USA Swimming has announced what should be their final roster for this summer’s World Championships in Shanghai, which includes a full compliment of 50m races:
Most significant are the lists of 50m swimmers, which are newly released now that official lineups are due. The 50m racers are as follows:
Women
Back: Liz Pelton, Missy Franklin
Breast: Rebecca Soni, Jessica Hardy
Fly: Christine Magnuson, Dana Vollmer
Men:
Back: David Plummer, Nick Thoman
Breast: Mark Gangloff
Fly: Cullen Jones
The big news here is that Amanda Beard, who was entitled to the 2nd spot in the 50 breaststroke, has ceded the event to Jessica Hardy, who was last year’s World #1 in the race, the World Record holder, and is a prohibitive favorite to take the World Championship. There has been a ton of speculation that this move would happen, as Beard’s stroke isn’t built for 50m, all-out sprints.
The other notable switch in the lineup is that Georgia Bulldog Morgan Scroggy will take Dana Vollmer’s place in the 200 free. Scroggy, who was initially taken to be a part of the 800 free relay, was promoted presumably so that Vollmer could focus on her other three individual races (50/100 fly, 100 free) and three probable relay swims. Scroggy had the 3rd-fastest American time at Pan-Pac’s last year with a 1:57.13 to rank 9th in the World –Vollmer was 3rd with a 1:56.47.
Scroggy will now join her teammate Allison Schmitt in the 200 free, which is no surprise given how out-of-control-good the Georgia program has been at developing 200 freestylers of late.
Though I’m surprised that this move came for World’s, it’s not a surprise in general. Vollmer has been moving her focus more towards the sprint events this year, so the drop of the 200 was on its way one way or the other.
Additionally, of course, is the news we posted last week that Elliott Keefer would take Scott Spann’s spot in the 200 breaststroke.
