The Americans have named their men’s 800 free relay for tonight’s finals as Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer, Ricky Berens and Michael Phelps on the anchor: a position that he’s rarely occupied in his career.
Dwyer was the lone swimmer pulled up from the prelims relay after having the top split there in 1:45.5, and placing 5th in the 400 free earlier in the meet. He may have hit his taper as well as anybody on this American team. There had been some speculation that Peter Vanderkaay might get a chance though he didn’t finish in the top 8 at the Olympic Trials, especially after taking a bronze in the 400. The coaching staff, led by his coach Gregg Troy, has decided against that though.
France will counter Phelps on the anchor with Yannick Agnel, who will look to recreate his heroics from the 400 free relay where he ran down Ryan Lochte. This should be a much taller order, as Phelps is clearly a much better 200 freestyler than Lochte is a 100 freestyler. Still, the French should enter within striking distance as Agnel is joined by Gregory Mallet, Clement Lefert, and Amaury Leveaux.
China has also subbed-in Sun Yang on their anchor, which makes them moderately dangerous.
The relays:
United States:
1. Ryan Lochte
2. Conor Dwyer
3. Ricky Berens
4. Michael Phelps
France:
1. Amaury Leveuax
2. Gregory Mallet
3. Clement Lefert
4. Yannick Agnel.
Well, Phelps should be swimming angry tonight…for better or worse.
She has exploded the field ….with a new OR of 1.53.61 relagating Muffat 2 seconds behind . The 800 free relay for Us will be terrific .
Schmitt just won the 200 free final ! fantastic . Us sprint is doing really better and better . Franklin 4th ….that’s just goood . She will smile anyway . Great , owesome . Welll done girls .
Adrian is second seed into final ! he is doing fine ….just behind Magnussen . pretty good as i said …Us sprint is doing slightly better each day .
I think Phelps as anchor is great. He steps into the role that Lezak had for years being our most veteran international swimmer on the relay who knows how to get his hand on the wall. Plus which of the other lead off and second leg will be able to hang with Lochte and Dywer?
“…who knows how to get his hand on the wall”
Jinx 🙁
I am not a huge fan of Phelps as the anchor, but one thing to consider is that by swimming anchor, phelps does get and additional 5 minutes of rest between the 200 fly final and the relay. As we saw last night, 5 minutes can make a difference.
Im confused as to why people think it wouldve been ok to NOT put berens on the relay…
1) he swam it individually and was 9th.
2)this was his actual qualifying event
3) a flat start of 1:46 transates to at least 1:45, and after all berens has always been a relay swimmer 😉
I agree. Berens earned it. And I just don’t believe PVK, after a 1:48 at trials would go faster. Berens is rested.
I hear you and can relate to those points. But Berens has not been going 1:46….he has been going 1:46.6-1:46.8….which is more like 1:46 low with a relay start. If Berens goes under 1:46, the US will be in great shape (assuming Dwyer goes 1:45.5 again)
Putting Lochte on the 400 relay would be kinda similar to subbing PVK for Berens. (Except for the whole not actually qualifying through in the 200, where Lochte just scratched.)
Berens over PVK was a good call. The Lochte decision on the 400 free relay was controversial enough, no need to open themselves up to more criticism in the case of disaster.
And randomly, I looked this up on the London2012 site literally right before this article went up. (Obviously checked here, first.)
That’s to say that Dwyer over PVK was a similarly good call.
PVK didn’t make finals at trials. Can’t argue that Over Dwyers prelim swim
Agreed. Some thought it might be a possibility after how well he swam the 400, but they clearly made the right call not using him. Would’ve made more sense to me to swim him in the morning – free medal!