By John Lohn<\/p>\n
CRANBURY, New Jersey, January 22. THE next installment of SwimmingWorldMagazine.com's<\/b> 32-week Olympic Preview moves to a freestyle event for the first time. The women's 800-meter freestyle doesn't feature much depth when it comes to the athletes capable of earning a medal in Beijing, such is the strength at the top of the event.<\/p>\n
Historical Perspective<\/b><\/p>\n
Defending Champion:<\/b> Ai Shibata (Japan) 8:24.54.
\nWorld Record:<\/b> Janet Evans (United States) 8:16.22.
\nMost Titles:<\/b> United States (seven) \u2013 Debbie Meyer (1968); Keena Rothhammer (1972); Tiffany Cohen (1984); Janet Evans (1988\/1992); Brooke Bennett (1996\/2000).
\nNoteworthy:<\/b> The world record of Janet Evans is the longest-standing global mark of the books. Evans covered the 16-lap freestyle in 8:16.22 in Tokyo in 1989. However, the standard's shelf life might be running out, thanks to the presence of Kate Ziegler, who took down Evans' world record in the 1500 freestyle last year.<\/p>\n
Here's a look at the top contenders.<\/b><\/p>\n
Kate Ziegler:<\/b>
\nThe premier distance swimmer in the world today, Ziegler is the favorite to win the gold medal. The two-time defending world champion, Ziegler grabbed her second consecutive crown in Melbourne last year by holding off Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou down the stretch. Ziegler checked in with a winning time of 8:18.52, good for a championship record.<\/p>\n
It seems just a matter of time before Ziegler, like she did to Evans' 1500 free record, takes down the 800 free world mark. Her ability to crank up the pace when she needs it is a superb asset to have, along with her tough mental approach. We haven't seen a distance star of this ilk since Evans was ruling the world in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Enjoy the show.<\/p>\n
Laure Manaudou:<\/b>
\nThe French sensation, who is expected to tackle a hefty schedule in Beijing, was the silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships. Manaudou and Ziegler battled each other for the majority of the race, but Manaudou couldn't stay with Ziegler when she shifted into another gear on the final lap.<\/p>\n
Manaudou has been surrounded by considerable controversy in the past several months, including a number of coaching changes. It's probable that Manaudou will be on target during the Olympics, but there's always a little doubt when an individual is surrounded by so much instability. If Manaudou races the 800 free, she'll be on the podium.<\/p>\n
Katie Hoff:<\/b>
\nThe American youngster, perhaps the most versatile swimmer in the world, proved herself in the 800 free at the United States Nationals last summer. There, Hoff clocked in at 8:22.80, just behind the winning effort of Ziegler. The question is whether Hoff will include this event as part of her Olympic schedule.<\/p>\n
If Hoff indeed races the 800 free, she'll no doubt be in the mix for the gold medal and a battle between Hoff and Ziegler could be epic. As further demonstration of her ability to make noise in the longer freestyles, Hoff recently set an American record in the 1000-yard freestyle, clocking an almost unbelievable time of 9:10.<\/p>\n
Ai Shibata:<\/b>
\nThe reigning Olympic champion ranked fourth in the world in 2007, thanks to a best time of 8:23.76. At the World Championships, she was the sixth-place finisher with an off race of 8:31.73. Obviously, there won't be any room for a subpar showing in Beijing. As the defender, look for Shibata to be in the medal mix, though it very well could require a time under 8:20. <\/p>\n
Flavia Rigamonti:<\/b>
\nThe Swiss Miss is one of the top 1500 freestylers in the world, but since that event is not part of the women's Olympic program, she'll have to get the job done in a little more than half the distance. Rigamonti was fifth-quickest in the world in 2007, behind a swim of 8:25.59 at the World University Games. Don't count the former Southern Methodist University star out of the medal equation.<\/p>\n
Erika Villaecija:<\/b>
\nThe Spaniard had a strong performance at the World Championships, where she posted a fourth-place finish. Realistically, though, Villaecija is not in the same class as the aforementioned swimmers and is not considered a strong hope for an Olympic medal. Maybe we're off on that assessment, but it would mean Villaecija dropping major time.<\/p>\n
The Others:<\/b>
\nWe said this event was heavy up top and would have been stronger if Hayley Peirsol hadn't decided to take focus on academics. Among the other individuals who could vie for a spot in the championship final are Great Britain's Rebecca Adlington, Aussie Kylie Palmer, France's Sophie Huber and Japan's Yurie Yano.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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