One of our readers today pointed out hat FINA has posted a list of “relay only” entries for the 2012 Olympics this summer in London, which can be seen here:
Men’s relay only swimmers.
Women’s relay only swimmers.
The most interesting name on the list is former Virginia All-American Scot Robison. Robison was on last year’s World Championship team, but just missed this year’s Olympic Team by .04 seconds when he placed 7th in the 100 free at the Olympic Trials.
Still, he is listed by FINA as a “relay only entry.” We’ve done some investigating, and discovered that Robison has been officially entered as just an alternate. If someone on the US team pulls out in the next week (either due to injury, a positive drug test, lack of desire) then Robison would be sent to London.
He is the only formally-listed relay alternate, because the other 11 relay-only spots awarded to the Americans (you get two per qualified relay, distributed as desired) are already handed out. This spot for Robison as an alternate only opened up after Michael Phelps dropped the 200 free – making Ricky Berens an “individual” swimmer not a “relay-only” swimmer.
What happened to Jamie Thomas at NSS?
Romano would have been a better choice for the final relay spot. At least she might get to swim.
I agree. I do not think we saw the best of Romano this week, but she is one heck of a relay swimmer.
Alternate is what it means !!!
No way could they put Robison on. They already have the top 6 picked from the 100m Free, with Phelps and Lochte up their sleeve. They would then have 9 swimmers to pick from! You couldn’t use that many swimmers if it was heats-semis-finals!
Robison is just an alternate, he’s not exactly on the team to London
Where are all the Tarwater haters on this one???
Phelps dropping the 200free has really just been a domino of goodwill/tough breaks for a number of teammates. Of course I’m going to be upset to see him not facing the real race of the century, but… still, it probably wouldn’t matter in a few decades
It would not matter in a few decades.
But him becoming the first male swimmer to threepeat will be remembered for decades.
Even after 48 years after it was done, Dawn Fraser is still known as the first swimmer to threepeat.