Could Kate Ziegler be the new Ian Thorpe

She broke her record again in the 800 SCM lowering her time from 8:09 to 8:08. (I guess the first record was just a warm up. ;-)

With all of the drama surrounding Laure Manadou, who or who isn't coaching her, the lawsuits, the acrimony, I would have to say that Kate Ziegler now has to be the favorite for the gold medal in both the 800 and 400m free.

I find it astonishing that a women's 1500m free event does not yet exist in the Olympics. If it did, Kate Ziegler would be crowned the new "Ian Thorpe" for I think she would dominate the 400, the 800 and the 1500 meter events.

Article roundup: [Swimming World Link], [USA Today Link], [International Herald Tribune Link],

Here are the split times from Swimming World:

1. Kate Ziegler 1988 The Fish/USA 08:08,00 1051 WR

50m: 00:28,72 (00:28,72) 100m: 00:59,22 (00:30,50)
150m: 01:29,78 (00:30,56) 200m: 02:00,48 (00:30,70)
250m: 02:31,15 (00:30,67) 300m: 03:01,96 (00:30,81)
350m: 03:32,75 (00:30,79) 400m: 04:03,73 (00:30,98)
450m: 04:34,65 (00:30,92) 500m: 05:05,46 (00:30,81)
550m: 05:36,35 (00:30,89) 600m: 06:07,13 (00:30,78)
650m: 06:37,84 (00:30,71) 700m: 07:08,48 (00:30,64)
750m: 07:39,30 (00:30,82) 800m: 08:08,00 (00:28,70 )

Kate Ziegler photo and caption is homage to LOL Cats: [Link]

Ziegler 2, Manaudou 1

In the 800 free, Kate Ziegler beat Laure Manaudou on the last lap with a sprint and a subsequent close finish. Kate Ziegler's time: 8:18:52 defeated Laure Manaudou's time of 8:18.80 by a little more than a quarter-second. Throughout the whole race the two were side-by-side going into the last lap but Ziegler out-kicked Manaudou at the end. Both very very gracious about it. [Link]

Zeigler on Manaudou:

• "If she had not been there no way would I have gone that fast," said Ziegler, whose win completed the 800 and 1500 double at Rod Laver Arena.

Manaudou on Ziegler:

• "We had been swimming side by side for 400 metres but she was better in the end," said Manaudou after winning her second silver of the meet.

Kate Ziegler has now defeated Manaudou in both the 1500 and the 800 free whereas Laure Manaudou beat Ziegler in the 400 free. The Olympics will be an exciting rematch. Laure has to decide if she wants a quantity of medals by competing in 7 or so events or by skipping an event or two so as to be more competitive in events like the 800 or the 1500.