After Hours of surfing around the net for hints as to some of the biggest entry questions of the meet, I came across a partial-list of entries for swimming at the Shanghai World Championships, where the swimming is to begin next week.
It unfortunately doesn’t include certain teams, like the French and Yannick Agnel or the Australians and James Magnussen, that people have had questions about, but it does include many big programs, like the Italians, Brazilians, Hungarians, Chinese, Japanese and Germans.. It confirms that defending bronze medalist Jiao Liuyang is not entered into the 100 fly, as we reported with the release of the Chinese lineup last week.
http://fina2011.xintv.com/en/bios.php
It’s not clear how official these entries are, or whether they are subject to change, but it’s the best we’ve got until psych sheets are released by FINA sometime this week.
Talking of relays, what leg do Australia put Coutts on? Backs is up for grabs (Hocking & Seebohm) Breast is set for Jones, then it gets tough, do you risk swimming Schipper and maybe getting a superb leg but could also get a bad leg as since 2009 she has not looked good or maybe throw Rice in on the fly leg? Leave Coutts for Anchor?
Strictly based on flat-start numbers, putting Coutts on the fly is the way to go by about half-a-second. Numbers don’t always tell the whole story, but I expect them to go Coutts fly and Guehrer freestyle. Let Rice rest for the 400 IM the next day.
Coutts winning 3 medals is actually not a big news, and to be much expected.
After all, she will most likely be a member in all 3 relays (possibly swim 800 FR prelims), and Australia is a strong contender to win medals in all 3 relays.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/swimming/magnussen-has-medal-on-his-mind-20110717-1hk39.html
doesnt look like Magnussen is going anywhere.
I think Australian media NEEDS magnussen as a posterboy for their mens team (much like Sullivan in 08). Him winning a medal in the 100m freestyle would rank above any other victories from the australian team even if Coutts wins 3 medals.
Thus far, Magnussen hasn’t done much to earn himself “posterboy” status, specifically with the Adelaide flop for Olympic Trials, but nothing that a few gold medals can’t erase from memories.
http://theswimmerscircle.com/blog/featured/in-briefs-magnussen-calls-adelaide-aussie-trials-a-joke/
I expected him to swim regardless, but there were a few media reports floating around that speculated there was at least consideration to replace him with Sullivan, who was just off of injury at Trials.