Laure Manaudou to face friend, Esther Baron in 50m Back

Esther Baron, will face her friend Laure Manaudou in the 50m back final. If Baron wins it, I reiterate that Laure has some swimming to do.

The mens division is looking pretty impressive, Camille La court clocked a French record in the 50m back in a time of 25.66. He is coached both Manaudou's former coach, Philippe Lucas. As abusive as Manaudou has accused him of being, he is producing fast swimmers. Of course do not forget Alain Bernard's 'time dilating, 50m time of 21.76. (See above photo) [Link] [French Eurosport Link] Results [Link]

The French mens divison are looking pretty good though I wonder if any of their distance swimmers can beat Kate Ziegler? The Pan Pacific invitational swimmers couldn't.

Imagine this lineup in the 50m free at Beijing: Ben Wildman Tobriner; Gary Hall or Cullen Jones, Alain Bernard, Roland Schoeman, Filippo Magnini, Ceasar Cielo.

Alain Bernard clocked a blazing 21.76 in the 50m free at French Nationals

At French Nationals, Alain Bernard, posted a 21.76 for the 50m free which is faster than any American right now. That time is faster than Wildman, Jones, but equal to Gary Hall's best. Is this an anomaly or is he the new sheriff in town? [Link]

Manaudou swam a 8:31.26 for the 800m free but contrast this to Kate Zeigler who according to Wikipedia, "... February 2005, at the FINA World Cup stop in New York, Ziegler won the 800m in 8:16.32, breaking Sippy Woodhead's 25-year-old American Record in that event, which at the time was the oldest American record on the books."

Update: I wonder if Laure Manaudou is going through her "Tiger Woods period" who after falling in love and having a child, Tiger seems more focused on endeavors outside his sport?

Manudou has some swimming to do!

Swim News - World Rankings

Swim News is a site I go to at least a couple times a week. I am trying to get a news feed from them to put into this blog.

If you go to this page, just click a button in your favorite event and see who is king or queen. I clicked the men's 50m LCM and Wildman Tobriner is rated number one followed by Cullen Jones. Now, isn't Wildman a great name for a 50 free swimmer? [Link]

Next year It will be harder to make the US Olympic swim team in the 50m free than it will be to win a gold medal in Beijing

Take Gary Hall, Jason Lezak, Cullen Jones, Wildman Tobriner, and probably some unknown kid from the NCAA. Only two swimmers will be accepted and any of the above can win it. Especially at that level

"I lost $2 on a horse and I spent 2 million trying to get it back" - Mickey Rooney

Thank gosh I am not a betting man. Wildman Tobriner wins the 50 free, Phelps beats Crocker and Phelps ties Ian Thorpe's record of 6 gold medals at Fina World Championships. So, let's begin with the 50 free. This quote says it all:

• "There was zero pressure on me," Wildman-Tobriner said. "Honestly, it's not a surprise to me. Hitting the start well, which I have been struggling to do, I knew I would definitely have a good chance. When I hit the water, I felt it was right. It gets you fired up for rest of the lap." [Link]
  

About my 100 fly match-up pick between Crockett and Phelps.

• "Honestly I thought I'd botched the finish, I didnt think the finish was very good, but it ended up being good enough," said Phelps, whose win meant he equalled Ian Thorpe's event record of six golds set in Fukuoka, Japan in 2001. [Link]