Missy Franklin Scratches 200 IM, Final Event, on Saturday at World Championship Trials

Mel Stewart just caught Missy Franklin’s coach Todd Schmitz on deck at the 2013 USA Swimming World Championship Trials, and Schmitz informed Mel that Franklin would be scratching the 200 IM on the last day of the meet.

Franklin plans to get a good breakfast on Saturday instead of rushing to the pool for the race and turn her focus to the World Championships instead. Though she did have an outside shot at qualifying for Worlds in this event; she has been 2:12.5 this year already, and was a 2:11 in 2010 when she was only 15, but even if she did qualify for Worlds it would’ve been a very difficult medal to her.

And so Franklin will finalize her Trials Friday in the 100 backstroke. Prior to the 100 backstroke finals, Franklin has already qualified in the 200 free, the 100 free, and the 200 backstroke, plus the 800 and 400 free relays. A win in the 100 backstroke could add three events to her schedule (the 100 back, the 400 medley relay, and an option to swim the 50 backstroke) which would be the same schedule that she had in the Olympics, plus the 50 on top of it.

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CB
10 years ago

Could someone tell me why Caeleb Dressel isn’t swimming the 50m free? did he not have the qualifying time before entry closed?

Danjohnrob
10 years ago

I think she should have swum it. She’s swimming so well, and it would really have given everybody a chance to see what she is capable of in that race! Remember, even if she qualified, she doesn’t have to swim it at the WC! Of course, she needs to focus on the races she can do best in; but, the U.S. has no idea what she can do in the 200 IM because she doesn’t swim it at these big meets. She really needs to explore her options before 2016, because the older she gets the faster she will become, but the slower her recovery between events will be. A program of events like she did in 2012 may not… Read more »

beachmouse
Reply to  Danjohnrob
10 years ago

For an elite level athlete, Missy has a pretty terrible breaststroke, and it would probably take more time and effort than it’s worth to significantly fix.

Once her starts and walls improve, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her dabble a bit in butterfly, given the logjam Cal will have in backstroke while she’s there.

duckduckgoose
Reply to  Danjohnrob
10 years ago

I think McKeever will coach Missy much like she coached Natalie-outside of NCAAs and perhaps Pac-12s, Teri will be far more collaborative than dictatorial. She and Franklin will experiment with which events Missy swims in dual meets against good to very good competition. McKeever does care about NCAAs, but she puts far less emphasis on Pac-12s and dual meets. Coughlin hated the 200 back and rarely swam it in college, even though Teri”s earlier Cal teams needed the points. Franklin will swim everything from 50 to 500 free plus both backs and IMs in college. She and McKeever will have plenty of data points to determine Missy’s optimal programs for both 2015 trials/worlds and 2016 trials/Olympics.

Danjohnrob
Reply to  duckduckgoose
10 years ago

Thanks! That alleviates my concern. I just wanted to be sure Missy has the best possible chance of succeeding, but you’re right, with the coach she’s going to have at Cal, that’s not going to be a problem. And her breastroke certainly does need work, as does Pelton’s actually.

NoLochteFan
10 years ago

Missy, did you happen run into Ryan Lochte today and he told you it’s normal to sign up for and then scratch events you don’t intend to swim:)

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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