Women's 200 Meter Freestyle

The current World Record holder decided to scratch this race. You read that right, the fastest women ever in the 200 Free will be at the games and not swimming. What IS going on with Laure Manaudou? She's been bouncing around from different programs, but if her mindset and training are lined up like they were in Melbourne she could be almost unbeatable in any race she wanted to swim. Please go watch her perfect stroke in the clip from Melbourne below. Sadly, she's not in this event to represent her time of 1:55.52. That doesn't stop this race from being insanely competitive and fast.


Not sure who Katie surprises more, the world or herself. Beast!

Katie Hoff then is left to lead the pack. She's not far off the WR with a 1:55.88 in the finals at Omaha, the fastest time swum this year in the 200 Free. Croatian Sara Isakovic is right there with here at 1:55.90, and American Allison Schmitt rounds out the 3 fastest women at 1:55.92. WOW! 4 hundredths of a second separate the top 3 women coming into Beijing.


   Italian Federica Pelligrini wants hardware

Katie Hoff could be a golden girl to rival Phelps, she is swimming 5 individual events just like Mike and both came out of the same club team in Maryland, NBAC. Allison Schmitt on the other hand has been training with Club Wolverine and is the only high schooler out there training with Bob Bowman right now, Michael's coach.

When Manaudou set the WR in Melbourne last year, Annika Lurz went 1:55.68, the second fastest time in history. Surely the German has her sights on gold in Beijing. The international field is deep and fast to compete for the podium. So deep that names like Natalie Coughlin and Stephanie Rice aren't even there to compete. Italian Federica Pelligrini has the third fastest time this year at 1:56.10. Australian Bronte Barratt (1:56.60) leads her teammate Linda Mackenzie (1:56.99) into this race, while Great Britain is sending Jo Jackson (1:55.61) and Caitlin McClatchey (1:57.09).

Expect this to be a tight race, with the possibility of all three medal winners finishing under the current WR pace. Maybe that's why Manaudou is focusing on other events.

 

Medal Predictions:

Video:

Women's 200 Free Final in Melbourne. I will miss Laure in this event!


Federica Pelligrini sets the (then) WR in Melbourne (above Laure breaks it)

Bronte Barrett sets the Aussie Record at Aussie Trials

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