Swimmming News / Swimming video courtesy of Shanda Crowe
https://vimeo.com/100561706
MENS 100 Butterfly – FINALS – as reported by SwimSwam
“Stagnant” doesn’t feel like the right word for Michael Phelps’ performances so far in the 100 fly since returning to competition in April at the Mesa Grand Prix. The connotation of the word doesn’t feel right for a swimmer ranked top 10 in the world this year. But his times up until Friday had been flat. In his three Grand Prix meets, he’s been 52.13, 52.13, and 52.11. Today in Athens, he broke through with a 51.67: a statement swim by all accounts. That puts Phelps 2nd in the world so far this year, and makes him faster than any American swimmer he’s going to have to face at Nationals next month.
Ryan Lochte, who beat Phelps the last time they raced head-to-head in this event in Mesa, was 2nd in 53.08 – not looking nearly the same as he did in Mesa. As encouraging as Phelps’ performance is, Lochte’s is equally unnerving for American fans. With Nationals only three weeks away, a 53.0 is going to be a tough time to build on.
Queens University swimmer and NCAA Division II National Champion, Matthew Josa, fininshed 3rd in 53.64. Geoff Cheah, in one of his better swims since joining Club Wolverine a few months ago, was 4th in 53.67. Cheah’s time was just off Tim Phillips B-final winning time of 53.64. Caeleb Dressel took 2nd in the “B” final in 54.41. That’s an in-season best for him.
Question: ESPN references a 51:44 by Thomas Dal in the Belgian Open this year, but swimswam and swimvortex only reference the 51.60 by Viacheslav Prudnikov. What am I missing?
Lazy Observer – that’s actually the AP’s report. I got nervous when I saw it too, and it’s in FINA’s database, but I think it’s an error.
Here’s results for the 100 fly at the Begium Open:
http://www.swimrankings.net/index.php?page=meetDetail&meetId=579521&gender=1&styleId=16
There’s a Belgian swimmer named Thomas Dal, but he’s never been under a minute in the 100 fly.
Also, Belgium has updated their National Records since that swim, and didn’t include it in their update (it would’ve been a new record):
http://www.belswim.be/uploads/files/BR50M-20140504.pdf
Thanks, Braden!
That 2nd 50 was just RUDE! 😉
I think he will focus on 100, 200 free for relays only.. That I agree with Bobo
Tough to qualify on 100 back… will be tough 100 free too.. and medal tougher.. Mcevoy, Adrian, Magnussen, Morozov, Santana.. I bet a 47,5 won´t even medal at Rio.. He may medal on those at Pan Pacs.. but tough to say at Worlds and OG..
exactly : 100 back in Usa trials is probably one of the toughest race to qualify for ; too many guys out there with great skills and training . This doesn’t mean Michael can’t do it of course …
100 free looks more reasonable to qualify for but as u said on the international level , they are a bunch of very tough 100 free racers to compete with for a medal .
And talking about his possible line-up next month or until Rio, I’m more and more a fan of the 3 relays and 2 individual races.
No more 200 meter races in individual, even IM. Too long for him now.
All for sprint!
100 fly of course and the second event would be either the 100 free or the 100 back.
I’m waiting with much excitement his 100 back today.
I would like to see him try that event, at least in Irvine. For fun.
5 events in Rio. At least 4 serious gold medal chances.
I’m sure he has the little goal in mind to reach 20 olympic gold medals. 🙂
GO MP! 😎
I tend to agree with taking on only 100 meter events individually, but 2 years is a long time. I think his choices should also depend on his gold medal chances in the events. The 200 IM may be wide open by 2016 if Lochte declines a bit and Hagino and others don’t break 1.54.50 or even 1.55. Too early to tell. For Pan Pacs, I think he should focus on 100’s only individually. I’d love for him to qualify for the 100 back or free and maybe win his first international medal in one of those events.
I agree with you that IMHO Phelps best schedule would be 3 relays, 100 fly and another 100 race (free or back).
However, as someone have replied to me before: who am I to give advice to Phelps and Bowman? 😀
The 200 IM will give Phelps the chance to fourpeat though, so I think he’ll swim that one.
FOURPEAT!!!!!
Thanks for the video.
Great race from MP!
Already 51.67 in his comeback year, untapered!
What a genius!
BOOM! And the doubters say: *crickets*
Yep! and haters gonna hate….kekeke 🙂
Haters are always loosers by keeping a very tight vieuw of Phelps capacities ! too funny
Michael’s 100 fly was smoooooth. Very very nice race. We finally are seeing the old Michael as he gets rid of more of the rust. A little more time and he is going to be awesome.
very smoooth and getting more momentum on the back half ! His ending could be slightly ajusted to get a few 10’s off . Excellent race !
And then he got fourth. Who know, maybe he would have gone a few one hundredths faster in the 200 fly if he didn’t do that race. It’s funny when someone critiques the strategy of the man who threepeated in the 100 fly and the man who coached him.
Exactly, your’e pointing out a mistake that Bob and Michael made yourself by saying he could have gone faster if he hadn’t swam the 400 IM. I was very surprised they decided to swim the 400 myself.
I think he should definitely swim the 100 back at nationals just to see how he compares with the rest of the field. If he doesn’t make it, he doesn’t make it – so what. I think the only reason he would not swim the 100 back is to conserve himself for the 200 IM the last day (not a walk in the park to place top 2 when you add Kaliz and Dwyer to the mix with Lochte now).