Since Missy Franklin‘s best performance at the 2013 World Championships where she pulled down six gold medals, she has had moments of greatest and her fair share of challenges. At the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships she suffered and raced with a back injury. At the 2015 World Championships she lead Team USA to relay gold, but failed to top the podium individually. After two years in college at Cal, she is now firmly back under Colorado Stars Head Coach Todd Schmitz, who developed her career and guided her through those stunning years of success, 2011, ’12 and ’13. With Schmitz on deck Franklin appears to be back to Olympic form. At the Orlando Pro Swim, she swam a sub minute 100m backstroke, and you could see her confidence returning.
2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Predictions: In the 100 and 200 meter backstroke, Missy reminds us of that immense talent and star power, setting herself up for individual golds in Rio. Ledecky takes the 200m freestyle in 1:53.6. Missy delivers a 1:54.2 making Team USA, positioning herself for another individual medal in Rio.
What do you think?
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I Always wonder if her back injuries came from some ill-advised dryland exercise at Cal. I think that’s why she’s not quite the same. I do hope she proves me wrong!
It Will be fine – why would u doubt ?
Cal ruined Missy
Never mind – it was an experience to learn form – Missy has learned and is supported by Todd to get back to form . No worries , she is a competitor of a rare kind .
I’m wrong!! :))))
Flying start: 52 mid
I thought that too LOL
52mid flying start you meant
My predictions for Missy:
Omaha:
100 back: 58.7-58.8
200 back: 2:05 high-2:06 low
200 free: 1:54 high
Rio:
100 back: (lead off) 58.4-58.5
200 back: 2:04 low
200 free: 1:54 low
100 free: lead off: 53.4-53.6
Flat start: 52 mid
I think she should do 200free/200bk. In the 200free, she can get a medal. Getting a medal in the 100back now is pretty hard but she needs to do the 100bk in the replay with the same level that she did in London and Barcelona to help the US team. I mean her 100bk is absolute important for the US team to get a chance to win gold. If Emily Seebohm beats her about 0.5-1.0s in the first leg, the US team will say goodbye to the Gold medal
I dont see her improving much over last summer. So basically 59+/206 back and 1.55 mid 200 free. The only event she is a lock to qualify is 2back. She will be on the 4×2 relay also. The rest is a maybe. She is different swimmer now and I dont blame Cal even 1% for this. Its tough to stay on top for long time period people think its easy but you can look at top USA performers from Olympics to Olympics and only a handful come back and come back faster at the next olympics. In the meantime the rest of the field almost always goes faster so they slip back a notch. I am still a fan and… Read more »
Think 100back takes precedence over 200free. After all shes defending Olympic champion and didnt medal 200free in London. Winning 2free at bcn2013, post olympic year was big for Missy; winning in Rio will be incredibly tough though with a gutsy swim she may be the olympic champion ; the way Schmitt swam the race in 2012 is what Missy will need to do