Missy Franklin Still Swimming High School; Lohn Lineup for 400 Frees

Column by John Lohn, Swimming World senior writer

BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey, January 30. THERE are several reasons to like Missy Franklin. She's personable and energetic. She has tons of potential and appears as if she'll be a go-to performer for the United States for many years to come. She also immediately elevates the status of the American relays with her presence.

But, here's another reason to appreciate Franklin, the 16-year-old phenom who is the reigning world champion in the 200 backstroke. When the Colorado State Championships are held in two weeks, Franklin will be in action for Regis Jesuit, joining her teammates in pursuit of back-to-back state championships.

No, Franklin doesn't compete for her school on a full-time basis, as she picks which meets she'll contest. However, her love for team camaraderie cannot be disputed. She was a leading cheerleader for the United States at the World Championships and the fact that she's even racing at the scholastic level at all speaks of her affinity for a team atmosphere.

Of course, as has been discussed before, she has no intention of accepting prize money or an endorsement deal and, thus, forfeiting her collegiate eligibility. Instead, she'll be the top recruit in the Class of 2013 and will make one college coach extremely happy. She'll then move on and experience the ultimate team bonding in the sport, that of the NCAA level.

In state-championship action, Franklin will have the opportunity to establish some national records – regardless of the events she opts to race. More than anything, though, you have to like her desire to remain youthful and enjoy some of the perks of being a high school student, such as being part of a team. It says a lot about Franklin's character.

****Wanted to get some discussion going on all-time finals, so we'll ask readers to put together historical eight-person championship finals in specific events. Fill out the field based on the greatest swimmers in history and post it in the comments section.

This Week: Men's and Women's 400 Freestyle.

The Lohn Lineup (Alphabetical order): Brian Goodell; John Konrads; Murray Rose; Vladimir Salnikov; Don Schollander; Tim Shaw; Ian Thorpe; Johnny Weissmuller.

I didn't realize the depth of this event until putting the list together. Some individuals who appear did not win individual Olympic gold, but the body of their work remains impressive enough to warrant inclusion. I'm sure there will be some healthy discussion over who made it and who did not. FYI: Weissmuller got the nod over Arne Borg because of his head-to-head triumph at the 1924 Olympics.

The Lohn Lineup (Alphabetical order): Shirley Babashoff; Lorraine Crapp; Janet Evans; Laure Manaudou; Debbie Meyer; Martha Norelius; Federica Pellegrini; Tracey Wickham.

Two individuals on this list don't own an Olympic medal in the event – Federica Pellegrini and Tracey Wickham. Despite delivering a poor showing in the final of the event at the 2008 Olympics, Pellegrini has two world titles and her overall excellence got her a slot. As for Wickham, she held the world record for nine years and likely would have won gold at the 1980 Games had she opted to compete, instead of personally boycotting the Olympics.

This week marks the final event of our all-time finals feature. Thanks for the participation in this endeavor and be on the lookout for a new feature in two weeks, which will also include reader input and opinion.

****One of the most overlooked meets of the scholastic season is the annual dual matchup between Germantown Academy and the Peddie School, the prep powers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, respectively. Each year, coaches Dick Shoulberg and Greg Wriede give their swimmers superb in-season tests for preparation for the Eastern Interscholastic Championships.

And, each year the competition produces stellar times, especially for a midseason dual meet. What stands out more than anything is the depth of the teams. For example, a 1:43.92 clocking in the 200 free was only good for fourth place, and a 1:53.89 was only fourth in the 200 individual medley. Additionally, 4:33.95 was fourth in the 500 freestyle. In the 400 free relay, Peddie's 3:07.15 held off Germantown's 3:10.04.

For the girls, both medley relays were under 1:48 while the top two slots in the 200 free relay were 1:36.50 and 1:38.10. In the 400 free relay, Germantown Academy clocked a time of 3:31.48. Remember, folks, this was a dual meet. By the way, Germantown Academy prevailed on the girls' side while Peddie emerged victorious in the boys' meet.

**Yes, James Magnussen dazzled fans with a 48.05 effort in the 100 freestyle over the weekend. However, equally impressive was the 21.98 registered by Matt Targett in the 50 freestyle. Two months out from the Australian Olympic Trials, those Down Under have to be excited to see what Targett will unfurl in his quest for Olympic berths. Certainly, he appears on a superb trajectory.

Follow John Lohn on Twitter: @JohnLohn

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