The psych sheets for the 2012 Austin Grand Prix have been posted, and as should be the standard from here through trials, just about all of the major names have come to play.
Check out the full psych sheets here.
The big names on the list will be two swimmers who have recently un-retired getting their first crack at the best of USA Swimming ahead of the 2012 Trials.
Anthony Ervin, the 2000 Olympic champion in the 50 free, has swum a lot of short course since beginning his return in September, but not yet attempted a long course meet. We’ll get to see him race the 50 and 100 frees here against top swimmers like Nathan Adrian (50 and 100), Michael Phelps (100 free), Graeme Moore (50 and 100), and Fred Bousquet (50 and 100 free). He is seeded with his short course meters times, however, so he’ll have to really self-motivate to crack into the A-final in those races, against a very deep sprint field.
Janet Evans will also make her first appearance in some time when she races the 400 and 800 freestyles. She’ll also see some of the best the country has to offer, including Allison Schmitt, Chloe Sutton, Kate Zielger, and Emily Brunemann (who showed her pool skills off at the big-money Chesepeake Pro-Am in December).
Just about every American who you can name will be in attendance at this meet, with the notable exceptions of Amanda Beard, Dara Torres, and Ariana Kukors. Kukors also skipped Nationals in December, which was a bit surprising, and the Duel in the Pool.
Tyler Clary, who pulled out of the end of the Duel in the Pool with a rotator-cuff injury, is apparently feeling well-enough to go in this meet. He’s entered in a tough 7-event schedule. According to his Twitter, he was shooting a bow and arrow just a week after the Duel, and given the strain that would generally put on the injured area, the assumption is that he was feeling much better.
A complete preview will come as the meet gets nearer.
fyi an updated version of the psych sheet was put up earlier today: http://usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/66cfb2ae-89b5-4d2d-b2f8-f609e39909d4/psych.pdf
aswimfan-
That’s why we are fans and they are Olympians
I know Phelps is a superfish, but I still cannot fathom a 1:52 200 IM at the time being, unless that new speedo kit gear is as awesome as they advertise.
I’m not going to lie. If Phelps is going to be where I think he could be in London fitness wise, I think a 152 is possible. In Shanghai, this was definitely his best race, and I think the signs are there that if Phelps swam the 200IM earlier in his Beijing program he could’ve swam a 153mid or so. Bowman remarked after the race that Phelps looked exhausted, and I’m sure this is one event he just did enough to win. Phelps fly and free strokes were relatively weak in Shanghai, so I think it is possible for Phelps to improve on technique on top of fitness. Which is why I believe he can go 153low, and perhaps faster… Read more »
aswimfan,
Please don’t confuse my opinion of Phelps as a knock on lochte, that could not be further from the truth. All I am saying is, based on the series of events, actions, interviews it is safe to say MP has not been the most focused since 2008. I don’t doubt he was very focused going into Shanghai and I for one, was glad to see Lochte get what he deserved in that gold medal and WR.
Based on what we have heard recently from the Phelps camp, he is focused and gearing towards London being “IT”. IF he has really dropped the 4IM (this race at Austin could just be him seeing where he is at in his IM… Read more »
I remember Phelps/Bowman repeatedly mentioning a list of goal times (there are several lists) that are/were lifetime goals for him, and Bowman gave splits in the 200 fly that summed up to something like 1:48 high. Now, this was back around 2007/2008, so they were probably counting on more training in the past few years. I believe his 2008 goal (ruined by leaky goggles) was to be out in 25 low, and av. 28.0/1’s for a 200 fly.
In the 200im, Phelps obviously wasn’t at his best (physically) because he didn’t even have a full year’s worth of solid training. Lochte will be faster in London, but I believe Phelps will be fastest. Also, in Shanghai, the 400 im made… Read more »
Also don’t forget that unlike Lochte, Phelps didn’t swim the 400 IM in Shanghai.
It is just disrespect to Lochte as if saying that Lochte won the 200 IM and the WR because Phelps was not at his absolute best.