USA Swimming has released the psych sheets for the 2014 Orlando Grand Prix, and there’s a lot of noteworthy names participating, including a massive European contingent.
Ryan Lochte, in his first meet back from a knee injury late in 2013, has a decent schedule with six races across three days. Under normal circumstances, his lineup would be one that would be expected. The 100 free, the 200 free, the 100 fly, the 100 back, and the 200 back are all on his list.
However, the one that raises eyebrows is that he’s attempting the 200 IM very early in his rehab. Whether he actually is at the blocks when the meet’s final day rolls around probably depends on how the rest of it goes, but the breaststroke kick is more or less centered around the tension in the MCL, which is what Lochte injured in his encounter with a fan. In fact, the primary injury that breaststrokers get is a sprain of this MCL, according to this article by Ross Hauser and Marion Hauser, published in 2005.
Also in this meet will be Katinka Hosszu, the Hungarian sensation who has been eliciting gasps from every corner of the globe with her event schedules since finishing her college career at USC and turning pro. Note that she’ll only swim 9 races in Orlando, which is a light weekend by her standards, because USA Swimming rules cap the number of events an athlete can swim each day at 3.
Evan White, who will swim at Michigan next year, is down from Canada as one of the future stars of that nation’s program. Coming up from Brazil will be Cesar Cielo and Bruno Fratus, though both are training in the U.S. at this point (Cielo at the Mesa Aquatic Club, Fratus at Auburn). Adam Brown, the UK’s top sprinter, will be in attendance, and Darian Townsend will be as well.
Joseph Schooling, who is based at the Bolles School, will race also: his first long course meet on American soil this season.
No Nathan Adrian at this meet, but his second-in-command in the American sprint group Jimmy Feigen will be there to challenge the international crew. So too will be Cullen Jones and Nick Thoman making the short drive down from Charlotte along with Lochte.
NBAC won’t be at the meet, a big portion of SwimMAC will be; Trojan will be represented by just two of their male breaststrokers Mike Alexandrov and Azad al-Barazi.
A big group of Canadians will be at this meet, including World Championship medalist Ryan Cochrane, as they’ve been on a training camp nearby through the worst of the Canadian winter.
This meet seems to have a huge entry list as compared to other recent Grand Prixs; for example, there are 178 men entered in the 100 free, which is exactly 50 more than were entered in Austin in January. The numbers are buoyed by the significant number of international entries; we didn’t count exactly how many entries there are, but there will be somewhere right around 1000 individual swims by internationals.
Yes, Socaladvracer, Johannes Hintze is our german “Michael Andrew”, beside of the fact that he is a professional. In last years German Age Group Championship he won 11 medals, ten gold and one silver. He also holds every single age group record except the 800m and 1500m Free for 14 year olds. I think tha this is worth a mention.
That is impressive. I cannot wait to see these two budding superstars compete against one another.
You talked about 14-year-old Johannes Hintze. They already compare him in Germany with Michael Phelps. 😆
it seems to be an international pathology.
Every time you have a fast and versatile young male swimmer, you compare him with Michael Phelps.
That being said, he looks very promising. Like Michael Andrew. I hope they will swim against each other in the 200 IM. They have very close PRs. 2.05.13 for the American and 2.05.62 for the German.
He’s a little younger than Michael Andrew.
He was born on July 9, 1999.
He’s 1m90 tall. Around 6’3″.
And his best events are the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 free.
Here’s his bio.
… Read more »
Sorry Bobo, but he does not train with Biedermann or Koch. But he is Part of the DVAG TEAM and they are his mentors.
Side question : do you understand german ?
Sorry. I’ve not watched the video.
I’ve just posted the link.
I saw Biedermann and Koch around Hintze in a few pictures and I thought that DVAG TEAM was a German club where they trained together.. 😳
And about my German, it depends on what you mean by understand. 😆
It has been good a few years ago but unfortunately, it has much regressed since then.
You know, here in France, we are not known for our foreign languages capacities.
And compared with most of my compatriots, I think I’m pretty good.
I’m happy with my French (fortunately) and with my English (American readers understand me so it’s the most important thing).
Hosszu again? 🙄
Everytime she sees a meet somewhere, she swims.
It looks like it will be a meet for foreign swimmers.
No many big US stars.
I will watch with much attention the young Michael Andrew (probably new NAG records), Ethan Young (backstroke phenom) and Courtney Harnish (very promising freestyler).
Of course the return of Ryan Lochte at home is the big highlight.
Cool to see they sell tickets of 1$ to young local people.
At least there will be a big audience.
However, I can’t imagine the screams made if most of these youngsters are girls and Lochte crazy fans.
My hears already hurt.
But it’s still better than an audience… Read more »
Looking at this psych sheet, it seems pretty obvious that non-US swimmers seem to prefer to travel to a meet in Orlando than Minneapolis (for example) in the winter. This is perhaps not surprising.
Dave – No doubt. Plus, they can make more money travelling to and competing in SCM meets than in SCY meets in the U.S. The new prize money at the Grand Prixs are great…but there’s still a lot more to be made elsewhere.
I mean, and…the weather. Haha.
Looks like Germany has their own 14 year old Phenom to rival Michael Andrew, at least in the mid distance events. Johannes Hintze is seeded ahead of Mr. Andrew in 200 Free with a 1:53 to Andrew’s 1:56. In 100 Free they are much closer with Andrew having a 52 flat vs Hintze’s mid 52. Hintze has a 10 second advantage in 400 IM 4:33 vs Andrew’s 4:43 (granted, he doesn’t swim this often and should come down at least 10 seconds if he swims it) The 200 IM is very tight as well with both at 2:05s. Should be interesting to compare the two’s sizes and techniques. Hopefully they will end up in same heat for some great battles… Read more »
Michael Andrew is signed up for 11 events while Johannes is swimming 6. I wonder if Michael will swim all those or if he will drop the 400im/200fly/200back?
Also, I believe Johannes is 6’2″ or 6’3″, but I could be completely wrong if he’s not who I think he is.
He’s not allowed to race 11 events in 9 days, so I assume he’ll drop something.
They can only swim 7 individual events and no more than 3 per day per the meet information letter.
Cielo in 100fly?Ha!He will open like a 50fly sprint and come home doing 50free and get DQ!
“So too will be Cullen Jones and Nick Thoman making the short drive down from Charlotte along with Lochte.”
I wouldn’t consider the 7.5 hour drive from North Carolina to Florida short but maybe that’s just me?
To be fair, Cochrane lives in one of the warmest Canadian cities where it rarely drops below 0 (C)