Women's 400 Medley Relay

Australia is defending Olympic Champion, World Champion and current World Record holder in this relay. The Aussie's are stacked in each stroke, so I'm having a little trouble figuring out who does what leg. I have to assume that with Jessicah Schipper on the team, Libby Trickett will anchor the relay with the Free leg, while Schipper will swim Fly. The other way to flip that is put Trickett in on Fly and have Cate Campbell anchor in the free, but Cate is young, Trickett took silver in the 100 and Schipper is still strong so I don't think they'll take the chance with the youngster in the anchor spot. We'll see Emily Seebohm lead off in the back and Lethal Lesiel Jones who took gold in the 100 Breast swim second.


The Aussies set the WR at Worlds 2007 in Melbourne

I don't evny the American coaches when trying to put together this relay team. Thankfully, the racing in Beijing has helped to answer some the questions for them. Rebecca Soni is on fire in this meet, she stepped up into Hardy's position in the 100 breast and took silver, and survived Lethal Leisal's dose and took gold in the 200 in a big upset. So Soni gets the breaststroke leg. Dara Torres will be swimming the 50 earlier in the night, but I think her name and the fact that she won the 100 Free in trials (beating Natalie Coughlin) will get her the anchor leg. So that leaves backstroke and butterfly, both of which Coughlin could swim. Christine Magnuson was a big surprise in the 100 Fly and beat Schipper to take silver. So Natalie will lead off and Christine will take the fly leg. I like this lineup. You're putting silver medalists in the middle and leading off with and anchoring with two veterans who have been in this high pressure races before. Natalie, Rebecca, Christine, Dara. That team could beat the Aussies, but Dara will need to have a lead to hold off Trickett.


Natalie is the only face from Melbourne I expect in the relay tonight

I expect Great Britain and Russia to battle for the Bronze. I should also say China, never count out the host nation's competitors. In fact, China took bronze in Melbourne when the Aussies set the WR. I would put France in that list, but Laure has had a terrible meet, she'll lead it off, but I don't expect anything from France now.

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