With the release of the 2012 US Olympic Trials psych sheets, we can now answer at least some of the questions that have been pondered about the potential makeup of the American team. What has to always be remembered though is that athletes won’t necessarily swim all of the events in which they are entered.
See the full psych sheet here.
This is especially true in the case of a swimmer like Ryan Lochte, who is entered in 11 races individually. He is unlikely to swim that full load, but has hinted that he might swim more than expected. Gregg Troy didn’t shy away from big schedules, as Lochte’s teammate Elizabeth Beisel is entered in 9.
We already knew the schedules of Missy Franklin and Michael Phelps from previous reports, but we can now see them on paper.
Among the swimmers totally absent include Dagny Knutson, who was on last year’s World Championship Team but has waned in her training the last few months (and hasn’t competed in a long time). Chip Peterson, who says he’s “hardly been training,” is also not on the list.Julia Smit, who we’ve been told unofficially is retired, verified that by not entering Trials – she hasn’t raced since Winter Nationals in December.
Many had been clamoring for the legendary Dara Torres to swim the 100 free for a possible relay spot, but she didn’t ever actually achieve the Olympic Trials qualifying time. If she makes the team in the 50, the coaches will have the option (though unlikely they’d use it) to put her on a relay.
Natalie Coughlin is sitting out the 200 free, though she was on that relay in Beijing. Then again, its not as though the relay really needs her. She will, however, be at least entered in the 100 fly and the 100 back.
Tyler Clary has left the door slightly ajar for taking an easier Olympic path with the 400 free on day one than his primary 400 IM by entering both races.
Jasmine Tosky, who has the most entries of anybody in this meet, will limit herself to only 6 entries. Dana Vollmer will have one fewer than that with 5 entries, including the 200 free that she scratched at Worlds last year.
Katie Hoff is entered in the 400 IM and the 200/400/800 freestyle. That’s probably the best schedule of events she could have – though she dropped the 200 IM, which (as one of our readers pointed out) will loosen up that final significantly.Morgan Scroggy, who was a 2:11 in 2010, is also (maybe more surprisingly) not entered in that 200 IM.
In other IM news, Ariana Kukors is entered in the 100 and 200 breast and the 200 IM, but not the 400 IM. That’s a race that she was in the top 10 in the world in during 2010, but with stepped-up competition in the 200 IM likely, she’s opted out of the longer race at this meet. The 200 is where she’s the World Record holder and her best shot at Olympic gold.
Peter Vanderkaay is entered in 6 events – including most surprisingly the IM’s. He had a great (albeit surprising) 400 IM at the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix; he’s unlikely to swim that race on the first day because of the 400 free in the same session, but it’s notable none-the-less.
Michael Phelps (7) – 100/200 free; 100/200 fly; 200/400 IM; 200 Back
Missy Franklin (5) – 50/100/200 free; 100/200 back
Natalie Coughlin (5) – 50/100 free; 200 IM; 100 fly; 100 back
Ryan Lochte (10)- 50/100/200/400 free; 100 breast; 100/200 back; 100/200 fly; 200/400 IM
Jasmine Tosky (6) – 100/200 fly; 100/200 free; 200/400 IM
Dara Torres (1) – 50 free
Tyler Clary (6) – 200 fly; 200 back; 200/400 IM; 200/400 free
Allison Schmitt (5) – 50/100/200/400/800 free
Dana Vollmer (5) – 100/200 fly; 50/100/200 free
Elizabeth Beisel (9) – 200/400 IM; 200/400/800 free; 100/200 back; 200 breast; 200 fly
Ariana Kukors (3) – 100/200 breast; 200 IM
Peter Vanderkaay (6) – 100/200/400/1500 free; 200/400 IM
I’m a big fan of David Nolan, but no olympics this time around. I actually got to swim beside him, he’s the real deal. I’m sure he’ll be a force in 2016
I’m sad about Knutson! 🙁
I wish her a healthy & full recovery from whatever is ailing her…….
Does anyone have thoughts on records that will be broken next week? For some reason I’m feeling like the meet won’t be as lights-out-fast as everyone might be expecting. I think 2 AR’s: Schmitt 200 Free and Vollmer 100 Fly.
the women 200 free AR is a given, not sure about the 100 fly, it is (56.4) very fast already.
other high possibility:
women 200 back, 400 free, 400 IM.
On the men’s side, it is hard to see any AR broken, just because many of them would be the WRs
Can’t argue with either of you on this (200 free American Record). Schmitt is a mere 0.09s away from overtaking her own AR, and that 1:55.04 of hers was achieved in season…insane!
For comparison’s sake, the next fastest American this year, Vollmer, who’s no slouch exactly at this distance, would have to drop a full 2.29s from her Santa Clara GP pace to surpass the current record. Possible – a tentative yes…probable – a resounding no.
As strong as Vollmer has looked as of late, my gut feeling is that she will reserve something in the tank for London, and just go fast enough here to guarantee a slot on the squad for the 100 fly – her closest… Read more »
I think the women’s 100 back AR might go. 59.1 at Nats from Missy last year after a huge time zone jet leg and long plane flight was impressive. Had she swam it in Beijing it would have gone. So if she breaks her own AR in the 200 back then it would seem certain she’d take down the AR in the 100 back as well. The only obstacle is the schedule.
I definitely think the men’s 200IM AR/WR may go. If Phelps and Lochte are in better shape this Olympic year it should go.
i think allison and missy (megan romano anyone?) should be under the american record. it also wouldnt surprise me if allison was 4:02. i dont think vollmer will get hers here. i think the 100 breast is a possibility with soni and hardy swimming as wellas they have been. beisel will get the recorded-whether its here or london. and caitlin leverenz is going to be much much better in the 200 IM than the 400. but i dont know if anyone will ever touch kukors record, its just too amazing.
You think Romano will be under the American Record at Trials too?? 1:58.3 – 1:54.9 is a valley.
Romano went that untapered and uncontested in the bonus heat and has the short course 200 record that nobody thought she could do. She is going,it is her year, to do great how great that we will just have to wait and see
John Sampson,
The women 100 breast AR will not go, not in Omaha, not in London.
Why don’t you think the breaststroke? Soni wasn’t that far off last year. Just curious.
And since megan romano is the short course record holder, I think she has to be in the conversation, I mean who wouldve thought she would go 1:41? But I personally don’t think she is capable of a 1:54 yet, but I defiantly think she can go a 1:55 high or 1:56 low which would put her in the mix for an individual swim.
Soni has been stagnant at 1:04.93-1:04.91 in the past two years, and from 1:04.91 to go under 1:04.45 is still a big gap to cross.
Soni has better chance of breaking the 200 WR than the 100 WR.
About Megan Romano, she might be SCY american record holder in 200 free, but keep in mind that SCY to LCM is almost like two different sports altogether.
I think Simon Burnett is still the 200 free SCY record holder, and when he went that 1:31.20 in 2006, it was considered among the greatest SCY record ever.
But Burnett’s 200 free LCM is only 1:46.59 from 2005, and while 1:46.59 is respectable, it wouldn’t win any medal in international competition, even… Read more »
re: Romano, 1:55 high or 1:56 low would not get you an individual swim, when Schmit and Franklin can swim 1:54mid
Sorry I haven’t seen the psyche sheet.
What about David Nolan? Does he have a shot or have to wait until 2016?
Nolan?
2016, if at all.
He doesn’t seem to be as good in the real pool as he is in the short pool.
I’m very disappointed by Ryan Lochte. I thought he would swim all events at these trials.
+1
LMAO
I think Beisel is going to swim a scorching time in 400 IM, very likely a 4:30
The goal for the stars isn’t to swim incredible times at these trials but is to swim them at the olympic games. How many times before have we seen swimmers not able to swim faster at the olympic games with trials so close to the major competition? I think it has been very often. Elizabeth Beisel has a good margin and a 4.32 can be enough. Same thing for Dana Vollmer in the 100 fly. I think a 57 low is enough for her and at the olympic games she can win the gold medal with perhaps a world record. Same thing for Missy Franklin. The world record in the 200 back must come at the olympic games. Same thing… Read more »
I really though Allison Schmidt would have been in the 200fly. She’a been racing it a lot lately but that may be due to the 200free SF?
Don’t read too much into this… a lot of swimmers enter in everything they qualify in because there’s nothign to lose by scratching. The only surprises are what events swimmers are NOT entered in. So what I’m surprised by is:
Katie Hoff not in the 200 IM. It’s on the same day as the 200 free, which makes me think she’s not too confident going into trials, opting for the 6-person qualifying event over the 2-person qualifying event. Hope I’m wrong though.
Ariana Kukors is not swimming the 400 IM or 200 Free. She’s just entered in the 200 IM and breaststrokes, which means she’s basically putting all her chips on that 200 IM.
No Dagny Knutson or… Read more »
kukors hasn’t swum 4im in forever…can’t remember the last time i saw her name in results..maybe not enough training to go that long. she was faster last year heading to worlds then this year heading to trials. it should be interesting…that olympic spot has been empty for her for a long time