Bill, I know you're exaggerating with those times, but he really would be a world class breaststroker if it was his specialty. He could be a 59/2:08 guy. He used his back half to beat Spann today, Spann being a guy who should be 1:00/2:09 by August. That said, Spann's endurance really comes on strong at the end of the season. They race again in the 200 breast tomorrow.
June 12, 2010 You know me, David, always w/the jokes.
Seriously,I have no doubt were Phelps to train -- as you say -- for the breaststroke events he could certainly be world-class.
Bet you didn't know that he still ranks No. 2 all-time among 13-14 boys in the 400 (3:58.80), 800 (8{16.10) and 1500 meter (15:39.08) freestyles on the U.S. Swimming's all-time Top 100 list from a decade ago.
Maybe he missed his calling.
Bowman should have trained him to beat Thorpe/Hackett instead!
Also...I was curious if Phelps ranked No. 1 all-time in any event all the way through from 10-under to 17-18.
He doesn't and neither he nor any other boy I tracked does/did.
In the yearly rankings he's No. 1 in various events in various age groups but I couldn't find a single event where he's still tops frrom Day 1.
But then neither are/were Peirsol/Lochte/Crocker or any other great U.S. male swimmer, past or present.
Haven't checked the girls yet.
Don't know about other countries save for Canada where Nick Thierry, editor/publisher of SwimNews tells me Alex Baumann does indeed rank No. 1 in mutliple events from 10-under through his double golds @ the Los Angeles Olympics (both individual medleys).
He's recently been appointed CEO of Canada's "Own the Podium" Olympic program which, as its name suggests, is designed to have Canadian athletes "Own the Podium" in future Olympic Winter Games.
Baumann's specific role is CEO of "RTE" (Road to Excellence) which is the summer Olympic version of OTP.
And was the third-place finisher in men's 100 breast (Kalisz)...is he Courtney's brother and is she still actively competing?
I would think Courtney's abouttesdy for college these days. Know if she's going to continue competing? Hear Felicia Lee will be wearing red and white this fall (Stanford's colors).
Submitted by:
slickwillie32
June 13, 2010 I'm pretty sure Chase is Courtney's brother. She is in college at USC, and I'm pretty sure she had to stop swimming because of some injury. Don't know any more details.
Last I heard he still held the 13-14 NAG Records for the 400 and 800, so I'm not sure. I think that's around the time he made the deal with Bowman that it's one mile per year. Of course, he hasn't swam one since the Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix in Ann Arbor in May 2007, right after Worlds, where he took second to Vendt.
Submitted by:
David Rieder
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