The World Short Course Champs get underway on Wednesday in Dubai, and most of the athletes are in the United Arab Emirates preparing to race. The major exceptions include the Israeli team and U.S. backstroker David Plummer. This was one of the hardest meets I have ever predicted. You just don't know about a lot of things - how swimmers will do short course, how much certain people have tapered, etc. Of course, your guess is as good as mine in this week's prediction contest; email me at drieder@comcast.net your list of winners to me by Tuesday night, 10pm eastern. Also, if you'd like, please post a link on my Facebook page. You can find full entry lists and live results at Omega Timing.
My Predictions:
Men’s 200 Free
1. Ryan Lochte, USA
2. Paul Biedermann, Germany
3. Yannick Agnel, France
Women’s 50 Breast
1. Yulia Efimova, Russia
2. Rebecca Soni, USA
3. Leiston Pickett, Australia
Men’s 100 Back
1. Stanislav Donets, Russia
2. Nick Thoman, USA
3. Camille Lacourt, France
Women’s 200 Fly
1. Liu Zige, China
2. Katinka Hosszu, Hungary
3. Felicity Galvez, China
Men’s 100 Breast
1. Cameron van der Burgh, South Africa
2. Felipe Silva, Brazil
3. Mike Alexandrov, USA
Women’s 100 Back
1. Natalie Coughlin, USA
2. Zhao Jing, China
3. Gao Chang, China
Men’s 100 Fly
1. Geoff Huegill, Australia
2. Evgeny Korotyshkin, Russia
3. Steffen Deibler, Germany
Women’s 400 IM
1. Hannah Miley, Great Britain
2. Yi Shiwen, China
3. Ariana Kukors, USA
Men’s 400 Free Relay
1. United States
2. France
3. Russia
Women’s 800 Free Relay
1. United States
2. France
3. Hungary
Women’s 100 Free
1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Netherlands
2. Femke Heemskerk, Netherlands
3. Natalie Coughlin, USA
Men’s 400 IM
1. Ryan Lochte, USA
2. Tyler Clary, USA
3. Laszlo Cseh, Hungary
Women’s 50 Fly
1. Therese Alshammar, Sweden
2. Marieke Guehrer, Australia
3. Inge Dekker, Netherlands
Men’s 50 Free
1. Cesar Cielo, Brazil
2. Fred Bousquet, France
3. Nathan Adrian, USA
Women’s 100 IM
1. Hinkelien Schreuder, Netherlands
2. Zhao Jing, China
3. Evelyn Verraszto, Hungary
Men’s 800 Free Relay
1. United States
2. Russia
3. Italy
Women’s 800 Free
1. Kate Ziegler, USA
2. Lotte Friis, Denmark
3. Federica Pellegrini, Italy
Men’s 50 Back
1. Stanislav Donets, Russia
2. Nick Thoman, USA
3. Camille Lacourt, France
Women’s 200 Back
1. Missy Franklin, USA
2. Alexianne Castel, France
3. Kseniya Moskvina, Russia
Men’s 50 Fly
1. Rafael Munoz, Spain
2. Fred Bousquet, France
3. Geoff Huegill, Australia
Women’s 100 Breast
1. Rebecca Soni, USA
2. Leisel Jones, Australia
3. Yulia Efimova, Russia
Men’s 400 Free
1. Ous Mellouli, Tunisia
2. Yannick Agnel, France
3. Paul Biedermann, Germany
Men’s 200 IM
1. Ryan Lochte, USA
2. Markus Rogan, Austria
3. Tyler Clary, USA
Women’s 400 Free
1. Federica Pellegrini, Italy
2. Katie Hoff, USA
3. Coralie Balmy, France
Men’s 200 Breast
1. Daniel Gyurta, Hungary
2. Felipe Silva, Brazil
3. Eric Shanteau, USA
Women’s 400 Medley Relay
1. United States
2. Sweden
3. Australia
Women’s 50 Back
1. Gao Chang, China
2. Marieke Guehrer, Australia
3. Zhao Jing, China
Men’s 100 Free
1. Nathan Adrian, USA
2. Cesar Cielo, Brazil
3. Danila Izotov, Russia
Women’s 100 Fly
1. Dana Vollmer, USA
2. Therese Alshammar, Sweden
3. Christine Magnuson, USA
Men’s 100 IM
1. Ryan Lochte, USA
2. Markus Deibler, Germany
3. Peter Mankoc, Slovenia
Women’s 50 Free
1. Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Netherlands
2. Hinkelien Schreuder, Netherlands
3. Jessica Hardy, USA
Women’s 200 IM
1. Ariana Kukors, USA
2. Katinka Hosszu, Hungary
3. Evelyn Verraszto, Hungary
Men’s 50 Breast
1. Cameron van der Burgh, South Africa
2. Roland Schoeman, South Africa
3. Felipe Silva, Brazil
Women’s 400 Free Relay
1. Netherlands
2. United States
3. Sweden
Men’s 200 Back
1. Ryan Lochte, USA
2. Tyler Clary, USA
3. Arkady Vyatchanin, Russia
Women’s 200 Breast
1. Rebecca Soni, USA
2. Leisel Jones, Australia
3. Annamay Pierse, Canada
Men’s 200 Fly
1. Pawel Korzeniowski, Poland
2. Laszlo Cseh, Hungary
3. Chad Le Clos, South Africa
Women’s 200 Free
1. Federica Pellegrini, Italy
2. Femke Heemskerk, Netherlands
3. Dana Vollmer, USA
Men’s 400 Medley Relay
1. Russia
2. United States
3. France
Men’s 1,500 Free
1. Ous Mellouli, Tunisia
2. Federico Colbertaldo, Italy
3. Pal Joensen, Faroe Islands
I´ll not pick Cielo as favorite to win 50free. After almost a month break, he started his training late October.His main goals are just to lower his best SCM times(20.80 and 45.87).
ReplyDeleteAnd watch out for Lacourt!He usually has a strong tapering process.
I'm expecting to regret not picking Lacourt. I guess I don't wanna believe he's good. Lowering his SCM times will put Cielo awfully close to winning both races. I think it's really close, but his record vs. Bousquet in recent years is why I picked him.
ReplyDeleteThe big question is will the results of the contest be adjusted pending the outcome of the drug tests?
ReplyDeleteFelipe Silva second in the 200 breast. Ha ha ha. That is quite humorous. Ha.
ReplyDeleteHe swam 2:05.61 in September. Maybe a stretch, we'll see. But mostly, I just wanna be able to say "SILVA GOT SILV-A"
ReplyDeleteWow, all 8 finalists in the 200m broke Thorpe's '99 record in the prelims - Lochte (especially) & Ous are truly beasts!
ReplyDeleteEfimova & Soni were the class of the 50m breast field as expected, but just wish Hardy could have been given a chance to race here as Lawrence swam a distant 1.52 sec behind the leaders, placing #21...
Damn, Cielo broke my predictions...
ReplyDeleteI don´t believe he went to 20.51 with 9 weeks of training.
Two weeks ago, he was struggling to do 21.13 and 46.87(50 and 100 free) at Brazilian champs.
It looks he made a damn good tapering process this time.
Lochte become "safe bet".If he is in a event, just pick him for first and forget the rest.