2009 FINA World Championships: Germany's Paul Biedermann is "mad fast" in the 200 free during prelims!

I like German swimmer, Paul Biedermann's, catch and turnover. Are the suits encouraging a new technique where it is all about brute strength and technique rather than one's heart and lungs?

Photograph and caption for the image to the right comes from the Washington Post: "...Germany's Paul Biedermann, swimming in a 200-meter freestyle heat, breaks Michael Phelps's mark in the event, finishing in 1 minute 43.65 seconds. ..."

Phelps reaction:

"...Phelps was giving an interview when he heard the meet announcer bellow, "championships record!"

He spun toward a nearby television screen.

[...] "What did he go?" Phelps, officially distracted, asked eagerly. "He go 1:43?"

"He just dropped a lot of time," Phelps volunteered, almost talking to himself. "You usually don't see a six-second drop in the 400 free in a year. In the 200 free, he dropped about three seconds in a year. . . . It will get me more excited, more ready for tomorrow. I'm going to have to, I guess, really prepare myself. ..."

[Link]

Phelps' comment is really refreshing to me. If it were Eamon Sullivan or Rebecca Adlington you might have heard a suit rant!

I am looking at the results of the 100-meter freestyle men's prelim and what a finish that race was!

[Update: It was a prelim race, I thought it was a final.]

Only .06-of-a-second separated the winner in the prelims, Nathan Adrian, from Ryan Lochte and only o.1-of-a-second separated, Lochte, from third place finisher, Matthew Targett.

Wow, it was a very exciting [Prelim] race.

Nathan went out in a 22.86 and came back the the slowest in a 25.24 to finish in a 48.10 but he had enough at the end and out touched, Lochte, who went out in a 23.41 but came back in a 24.75 finishing with a 48.16. Nice pacing, Ryan!

[... deleted]

Prelim Results: [Link]

Tomorrow is the Swim-off between Cullen Jones and [Garrett Weber Gale.]

Zimbio has a great photo gallery of nationals here: [Link]

Eamon Sullivan Calls for a ban on all Chloroprene suits - Especially the ones that compete with his 'Speedo LZR'

In my opinion he is calling out the blueseventy Nero in a backhanded way. It's like all these athletes Craig Lord writes about who oppose Chloroprene were seemingly handed a script to recite like an actor in a 30-second commercial. They never mention the name blueseventy but they mention the material it is made of.

Well, since blueseventy is down with the USMS, Sullivan's words are "fightin' words, pardner!"

I think it has become demonstrable by reading Swim News articles that Mr. Lord enthusiastically deplores Chloroprene suits. Especially the ones that are equal or perhaps faster than the Speedo LZR or Arena's offering.

"... Sullivan said that suits and suit practices that had unfolded over the course of 2008 had "to be stopped". He added: “I’m happy with what I’ve done. The suit (Speedo’s LZR Racer) was ratified by FINA and I wasn’t wearing two or three suits, just the one. What I wore was allowed at the time I broke those records. There obviously is some advantage and there obviously is more advantage if you wear two or three suits, which a lot of people have been doing lately, and I think it’s pretty ridiculous. ..."

[Link]

I think they have a saying for that called, "throwing the baby out with the bath water!" Calling for a suit ban on a suit that underwent the same FINA approval process that his Speedo LZR did is both unfair and absurd.

For Sullivan to speak negatively about Speedo's rival is suspicious to me. I find his take summarily prejudiced and I suspect that his prejudice is due to lots of Speedo money given to him so he will wear their suit.

How about mandating individuals simply wear one suit only when competing?

Underwater video of Eamon Sullivan's turnover both in slow motion and real time!

The video quality is sketchy but the value in seeing a turnover like that is inspiring to say the least. I also included what he looks like from above the water. Note where his elbows are in relations to his hands.

Unfortunately, I swim that way too. I feel that Eddie Reese has it right when he says keeping your elbows higher than the hands allows for a faster trajectory back into the water. I am paraphrasing him greatly from the DVD, Eddie Reese on Freestyle, but I feel that geometry backs him up.

Alain Bernard still hungry for more racing - Will race in Stockholm and Berlin!

Losing a world record will do that to you. How many times has the 100m free record traded hands between he and Eamon Sullivan? (I suppose it's my job to count, huh?)

"... PARIS (AFP) — French triple Olympic medalist Alain Bernard is to compete in two European swimming meets in November, weeks after his 100m freestyle gold triumph in Beijing.

He will take to the pool in Stockholm on November 11 and four days later in Berlin, before going on to participate in the French national championships on December 5-7.

[Link]

Herald Tribune: "Swimmer Libby Trickett breaks with longtime coach"

Wow! Jessicah Schipper and now Libby Trickett! I am noticing that Australian swimmers are more aggressive in demanding results from their coaches than we Americans are. Libby Trickett nearly did not make it in the 100m free Olympic final and only did so when Chinese swimmer Pang was DQed for a false start. Trickett was the world record holder too and had to swim in the gutter against Britta Steffen.

Swimmers her in the US seem to marry their coaches more so than Australians. Cullen Jones seems prone to the Australian mindset whereas, like the Australians, he has made it clear that "he is the CEO of his career" and not his coach.

From the International Herald Tribune: Trickett, 23, told a news conference she was leaving Brisbane coach Stephan Widmer to train in Sydney under Grant Stoelwinder, who coaches world sprint record holder Eamon Sullivan.

"For me to commit to four more years, I needed new challenges and new stimulus and I think that's what this will bring for me," Trickett said. ..." [Link]

From the Sydney Morning Herald: "..."She rang and said, 'It's Libby,' and it took me a few moments - I let the voice play - then I was like, 'Oh, Libby'," Stoelwinder said. "It was a huge compliment. I spoke to Eamon, he's in Geneva, he's been to Oktoberfest and now is on his way to the Canary Islands. He's really excited. I think in Beijing, Libby asked Eamon a few questions about the program, and I think he had probably had some idea Libby was maybe looking at some options after Beijing."" [Link]

Eamon Sullivan injured, swims a 34.99 in a 50-free

I am hoping Sullivan is fully healed in time for Beijing.

Boxers talk of an opponent that is easy to knock out as having a "glass jaw," Sullivan apparently has a "glass spine." Also, how many cortisone shots has he received for it? You shouldn't get more than three!

Here is a snippet from Lane 9 News: "... He was almost going to test his dive in the warm up but chose to do it under race conditions and we decided if he felt a twinge, he was always going to pull up and just swim through – and that's what happened," Stoelwinder told Swimming Australia. "It was purely a precautionary measure and hopefully he will be back swimming by tomorrow afternoon. We have done some good work lately and the swimming part is fine – it's just the twinge he gets off the dive – it will take a bit more time. He will continue to have his usual treatment and we will obviously monitor him closely. ..." [Link]

The photo to the right is titled "Glass Spine." I found it on Flickr.com in Gardinergirl's photstream. Here is a direct link to the photo: [Link]

Well, Eamon Sullivan is about to get spanked over D'Arcy comments.

Sunday is almost over in Australia as I write this and I just read comments Eamon Sullivan made regarding Nick D'Arcy which are just sincerely outrageous.

Back ground info: On March 30th 2008, Nick D'Arcy viciously attack Simon Cowley after one report claimed that Cowley extended his hand out to Nick D'Arcy in a congratulatory gesture over his 200 butterfly win at Australian Nationals. While another says Cowley asked him to tone down his bragging.

In the ensuing seconds Cowley's life was irrevocable changed for the worse. He had lost most of teeth, suffered a broken jaw, a broken nose, a fractured eye socket, a crushed cheekbone and fractured palate in the attack and subsequently had to have five titanium plates screwed into his face to repair the injuries.

Of course large amounts of alcohol were involved; ("Fuelled by up to 12 drinks," was what the Daily Telegraph stated), and several members from the Australian national team were also there drinking with D'Arcy and most likely they all witnessed the beating of Cowley as well. Reports say that several members of the Australian team were questioned.

So, the next day the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) gets wind of this and in the ensuing week or so Chairman John Coates forcefully states that though D'Arcy deserves to be presumed innocent, this deed among others is so grievous that he brought not just himself into disrepute but Australian swimming as well. Therefore, he is effectively kicked off the National team. (Apparently D'Arcy had a history of this nonsense whereas he had broken the nose of an Australian triathlete some time before. The AOC does not have to legally presume innocence. They can send anybody they want to the Olympics.)

When Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge hears about Nick D'Arcy and the AOC decision, he backs the decision 100% and makes it clear he will support them.

Now, with all this in mind this is what Eamon Sullivan had to say regarding the beating of Simon Cowley; From the Herald Sun: [Link] "... He's quite young and already broken the record for the 200m 'fly. Sometimes mistakes happen, but I can't really say too much. ..."

"He's a great swimmer, so it would be a shame for that talent to give up..."

"It's unfortunate with a few things that have come up," he said. "But over the years, compared to some other sports in headlines every week, we spend 90 per cent of our time training, 5 per cent competing and 5 per cent having a break. ..."

Memo to Sullivan, when you get yourself into a hole and your coach says, "stop digging," or more accurately to not talk to the press, you do what he says. You have not only allowed yourself to tacitly dismiss D'Arcy's behavior just because he can swim a fast butterfly, but you have embarrassed your coach and yourself by taking a side in something contrary to the AOC, the IOC and have probably alienated at least half of the Australian public as a result.

D'Arcy could be sentenced for up to 10 years over this. His court day is June 17th.

Eamon Sullivan is really pissing off Alain Bernard - Sullivan owns the WR in the 50 LCM Free...AGAIN!

I made that up about Alain Bernard, but if it were me, I would have spit at the TV and then broke down in tears.

The 50 free WR has fallen three times this week. WOW! Especially considering that Popov's WR held for more than a decade.

Here is a link to a higher-rez version: [Link]

Watch the replay of Sulivan's 100 LCM freestyle win and note his straight arm recovery

We are seeing a lot of innovation this year in swimming from stroke to speedsuits. I actually have a straight arm recovery as seen above when I sprint and I am working hard to change it since my turnover needs to speed up. It's amazing how these athletes like Sullivan, Nystrand, et al. can make it work.

To see a higher-rez version of this video, click here: [Link]

Eamon Sullivan's amazing world record swim: This video is just 19 hours old!

And he is wearing the Speedo Lazr.

I predict this trifecta in the 100 meter free: Filippo Magnini, Jason Lezak, Roland Schoeman

UPDATE: Oh Man! I should have went with Magnini for the win, place, and show bet and you all would have had to bookmark me by now. ;-) Also I forgot about Hayden, duh!. From Eurosport: "... Italy's Filippo Magnini and Canada's Brent Hayden dead-heated for first place in the men's 100 metres freestyle final at the world championships. ... Australia's Eamon Sullivan grabbed the bronze medal in 48.47..." They awarded NO silver medal. How cheap is that? [Link]

Italy's, Flippo Magnini, swam the fastest 100 in the 4x100 relay and Jason Lezak looks inspired. These are my top three picks for tomorrow: Filippo Magnini, Jason Lezak, Roland Schoeman. If I am right, then you have to bookmark this page. ;-)