Shanghai: Real Predictions (Women Part 1)

This is part 3 of my Women's predictions for the coming World Championships in Shanghai. Click here for part 1. Click here for part 2.


Alright, let's wrap this up, shall we? I waited to make these picks last because they are the hardest for me. I'm sorry: butterfly, freestyle and backstroke. Breaststroke is my favorite child I might as well admit it. It also makes it the hardest for me to distance myself from and be objective. The relays are also somewhat more volatile on the women's side than the men in my opinion. Let's get to breaststroke first:
50 Breaststroke
1. Jessica Hardy
2. Yuliya Efimova
3. Leiston Pickett


Comment: Ugh hate feeling like I am plagiarizing this event but I can't see this going any other way. Moving on.


100 Breaststroke
1. Rebecca Soni
2. Leisel Jones
3. Yuliya Efimova


Comment: Basically I am trying to be objective and going chalk here. Honestly these three have swum significantly faster than their competition so it's hard to disagree with the seeds. A shame there is no Hardy in this race. I wish I felt confident enough in one of the Chinese women but I just don't. Where's Luo Xuejan when you need her?


200 Breaststroke
1. Rebecca Soni 
2. Annamay Pierse
3. Yuliya Efimova


Comment: Only real risk is putting Pierse ahead of Efimova. I am basically figuring that Pierse has significantly more time to drop from her 2:24 than Efimova from her 2:23. I could be wrong.


4x100 Freestyle Relay
1. Netherlands
2. USA
3. China


Comment: China pick is clearly the riskiest. I don't think the Netherlands is in doubt for first, nor the US to finish 2nd. The numbers say that Australia should get third but I am betting China puts together a bronze medal relay here.


4x200 Freestyle Relay:
1. USA
2. Australia
3. China


Comment: Australia looks like they should dominate on paper but that's why they swim the races. The US squad is better than they've swam this year. China put up two sub 8:00 club relays at their own nationals so they should have plenty of depth for this race.


4x100 Medley Relay:
1. USA
2. Australia
3. Japan


Comment: China beat Japan in a tough battle at the Asian Games last November. I think that Japan has quietly moved past China since then. China has home crowd but I think the Japanese will be pretty pumped to perform well here on Chinese soil.


And that wraps it up! More Laure Manadou updates and men's picks to come