This and That From The Last Week

Column by John Lohn

VERNON, New York, September 6. ALTHOUGH the action of the summer has passed, there's still been plenty of news in the swimming world over the past week. As a result, it seemed like an appropriate time to review and analyze some of the storylines that have arisen of late.

**At the Pan Pacific Championships, it was apparent that the Australian women were lacking their typical depth in the sprint-freestyle events. Sure, Yolane Kukla has established herself as a rising star, but the Aussies usually have a deep arsenal that makes for tremendous relay competition. Right now, that isn't so much the case.

The good news for Australia is that help is on the way, and in the form of a woman who has a storied record in international competition: Libby Trickett. The reigning Olympic champion in the 100 butterfly and a former world-record-holding sprint freestyler, Trickett recently announced that she's ending her brief retirement.

In the Reaction Time comments in the story detailing Trickett's decision to return to competition, many readers questioned whether Trickett could return to her past form. Meanwhile, there were also questions as to whether Trickett's presence will be enough to help the Australians be a contender for Olympic gold in the 400 freestyle relay in London.

Here are a couple of thoughts on those topics. In terms of the relay, the Australians will definitely need a little more help to contend, such as the return of Cate Campbell from injury. As for Trickett becoming a major player again, there's no reason to doubt her. Trickett is not far removed from her peak performances, the best of which came at the 2007 World Championships. With the high-tech suit era in the past, she'll be able to rely on her technique and power and not have to worry about others closing the gap because of performance-enhancing gear.

If nothing else, Trickett's return will make for an intriguing story in the leadup to London, both on an individual basis and what it means for Australian swimming.

**For years, sometimes through the shame of doping, China has produced top female performers. However, male swimmers from China have been pretty much an afterthought. Rarely have they medaled in international competition, although Zhang Lin managed to secure a silver medal in the 400 freestyle at the 2008 Olympics.

Now, however, the Chinese men are starting to make a little bit more noise. At last week's Chinese Nationals, Sun Yang registered the top time in the world this year in the 1500 freestyle, clocking 14:47.46. That marked edged the 14:49.47 posted by Canadian Ryan Cochrane at the Pan Pacific Championships.

Given China's track record with performance-enhancing drugs, a few eyebrows raised over that performance. Still, there is no reason to believe he is doping and the presence of a few more top-flight male swimmers from China would be good for the sport in that it would ratchet up the competition level another notch.

**Back to Australia, while its men have long been known for dominance in the distance freestyle, the individual medley events have been historically weak. No Aussie man has ever medaled in the 200 individual medley at the Olympics and only Rob Woodhouse, the bronze medalist in 1984, has reached the podium in the 400 IM. For a country with a tremendous tradition in the sport, that is a poor showing.

Help, however, might be on the way based on the results of the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii. In the 400 IM, Mitch Larkin took top honors and set a meet record when he touched the wall in 4:16.07. Additionally, he was second in the 200 IM, thanks to a time of 2:01.53. If Larkin can continue his progression, the Australians soon might have someone capable of ending that lengthy Olympic drought in the medleys.

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