Streamlined News: Feb. 29, 2012

PHOENIX, Arizona, February 29. THE men of the Pac 12 start their conference championship today at a new venue, as the meet's go-to site, the Belmont Plaza pool in Long Beach, will be closed until next month for major repairs.

The Stanford Cardinal will be gunning for their 31st consecutive team title at the East Los Angeles College Swim Center in Monterey Park, though the California Golden Bears will try and end the streak, despite coming up short last year with an arguably stronger team that included Nathan Adrian. This year, Cal still has Tom Shields, who set the NCAA record in the 200 fly at the conference meet last year. Stanford will rely heavily on the talents of seniors Bobby Bollier and Chad LaTourette, as well as freshman phenom David Nolan. Arizona comes in as the top-ranked team in the country, but will not likely contend for the team title, as most of their swimmers have already shaved and tapered and achieved their NCAA qualifying times. Tonight, the guys will swim just the 200 medley and 800 free relays.

USC alum Ous Mellouli took part in a special match race recently that was being billed as a pre-conference meet promotion. Mellouli, the reigning Olympic champion in the 1500 free, raced Los Angeles radio personality Petros Papadakis in a 50-meter race, though Mellouli gave Papadakis a substantial 25-meter headstart. Judging by the video, it looks like Mellouli got the win just barely despite Papadakis' advantage of wearing a bodysuit.

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