US Nationals has for a long time been one of my favourite competitions of the year. The level of domestic competition is in a different league to every other swimming nation on the planet. Coming from Britain my chances in the prediction contest may be written off before the competition gets under way. I hope they are. Whilst I wouldn't dream of damaging the 'special relationship' between Britain and America... it would be awesome to win this thing.
The one advantage I am counting on is my objectivity. I am not clouded by favouritism for swimmers, clubs, universities, states or former glories (try and spot Jason Lezak in my 100m Free picks). Most importantly, I don't have a nickname riding on the result...
Women
50m Free
1. Kara Lynn Joyce
2. Amanda Weir
3. Jessica Hardy
100m Free
1. Dana Vollmer
2. Natalie Coughlin
3. Amanda Weir
4. Kara Lynn Joyce
5. Jessica Hardy
6. Missy Franklin
200m Free
1. Allison Schmitt
2. Dana Vollmer
3. Katie Hoff
4. Dagny Knutson
5. Missy Franklin
6. Ariana Kukors
400m Free
1. Chloe Sutton
2. Allison Schmitt
3. Katie Hoff
800m Free
1. Chloe Sutton
2. Kate Ziegler
3. Emily Brunemann
100m Back
1. Elizabeth Pelton
2. Natalie Coughlin
3. Missy Franklin
200m Back
1. Elizabeth Pelton
2. Elizabeth Beisel
3. Margaret Hoelzer
100m Breast
1. Rebecca Soni
2. Jessica Hardy
3. Ann Chandler
200m Breast
1. Rebecca Soni
2. Keri Hehn
3. Megan Jendrick
100m Fly
1. Dana Vollmer
2. Natalie Coughlin
3. Christine Magnuson
200m Fly
1. Mary Mohler
2. Elaine Breeden
3. Kim Vandenberg
200m IM
1. Ariana Kukors
2. Julia Smit
3. Katie Hoff
400m IM
1. Katie Hoff
2. Julia Smit
3. Elizabeth Beisel
Men
50m Free
1. Nathan Adrian
2. Josh Schneider
3. Garrett Weber Gale
100m Free
1. Nathan Adrian
2. David Walters
3. Garrett Weber Gale
4. Jimmy Feigen
5. Matt Grevers
6. Ricky Berens
200m Free
1. Michael Phelps
2. Peter Vanderkaay
3. Ryan Lochte
4. Ricky Berens
5. Conor Dwyer
6. David Walters
400m Free
1. Peter Vanderkaay
2. Michael Klueh
3. Chad La Tourette
1500m Free
1. Peter Vanderkaay
2. Chad La Tourette
3. Michael Klueh
100m Back
1. Aaron Peirsol
2. Matt Grevers
3. Nick Thoman
200m Back
1. Ryan Lochte
2. Michael Phelps
3. Aaron Peirsol
100m Breast
1. Eric Shanteau
2. Mark Gangloff
3. Mike Alexandrov
200m Breast
1. Eric Shanteau
2. Mike Alexandrov
3. Scott Spann
100m Fly
1. Michael Phelps
2. Tyler McGill
3. Thomas Shields
200m Fly
1. Michael Phelps
2. Tyler Clary
3. Robert Bollier
200m IM
1. Michael Phelps
2. Ryan Lochte
3. Eric Shanteau
400m IM
1. Ryan Lochte
2. Tyler Clary
3. Alex Vanderkaay
I admit, there is at least one event where I have the exact same three swimmers picked, in exactly the same order. Think Lochte's out of the 100 back (since it's right after the 200 free) and then his knee/groin injuries depends on what else he does, other than the 200 back. On day one, he will do either the 400 IM or 400 free, and then on day four either the 200 IM or 100 free. I can't imagine he'd do both (though maybe both in prelims).
ReplyDeleteFYI, order of events on the psych sheet is the actual order of events. For example, the third night runs like this: women's 100 breast, men's 100 fly, women's 50 free, men's 50 free, women's 400 IM.