2009 World Cup Durban

Okay, I know I haven't been the most regular blogger. I've been really busy, but it won't get much better for a while. I've been planning a big coming-out party for a while, but the Viking beat me to it. Trust me, it's coming (eventually)!

For now, I wanted to give a few predictions for the Durban World Cup meet. Expect Jessica Hardy's comeback to the world stage, as well as the continued suit contraversy to highlight the meet.

Day 1:

Women's 800 Free
Gold: Kathryn Meaklim (RSA)
Silver: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)

Men's 100 Free
Gold: Stefan Nystrand (SWE)
Silver: Lyndon Ferns (RSA)
Bronze: Roland Schoeman (RSA)

Women's 200 Free
Gold: Felicity Galvez (AUS)

Men's 50 Breast
Gold: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) 25.23 WR
Silver: Hendrik Feldwehr (GER)
Bronze: Gerhard Zandberg (RSA)

Women's 100 Breast
Gold: Jessica Hardy (USA) 1:03.71 WR
Silver: Nadja Higl (SRB)
Bronze: Joline Hostman (SWE)

Men's 400 IM
Gold: Riaan Schoeman (RSA)
Silver: Jay-Cee Thompson (RSA)

Women's 100 Fly
Gold: Sarah Sjostrum (SWE)
Silver: Felicity Galvez (AUS)
Bronze: Inge Dekker (NED)

Men's 100 Back
Gold: Peter Marshall (USA)
Silver: Stanislav Donets (RUS)
Bronze: Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS)
*Also watch Markus Rogan (AUT) and Ashley Delaney (AUS)

Women's 50 Back
Gold: Fabiola Molina (BRA)
Silver: Hinkelien Schreuder (NED)
Bronze: Marieke Guehrer (AUS)

Men's 200 Fly
Gold: Maxim Ganikhin (RUS)

Women's 200 IM
Gold: Whitney Myers (USA)
Silver: Kathryn Meaklim (RSA)
Bronze: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)

Men's 400 Free
Gold: Jay-Cee Thompson (RSA)
Silver: Domink Meichtry (SUI)
Bronze: Heerden Herman (RSA)

Women's 50 Free
Gold: Therese Alshammar (SWE)
Silver: Hinkelien Schreuder (NED)
Bronze: Jessica Hardy (USA)

Men's 200 Breast
Gold: Neil Versfeld (RSA)
Silver: William Diering (RSA)
Bronze: Terence Parkin (RSA)
*Note: Parkin is a deaf swimmer who took the silver in this event in the 2000 Olympics.

Men's 100 IM
Gold: Darian Townsend (RSA)
Silver: Markus Rogan (AUT)
Bronze: Gerhard Zandberg (RSA)

Women's 200 Back
Gold: Amanda Loots (RSA)
Silver: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)
Bronze: Fabiola Molina (BRA)

Men's 50 Fly
Gold: Roland Schoeman (RSA)
Silver: Lyndon Ferns (RSA)
Bronze: Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS)
*Watch Amaury Leveaux's world record of 22.18.
*Also in the field is 33-year old Sabir Muhammad of the USA

Day 2:

Men's 1,500 Free
Gold: Riaan Schoeman (RSA)
Silver: Heerden Herman (RSA)

Women's 100 Free
Gold: Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
Silver: Felicity Galvez (AUS)
Bronze: Marieke Guehrer (AUS)

Men's 200 Free
Gold: Dominik Meichtry (SUI)
Silver: Darian Townsend (RSA)
Bronze: Jan Venter (RSA)

Women's 50 Breast
Gold: Jessica Hardy (USA) 29.31 WR

Men's 100 Breast
Gold: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) 55.86 WR
Silver: Hendrik Feldwehr (GER)
Bronze: Neil Versfeld (RSA)

Women's 400 IM
Gold: Kathryn Meaklim (RSA)
Silver: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)

Men's 100 Fly
Gold: Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS)
Silver: Lyndon Ferns (RSA)

Women's 100 Back
Gold: Fabiola Molina (BRA)

Men's 50 Back
Gold: Peter Marshall (USA) 22.72 WR
Silver: Gerhard Zandberg (RSA)
Bronze: Stanislav Donets (RUS)

Women's 200 Fly
Gold: Felicity Galvez (AUS)
Silver: Amanda Loots (RSA)
Bronze: Kathryn Meaklim (RSA)

Men's 200 IM
Gold: Darian Townsend (RSA)
Silver: Riaan Schoeman (RSA)
Bronze: Markus Rogan (AUT)

Women's 400 Free
Gold: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)

Men's 50 Free
Gold: Roland Schoeman (RSA) 20.22 WR
Silver: Stefan Nystrand (SWE)
Bronze: Sabir Muhammad (USA)
*Note: Muhammad's entry time is 20.90, which is well under Nick Brunelli's current American record of 21.18. I assume it is either a converted time or not correct. Please let me know if I am wrong.

Women's 200 Breast
Gold: Nadja Higl (SRB)
Silver: Kathryn Meaklim (RSA)
Bronze: Jessica Pengelly (RSA)

Women's 100 IM
Gold: Hinkelien Schreuder (NED)
Silver: Fabiola Molina (BRA)
Bronze: Whitney Myers (USA)

Men's 200 Back
Gold: Stanislav Donets (RUS)
Silver: Arkady Vyatchanin (RUS)
Bronze: Ashley Delaney (AUS)

Women's 50 Fly
Gold: Therese Alshammar (SWE) 24.67 WR
Silver: Marieke Guehrer (AUS) 24.73
Bronze: Hinkelien Schreuder (NED)
*Note: The two rivals from last year's world cup continue their back-and-forth battle. Expect both to be under Guehrer's world record of 24.99.