few small surprises. Japan’s Takuro Fujii was only 21st in 52.49; however his teammate Takeshi Matsuda tied for 16th in 52.36. Matsuda declined the swim-off, leaving Germany’s Benjamin Starke in the semis, but that will make Japan feel much more cofnident in their medley relay choice, where Matsuda is expected to swim fly and Fujii the freestyle anchor.

Women’s 200 Back – Prelims

The two Americans Missy Franklin and Elizabeth Beisel took the top two seeds in the prelims of this 200 back in times of 2:07.54 and 2:07.82. As the winners of the two fastest heats, they swam very similar races, and were the best of what was a terribly slow preliminary round – it took just a 2:10.60 to make the semifinals.

That slow heat worked to the favor of the Netherlands’ Sharon von Rouwendaal, who grabbed that final slot. She was the bronze medalist at Worlds last year, and there are high hopes for her to at least repeat that this year.

The third seed behind the pair from the United States is Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry in 2:08.14 – shooting for what would be an Olympic three-peat for her. The two Aussies Meagan Nay (2:08.40) and Belinda Hocking (2:08.75) are juts behind.

All of the big names were safely through, and we’ll be hoping for some more notable times in the semis.

 

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EvolvingSprinter
12 years ago

Does anyone have the exact link for live streaming again? It’s somewhat hard to navigate since there are so many sports and it’s hard to tell before finals start if it’s the right video.

john26
12 years ago

I don’t know about you guys, but I personally dislike LeClos’ stroke, the bent arms look very forced and the opposite of elegant.

PsychoDad
Reply to  john26
12 years ago

Compared to Phelps every otehr fly stroke is “bad”. His fly looks so effortless, with smooth recovery entry. However, like in case of Soni and all little girls copying her stroke, many boys are trying to copy him and his breathing every stroke and that is a very bad idea for 99% of them.

Chest Rockwell
Reply to  john26
12 years ago

This is pretty rare these days, the recovery has become rather uniform – straight arms low to the water.

Hippo-K12
Reply to  john26
12 years ago

totally agree w/u! Michael has the most beautiful fly troke of them all. i just love watching him swim it. He’s the best!

TX Swimmer
12 years ago

What was Chad Le Clos best time in the 200 fly before the Olympics? His 100fly seed time was not even in the top 25. I think he and his coach have purposely been flying under the radar to avoid attention and expectations.

ChestRockwell
Reply to  TX Swimmer
12 years ago

If this is true, they intentionally avoided attention, it is one of the best coaching moves in history. I think the attention is to blame for a lot of poor performances, and really makes what Phelps did in ’08 that much more impressive.

beachmouse
Reply to  TX Swimmer
12 years ago

Swimnews has Le Clos listed as #17 in the world in 2011 at 52.15, and 1:55 in the 200 fly. Seems like he spent the winter chasing the big World Cup money rather than racing long course, and the really heavy racing schedule from those meets might have given him a lot of practice for good finishes in tough company.

Kirk
12 years ago

I noticed a lot of guys in the 200 fly finals breathing every stroke. The Phelps effect?

Philip Johnson
12 years ago

Chad is a class act. although he took down the greatest swimmer of all time, he still praised Phelps & has enormous respect for him. no trash talking or whatnot, just admiration. a true champion!

Shiki
12 years ago

Is Ledecky’s coach Yuri in Longdon now?

MoCo Swim mom
Reply to  Shiki
12 years ago

Yes, he is.

Rafael
12 years ago

Thanks to Coach Pussieldi this news is something big

Probably we have some of, if not the best 4 IMers ever now..

For the first time, the 4 same guys, will be at their third consecutive olympic final, at 200IM.

Since 2004, Phelps, Locthe, Cseh and Pereira never missed any final. If not for Cseh Upset, the same would have happened at 400IM.

Andre Lucena
Reply to  Rafael
12 years ago

The “Fantastic Four”, said Coach Pussieldi.

Philip Johnson
Reply to  Rafael
12 years ago

incredible consistency by those four swimmers.

Philip Johnson
12 years ago

these Olympics have been all about upsets. Phelps, Magnussen, & Soni just some of the big names that have gone down so far. i would still put Cielo as the favorite, but i wouldn’t be surprised if he’s beaten.

Rafael
Reply to  Philip Johnson
12 years ago

On the afternoon I think we will know how Good Cielo is looking..

The race for upset will be 200IM… I would not be surprised on any finish order.. or even Phelps Locked out..

Backtothepoolture
Reply to  Rafael
12 years ago

“Phelps LOCKEd out” – good one! This will be the race of the night (followed closely by 800F – Go Katie!)

LBSWIMFAN
Reply to  Backtothepoolture
12 years ago

I don’t think the 800 final is until tomorrow night.

Reply to  Rafael
12 years ago

I cant see phelps being locked out… Maybe Lochte if he’s too beat after the 200 back. (I certainly hope not but it’s gonna be tough)

Rafael
Reply to  ZYNG43
12 years ago

Phelps looked very tired at semis already and his time from Semi was not a medal lock..

Reply to  Rafael
12 years ago

I still feel like he will be faster. At least his time from US Trials. I wonder if Lochte will have enough left to hold off phelps and the field.

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Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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