Women's 200 Meter Backstroke

Margaret Hoelzer shockingly broke the WR in the finals at Omaha, dropping 3 tenths-of-a-second of Kirsty Coventry’s WR set just 6 months before (Hoelzer: 2:06.09, Coventry: 2:06.39) and beating her previous best by more than a second.  The other big surprise at US trials was 15-year-old Elizabeth Beisel racing her way onto the Olympic team in this event powering past Hayley McGregory to a definitive second place finish with a time of 2:06.92, giving her the 4th fastest time this year in the 200 Back.  Beisel could find herself on the podium in Beijing.


Hoelzer owns the WR but after taking 5th in Athens wants a medal in Beijing


The 3rd fastest time this year belongs to France’s Laure Manaudou (2:06.64) and it was the 4th fastest in history. This is probably the best indication of the potential for a positive set of performances in Beijing for her.  She took bronze in the 100 Back in Athens, and looks poised to be on the podium in Beijing. I think this could be it, something of an upset. Hoelzer has the WR, Coventry is reigning champ, Manaudou is better known as a freestyler, but she pulls this one out.


Laure Manaudou failed to make the finals

The rest of the international field is more than a second behind the top 4 swimmers (5 if you count Hayley McGregory who will be absent from these games).  The other women you are likely to see in the pool for the final are Alexianne Castel of France (2:07.94), Reiko Nakamura of Japan (2:08.34), Jing Zhao of China (2:08.41) again never count out host country athletes from forcing their way onto the podium, Aussie Meagen Nay & Russian Anastasia Zueva.


Kirsty hopes to bring more gold back to Zimbabwe

Medal Predictions:

Video:

Margaret Hoelzer sets the WR in Omaha


Kirsty Coventry wins Olympic Gold in Athens

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