American breaststroke specialist Kevin Cordes made a big statement in his 2015 FINA World Championships premiere, swimming the 50 breast on Tuesday. He dropped 4 tenths from his best time in the semifinals, setting a new American Record at 26.76. That was first event of his lineup, and it bodes well for his 200 breast later in the week.
Because of a disqualification in finals of last year’s Pan Pacs Championships, one of two American selection meets for Worlds, Cordes will miss out on a swim in the 100 breaststroke individually. While traditionally the swimmers who race individually get the spots in the medley relay, Cordes is probably the fastest American 100 breaststroker in 2015 – his frequent disqualification issues notwithstanding.
For that reason, sources close to Team USA tell us that if he has a good 200, the breaststroke spot in finals of the 400 medley relay will likely go to Cordes.
The 2 American spots in the individual 100 breast belonged to Cody Miller and Nic Fink. They both missed finals, however, after Miller (59.86) finished 9th and Fink (1:00.14) finished 12th in semifinals, though Miller wasn’t far off his best of 59.51 from the Arena Pro Swim Santa Clara. With no Michael Phelps to bail them out on the butterfly leg, and Britain’s Adam Peaty showing the ability to possibly split 57 on the breaststroke leg of the relay, using Cordes might be the only chance Team USA has at medley relay gold.
The Americans also have the option of testing Cordes in the mixed 4×100 medley relay, which will happen on Wednesday. It would be his only swim of the session if they gave him a shot in prelims. That’ll be at the very end of the session in finals, coming after he swims the 50 breaststroke final. Team USA hasn’t revealed their mixed medley lineups yet, and with no real precedent as to who will get to (or have to, depending on perspective) take those relay swims, there’s some flexibility with the coaching staff.
Despite his disqualification in the individual race, he still came up big for the Americans at Pan Pacs on the 400 medley relay. He split 58.64 on the way to a new Pan Pacs record for the USA. He does, however, still have the lingering shadow of jumping early on this medley relay in 2013, disqualifying the Americans.
Cordes is currently training in Singapore with Sergio Lopez, but his former college coach Rick DeMont is on the men’s team coaching staff that will make this decision. So too is former Arizona coach Whitney Hite, and the USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch recruited Cordes to Arizona before taking on his new post.
There will be likely some natural, unavoidable bias toward Cordes due to a distinctly Pac-12 slant to the coaching staffs (5 of 8 between the men’s and women’s staffs are current Pac-12 head coaches), and those coaches were most frequent observers of Cordes’ unprecedented run in college swimming.
Kevin split a 58.33 this morning in the preliminary relay! He also had an RT of .22 which proves he has been working on his relay starts. I have no doubt he will swim at night
Yes, please give Kevin a shot at that relay. If he swims slower than Miller’s individual, then of course give Miler his spot back in the final. That is IF they make the final!
The best example of this argument is the women’s 4X100 medley relay from London. Hardy won the trials but Schmitt swam the relay anchor because she was absolutely on fire while Hardy was swimming sub-par. Cordes will not fail. After his performance at Pan Pacs last year on the relay, he has proven he can step up in a huge way.
Ditto Barcelona 2013 and Megan Romano anchoring the 4×100 medley relay after her clutch anchor in the 4×100 free.
I’d be shocked if Cordes isn’t on that relay.
Some swimmers just aren’t relay swimmers.
Some swimmers excel at relays!
Up to coaches to make the decisions!
Normally you choose between the guys in the 100, I get that, but they are in no way entitled to a spot. When both of your individual 100 guys are off their game and you have a guy who crushed both the 50 and the 200, I don’t see why you wouldn’t give that 50/200 swimmer a shot.
So we’ll have to wait and see how he does in the 200.
what are ya talking about ? This medley relay with Grevers / Cordes / Shields or Lochte & Adrian will win the medley in strong fashion . That’s very clear to me .
Cordes will do great , master his nerves and u will see Adrian going away from the field on his second 50 for the win .
Based on AUS and GBR, it won´t be so easy.
US failing to qualify it´s possible.. put a team of alternates only.. 2nd backstrokers, 2nd breast, 2nd flyer and Feigen/Ervin.. Probably a 3:34 high will be the least needed to final.. and there is a big list of team which can do that.. (Currently there are 12 countries apart from US who did that in 2014/2015, 13 if you include 2013)
Looking at the medley relay…
Backstroke: Grevers has to be a lock for finals. If Murphy does well in the 200, but I’d be inclined to give him a prelim shot at the 100 back. At the least it would give him relay experience at a high level international meet experience (not counting short course worlds).
Breaststroke: Cordes has got a couple swims to go so we’ll see where he’s at tomorrow in the final of the 50 as well as the 200. Right now I’d say you’d have to give it to him.
Fly: Too early to tell. I’m hopeful Shield/Philips can handle. Otherwise we have to consider Lochte.
Fee: Adrian. I don’t care if Feigen were to… Read more »
Second this. But will they use Feigen in prelims is what I’m wondering. Might be better off with Dwyer. Not to knock Jimmy. He just isn’t a relay swimmer right now.
Or Lochte, if they don’t think they need him for fly. The individual 100 free spot was his until he gave it up to focus on his other events.
I would take my chances with Lochte over Feigen or Dwyer.