Events on Day 3 of World Champs Trials:
400 IM
100 Fly
50 Breast
50 Back
Here are a few thoughts…
- Leah Smith is taking on the 4IM but not Ledecky; instead, she’ll have a rest day before the 400 on Day 4 and the 1500 on Day 5. Like she needs it. This is Brooke Forde’s best chance of making the World Champs Team and will have to track down Texas: Galat from A&M and Cox from UT. Beisel has a serious base but she did take 8 months off and this is the 400 IM…
- After what Davey the Hungarian and Seto did in the 4IM last weekend, Chase Kalisz needs to bring the fire. I think he should seize the opportunity here to put together a really aggressive swim. His fellow Bulldog and Olympian, Jay Litherland, shouldn’t be too far behind.
- The fight for 2nd place is going to be a fun one. Amanda Kendall, originally from Virginia, is swimming for Canyons out in California. At 26 she seems to just be getting into her own, throwing down a 58.2 back in April, a Personal Best. Big time college swimmers from Texas A&M, Southern Cal, and North Carolina will all be in the mix.
- Beefy T is one of my favorite swimmers. Dressel only has one wall and Jack Conger loves that. Michael Andrew is in this event but the 50 Breast is his true baby. If he swims the 100 Fly and makes it back Top 8 he will probably still scratch to focus on making the team in the 50 Breast.
- Nobody has the shear power that Lilly King has. Fellow Olympians Breeja Larson, Katie Meili, and Molly Hannis should all be in play. Larson, notably, has been doing a lot of what some people are referring to as “Race Pace Training” — this crazy new idea that swimming fast in practice will allow you to swim fast in a meet.
- Michael Andrew wants this 50. He’s built for this 50 and has never been better prepared for this 50 up until now. He’s turning from a boy into a man and beginning to fill out that massive frame he was blessed with. I believe his Italian nemesis, Nicolo Marftinenghi, is about to lose the World Jr Record he just set in Rome.
- Ali Deloof set the AR in the 50 Back in Windsor. She uses a very fast top arm breakout which allows her to transition quickly into top speed. If you haven’t tried it, you should give it a shot in the pool — you will be surprised at how good it feels. Elise Haan is a better 50 Backstroker than she is 100 Backstroker. I imagine her being in the mix (along with all the typical big name names).
- Can Ryan Murphy become the first man under 24 seconds in the 50 Back? Will 6 foot 8 Grevers out reach him?