Tuesday 19 July 2011

Poll Results: Which Women's Event Are You Most Looking Forward to in Shanghai?


Photo Finish

100m Free - 59 votes (25.1%) - Nothing could split the traditional blue ribbon event (100m Free) and the 'All Star' newcomer (200m IM). Interestingly the 100 Free is the most anticipated race on both the men's and women's schedule.

200m IM - 59 votes (25.1%) - Stacked with star names from the swimming world's superpowers: Rice, Coutts, Kukors, Ye Shiwen, Belmonte, Miley, Hosszu, Coventry. In terms of glitz and glamour, this is the women's equivalent of the men's 200m Free.

Big Draws

400m Free - 25 votes (10.6%) - An intriguing race that was shaping up to be a head-to-head duel between Rebecca Adlington and Federica Pellegrini, before Camille Muffat, Chloe Sutton, Katie Hoff and Kylie Palmer all staked their claim for the title in the last year.

4 x 100 Free relay - 16 votes (6.8%) - I would imagine most of the votes cast for this race came from the Netherlands. The race between NED, USA, AUS and CHN should be closer than people think, but with two potential medalists in the 100 Free individual event, the Dutch women should have enough firepower to get the job done.

400m IM - 13 votes (5.5%) - Think of this as the 200m IM-lite. With the exception of Arianna Kukors and Alicia Coutts, the other contenders for the 200 IM go in this event.

100m Back - 12 votes (5.1%) - A good chance for a Chinese victory in this race with Zhao Jing, however, she will have to overcome a seriously talented field including Natalie Coughlin, Gemma Spofforth, Aya Terakawa and Anastasia Zueva. Watch out for Holland's Femke Heemskerk (1:00.03 this year, trains with Camille Lacourt) for an upset. The one name missing is Missy Franklin, who only qualified for the 200m Back.

200m Breast - 11 votes (4.7%) - One for the world record hunters. There isn't much debate on who the favourite for this event is, the big question is how close Rebecca Soni can get to Annamay Pierse's world record.



Third Tier

200m Free - 8 votes (3.4%) - I think this event should have finished higher up in the results. Pellegrini goes in as the favourite but faces strong challenges from two rapid Australians (Kylie Palmer and Bronte Barratt), Camille Muffat and Allison Schmitt. Outside chances for Heemskerk, Jo Jackson and Sarah Sjostrom. It's going to be tight and it's going to be fast.


100m Breast - 7 votes (2.9%) - Soni goes in as favourite again, but the rest of the world should be able to get closer in this event. Might be foolish to rule out Leisel Jones.

800m Free - 6 votes (2.6%) - Rebecca Adlington appears to be back to her dominant self in her pet event. After finishing 4th at Worlds in 2009, Adlington seems to have now found the right balance between her training and media obligations. The world record (8:14.10) might be too much to ask, but Janet Evans' textile mark (8:16.22) could be in danger.

100m Fly - 5 votes (2.1%) - One of swimming's brightest talents, Sarah Sjostrom, will be looking to defend her world title from Rome. It would quite an acheivement to be a two-time world champion at just 17 years of age.


200m Back - 4 votes (1.7%) - Another wide open event and one where Australia will be looking to Meagan Nay and Belinda Hocking to upset the home favourite Zhao Jing. One of the breakout stars of 2011, Missy Franklin, gets her only chance for a medal in an individual event here.


200m Fly - 4 votes (1.7%) - No shortage of stars going in this event, just a shortage of votes. China leads the way with WR holder Liu Zige (2:01.81 in a LZR), but the chasing pack is full of talented youths and experienced veterans. This is Britain's best chance for two medals in a single event.

50 Free - 3 votes (1.3%) - This race can't quite match the interest of the 100 Free. Therese Alshammar will come into play and challenge the Dutch combo of Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Marleen Veldhuis. The 50 Free possibly represents Britta Steffen's best chance at gold/a medal.

4 x 100 Medley relay - 3 votes (1.3%)
- USA, Australia and China will battle it out. It should be a tight race, that ultimately might be decided on the Breaststroke leg. If Moniek Nuijhuis can get close to the leading women on the Breast leg, watch out for Holland's closing speed.

Wooden Spoon


4 x 200 Freestyle relay - 1 vote (0.04%) - Apparently there is very little love for the longest relay on the books. I personally think this will be the most interesting relay on the women's side. The Australians have incredible strength in depth, China has been dominating this event on the global stage recently and the USA have the wildcard that is Missy Franklin. Don't use this event for a tea break!

15 comments:

  1. I am most looking forward to the IM's.
    Will be rooting for Rice!

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  2. I am actually surprised that I don't see Rice in many predictions made in this site or the other sites. She is not predicted to win even bronze in either IM!
    Maybe many people have forgotten that apart from being olympic double winners in both IMs, Rice also won medals in both IMs in the last BOTH worlds (2007, 2009) - the only swimmer currently active, and that was while being unfit in 2009. Rice is still also WR holder for 400 IM, and she's also said she is almost as fit as her Beijing form, despite shoulder surgery late last year.

    Sure, the competition is very fierce this year in IMs, but Rice is in great form and she is a fighter.

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  3. Speaking of IMs, has Katie Hoff dropped them permanently?
    Is she just doing freestyle now?

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  4. Rice is a bit of an unknown, really but she's demonstrated that she can pull it together for big meets.. Feels like it could go either way to me.

    I was happy to at least see Kirsty Coventry on the underrated lists because KC has won gold or silver individual medals at every olympics and worlds since Athens 2004, speaking of someone else with experience at the top level. However, she's now 28-years-old.

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  5. Hoff is doing only freestyle now. It seems to work for her, her free times have been pretty good in season.
    I personally think she shouldn't have dropped the IM, at least not the 400.

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  6. ^^ sorry, KC is actually 27. 28 in september.

    I do feel that we might see swimmers going longer in their elite life than was usual before.. Torres is showing that it can be done and Therese Alshammar is still competitive.

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  7. Compared to the boys both Stephanie & Megan rocked in SC after 3 weeks altitude. Stephanie was tentative at nationals -f she has confidence in the shoulder then no reason for her not do go 2.09 & 3.34.

    She did 2.10 & 4.35 6kgs heavier & restricted shoulder in march 2010. Less star stuff & more focus since then could add sped.

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  8. I don't understand, how come "Rice is a bit of unknown"?
    If anything, she is the most known among the all the contenders in the IM, no?

    She is still the WR in the 400 IM, current Olympic gold medallists in both IM, and won medals in both IMs in both 2007 and 2009 Worlds.

    She broke PB in 200 fly in SC and set SBs in 200/400 IMs after 3 weeks of altitude heavy training. She also tweeted last week that her skinfold is back to her Beijing level.

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  9. Robin, here's website for Eamon Sullivan's new coffeeshop in Perth http://www.louisbaxters.com.au

    :)

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  10. " I don't understand, how come "Rice is a bit of unknown"?
    If anything, she is the most known among the all the contenders in the IM, no?"

    Unknown in terms of how she will do in terms of medalling (or not).

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  11. How kind and considerate of you, aswimfan.
    HaHa :D
    I'll be sure to check the place out myself if I am ever in Perth!!
    So is he becoming a chef after London? What's the deal with him??

    Going back to Katie Hoff though, I'm glad that she's still swimming after the disappointing Olympic campaign.
    She was the best IMer for a while, and it was a pity that she couldn't grab one of the golds.

    Also, I guess Rice could be considered "a bit of unknown" due to the fact that she lost a bunch of times to her teammate (what's her name) at the trial after the shoulder surgery.
    This will be her first big international meet in two years.

    Let's see where she stands right now amongst the best.
    She seems confident though, which I like!

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  12. Eamon is getting more handsome.

    I gotta go get a Margaret River chablis frappe to cool down.

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  13. Eamon Sullivan fans, enjoy - http://speedendurance.blogspot.com/2011/07/watch-eamon-sullivan-on-masterchef.html

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  14. I do think Eamon is handsome. Top swimmers are not normally known for their looks, although they do have the body.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yep The icing on the cake as it were.

    ReplyDelete