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| Will I pick Gao Chang? You'll have to scroll down to find out |
50 Free
1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo
2. Therese Alshammar
3. Marleen Veldhuis
Comment: Veldhuis is the riskiest pick but I think she has enough experience to rise under pressure in the 50 final.
100 Free
1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo
2. Francesca Halsaill
3. Femke Heemskerk
Comment: Again the top two seem extremely solid. Steffen would have been my pick for third before the Germans idiotically didn't let her swim this event.
200 Free
1. Federica Pellegrini
2. Allison Schmitt
3. Camille Muffat
Comment: I hate agreeing with Braden here but I just can't bring myself to pick any other three. I can see this order getting a bit jumbled.
400 Free:
1. Federica Pellegrini
2. Rebecca Adlington
3. Camilla Muffat
Comment: Ah, that feels better. It does seem like Pellegrini is vulnerable in this even but I'm a little suspicious of some of these other distance swimmers doing lifetime bests in advance of the meet.
800 Free:
1. Rebecca Adlington
2. Lotte Friis
3. Kate Ziegler
Comment: Admitted bias on putting Friis ahead of Ziegler. I actually tried to write in Ziegler's name several times but my Viking forefathers forbade it. Sorry Kate.
1500 Free:
1. Lotte Friis
2. Erika Villaecija
3. Grainne Murphy
Comment: A continental sweep for Europe! Friis proved last year that she can swim a great 800 and 1500 in the same meet, no easy feat for a distance swimmer in this format. I always feel like I count Villaecija out and then she's there. Grainne Murphy is young and on the rise.
That wraps up part 1. To avoid being long winded I will be doing three parts for each gender! Check back at a random time for parts 2 and 3! And please, let loose on your opinions in the comment section.
No Sutton, not even in the 1500.. are you serious.. wow I think that her best shot.. with a strong showing in the 800
ReplyDeleteVillacejia is an interesting cat. She's an open water swimmer, so like you, I expect her to do better in the 1500 than in the 800. However, she's said that her focus at this meet goes (in this order): 800, 10k, 1500.
ReplyDeleteThe 800 will be won by China, sorry Chris but Xuanxu will be on fire in Shanghai and she will medal in the 1500, if she swims it, and ruin the clean european medal sweep ;)
ReplyDeleteAlshammar wins the 50m ;)
Other than that, we agree on gold medals ;)
But Ziegler will not medal I'm afraid.
PS. The US and female freestyle.. wazzup?
Wanna know something funny? I felt wrong in only picking for American medalists on my first set of picks (free, back, and IM), but guess how many that same group won in 2009: 4! Maybe I'm not that far off...
ReplyDeleteQuite safe picks! Villaecija is a very interesting addition, i think her & Keri-anne Payne are very similar, i am actually surprised Villaecija is getting more picks on the 1500 Free! if you look at their times accross the board then Payne should be MUCH faster on both the 800 & 1500m free, her times at trials were 1.59.4/4.07.9/8.29!? and 16.06, where did she get 8.29 from, she has a quicker time in the tank, she is also the 10K open water WR holder (un-officially!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, have a feeling about Muffat! her 4.03.2 was very intimidating (For an Adlington fan) and she looks very strong right now, i do however think she swims very fast in-season and does not tend to drop much (If anything) after a taper.