Streamlined News: April 24, 2012

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 24. THE Maria Lenk Trophy meet started this morning in Rio de Janeiro, and it's another in a series of competitions Brazilian swimmers have been using to qualify for the Olympics, though we understand it's not the last opportunity.

With that in mind, we could see some fast swims from those who have not yet swum under the FINA A standard in their events. Some of the swimmers already qualified for London are reportedly going to put up some fast times as well. Cesar Cielo told the media that he and the rest of his crew from the Pro-16 team he created will be pretty close to fully rested, in order to make a statement to the world. Cielo is scheduled to swim his pet event, the 50 freestyle, as well as the 100 free and 50 fly. Thiago Pereira, who moved from Los Angeles back to Rio to train with Cielo's team, will be swimming both backstrokes and both IMs this week.

Several foreigners have also traveled to Rio to compete in the Maria Lenk meet. Danish world champion Lotte Friis will be racing in the distance freestyle events, and Laure Manaudou will be racing in the 200 free, as well as both backstrokes. Fred Bousquet did not qualify for the Olympic team, but he'll be in Rio swimming the sprint freestyle and sprint butterfly events. We'll have recaps from each night of competition on swimmingworld.com.

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