Being a new parent is the most challenging responsibility you’ll ever have. Doing it while training for the Olympic Games, I can’t imagine that. 4-time Olympic Champion Dana Vollmer, however, is doing and loving it.
After a long break from competition, Dana appears to be better than ever. She was a 57.6 in the 100m butterfly  at the Austin Pro Swim in January, and she took the win at the Mesa Pro Swim in 56.9—gliding into the wall, her best in-season swim.
Vollmer, the defending Olympic Champion, faces the lightning fast and formidable Sarah Sjostrom, who took the 100m fly world record while Vollmer was away starting a family. First Dana has to get past Kelsi Worrell at U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, the greatest 100 yard butterflyer in history.
PREDICTION: It’s two-woman race at US Trials. Dana wins in 55 point 8, just off the world record. Worrell makes her first Olympic team in 56 point 1.
What do you think?Â
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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t think she needs a full taper for trials. That 56.9 would probably make the team. There’s a huge drop from Vollmer and Worrell to the rest of the butterfly field, with only the possible exception of McLaughlin, but who knows what’ll happen with her.
Have big respect for Vollmer but I have my doubts she’s able to crack her lifetime best done in her peak moment this summer, but less so at the trials. Doing that after injury riddled years and a maternity leave with only ~a year of “pro training” would be rather insane. I thought the 56.9 in itself was pretty big four months to the olympics. But that has to be considered in the context that she’s gradually improved at every single meet of her comeback so far. The reasonable thing would be to plateau at 56.5 for a while because that next ½ second is bigger than her steps taken so far combined. Most women are clogged at 56.5-57 for… Read more »
Predictions for trials
1. Dana Vollmer 56.30. She has come back in a fantastic way and looks even stronger than ever, mentally and physically.
2. Kelsi Worrell 56.60
3. Katie McLaughlin 57.50 if she’s back at her best
4. Kendyl Stewart 57.75
5. Eva Merrell 57.99
Predictions for olympic games
1. Sarah Sjöström 55.49
2. Dana Vollmer 55.79
3. Jeanette Ottesen 56.52
I expect something faster than a 56,5 for Bronze with Oleksiak and there Chen. Even Rikako might do something amazing there.
Maybe the only time I disagree with you Bobo, Rio will be much faster 🙂 and Donahue will challenge as well at trials.
I’m sure that (win the NCAA will be big deal at olympic )and kelsi will! !!!@!
Mel, I disagree. Why Dana Vollmer would need a full taper for trials? And why Vollmer and Worrell would go 55.8 and 56.1 at trials if it’s at risk of being slower when it counts the most, in Rio?
In contrary, in my opinion the women’s 100 fly is one of the few events where there are 2 very clear favorites who are miles ahead of the rest of the competition and don’t absolutely need to taper at 100% in Omaha.
Vollmer in 56.50 and Worrell in 56 high are well enough to easily qualify.
The 3rd American girl should not be faster than around 57.50.
Both girls have a big margin on paper which allow… Read more »
US Trials is considered, by US swimmers, to be more nerve-racking than the Olympic Games. True, Vollmer is a 4-time Olympic champion, but I “think” she’ll be ready to swim her best 100 fly in Omaha.
Sarah? I agree, she does appear to be unbeatable, but the Olympics is not been her best meet. I’m considering that as well…
We’ll see!
Another reason for her to taper is swim fast in the 200 free (and make the US 4 x 200 free relay). I’m sure that event is close to her heart since she has two golds in it: 2004 and 2012.
The 200 will be very competitive: Ledecky, Franklin, Smitty, Manuel, DiRado, and several others!
I just believe that with Dana Vollmer and Michael Phelps both being new parents both of them will rip apart their seasons this summer with their new found motherly/fatherly strength.
I would like to know which woman has gone sub 56 in the 100 fly the most?
Is it sjostrom?
Sjostrom seems to swim 56 with ease and how many times have sjostrom and vollmer gone sub 56?
Obviously. Vollmer only did it once in London.
I think Sjostrom has done it twice? could be 3 not sure. Vollmer only did it the one time.
Sjostro did it twice at Kazan (2 WR) and already went 55,68 this year at Swedish Open, at Europeans we might actually see another WR and I don´t know if she has another 55.. this were the “easy” to find