Previewing the Commonwealth Games

Column by John Lohn, Swimming World senior writer

BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey. October 4. AS the year winds down, only two major international competitions remain on the long-course scene. There's the upcoming Asian Games, in which the likes of Kosuke Kitajima and Tae Hwan Park could challenge the impressive times they managed at the Pan Pacific Championships in August. Meanwhile, there's the Commonwealth Games, scheduled to begin today in Delhi, where preparation for the Games has been suspect as best.

The Commonwealth Games have long been revered by the participating nations and we should expect some of the top times of the year, thanks to the leading presence of Australia, Great Britain and Canada. Here are a few storylines to follow, some of which were touched on when Garrett McCaffrey and myself previewed the meet for a recent Split Time segment.

**She was one of the stars of the Pan Pacific Champs and Australian teenager Emily Seebohm should play a similar role in India. Seebohm has been expanding her arsenal in recent years, after initially emerging as a standout in the 100 backstroke. Now, she's a global force in the 200 individual medley and a superb 100 freestyler.

There are two matchups that stand out for Seebohm in the coming days. First, she is expected to duel with Great Britain's Hannah Miley in the 200 IM. Miley will be the favorite to earn the gold medal in the 400 IM, especially with Stephanie Rice sidelined by recent shoulder surgery, but Miley will not be the favorite in the shorter medley. That honor goes to Seebohm, the only woman in history to crack 2:10 without the benefit of performance-enhancing drugs or a high-tech suit.

Additionally, Seebohm will go head-to-head with Great Britain's Gemma Spofforth in the 100 backstroke, although Spofforth's teammate, Elizabeth Simmonds cannot be discounted. Is it possible we could see a sub-59 clocking in the 100 back? Put it this way, that threesome should produce one of the sharpest finals of the meet, making 58-point a real possibility.

**Because he didn't win an event at Pan Pacs, Canada's Brent Hayden was one of the most overlooked athletes of the meet. That won't be the case this week. Hayden is among the favorites to win the 50 and 100 freestyle events, based on his season-best performances of 21.89 and 48.18, respectively. Don't be surprised if Hayden puts up the top time in the world this year in the 100 free, which currently sits at 48.13, courtesy of Michael Phelps.

**One of the best chances for gold from New Zealand will come in the form of Gareth Kean, the 19-year-old who swept the backstroke disciplines at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii in August. Kean has a best time of 1:57.78 for the 200 backstroke and has the ability to give Britain's James Goddard and Aussie Ashley Delaney a handful in the final.

**As for the shorter backstroke, no one has come close to matching the 52.11 popped by Frenchman Camille Lacourt at the European Championships. And, don't expect anyone to come close in Delhi, either. However, it is worth watching whether anyone can push 52-mid, the best chances coming from Great Britain's Liam Tancock and the Aussie tandem of Ashley Delaney and Hayden Stoeckel. If no one can get down near 52.50 at Commonwealths or the Asian Games, Lacourt will head into 2011 as the distinct favorite for gold at next year's World Championships.

**Sitting in the clubhouse with best times of 1:04.93 and 2:20.69, the United States' Rebecca Soni tops the world charts in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, having defeated Aussie Leisel Jones at Pan Pacs. This will be Jones' 'last chance to supplant Soni and carry momentum into the next World Champs year. If Jones has a chance of catching Soni in one of the events, it's probably over the shorter distance, where the reigning Olympic champion has been 1:05.66 this year.

**Let's hear your thoughts on the Commonwealth Games. What are some of the showdowns you''re anxious to see, and what kind of times do you expect?

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