Schipper’s Coach Has Big Expectations

SYDNEY, Australia, February 15. A story in The Australian by Nicole Jeffery indicates that Ken Wood, the coach of Jessicah Schipper, believes his pupil is capable of slashing a second off her world record in the 200-meter butterfly at next month's World Championships in Melbourne. Schipper will race this weekend at the NSW Championships in Sydney, along with several other members of the Aussie National Team.

According to the article by Jeffery, one of the world's top swimming journalists, Wood feels Schipper has been pushing the pace too quickly during the first half of her 200 fly forays. If she can slow it down slightly over the first 100 meters and have more spark down the stretch, a mark in the mid-2:04 range is certainly within reach. Schipper's world record stands at 2:05.40. At the World Champs, she's expected to duel with Poland's Otylia Jedrzejczak, the reigning world champ and former world-record holder.

"Jess tends to go out too fast," Wood said. "She's got more speed than the other girl and if she's got the speed left in the last 50, no one is going to go past her."

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