This edition of the Hardcore Swim of the Week encompasses the 7 days up until the start of the European Junior Championships and World University Games. Next week, we’ll give a Hardcore award for each of those two events, once we’ve had time to evaluate who the best of the full meets were.
The HardCore Swim of the week this week goes to Australian James Magnussen for his swim in the men’s 100 freestyle at the French Open in Vichy last weekend.
While we’re sure distance fans are rolling your eyes (yes, another sprinter), the number put up by Magnussen at the French Open is hard to ignore. Three weeks out of the World Championships, Magnussen went a 47.67 in the 100 free.
Only a handful of guys have gone fastest in history at non-year-end-taper meets (aka, meets not the Olympics, World Championships, or Continental Championship in off-years). Among those who have, they all still came at National Championship meets, and in polyurethane suits to boot.
Suffice-to-say, we can safely declare Magnussen’s swim the most impressive in-season long course men’s 100 freestyle we’ve ever seen.
Pile on top of that an under-the-radar 46.40 in short course meters done at the end of June (a bit slower than the 45.65 with which Vlad Morozov won the Short Course World Championship in December, but still impressive unshaven), and it’s clear that Magnussen is the favorite in Barcelona. With all due respect to the defending Olympic Champion Nathan Adrian, and his fans, this is why Magnussen is the favorite going into the World Championships, despite losing to Adrian by .01 seconds in London. In sprint freestyles, an unpredictable outcome is predictable, but Magnussen is the favorite.
After the chaos that was the 2012 Olympic season, Magnussen is focused. At this point, he has to have too many people around him keeping him focused to be anything but, and he will be on his best in Barca.
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I’m not sure now, that Vlad Morozov just swam a 47.62 at WUG’s. I’m awaiting a possible update to this ha ha. Not sure what kind of shape Morozov’s in though. (good obviously)
Scratch that forgot about Magnussen’s 47.53
James will always be a 100m specialist, plain and simple. The Times tell the tale- his best 50 is 5 tenths off the WR, while is hundred is about 2 tenths off the WR. I don’t think he should bother with the 50, he should focus on going under 47 in the 100.
And still no video of the race one week later!
I think Vlad should be in the conversation for gold also. He broke a 48 this year and hes been improving at such a rapid pace in his long course swimming. At World University Games he was a 47.1 off a relay start. I imagine he didnt put all his effort into preparing for this meet either as Barca is the ultimate goal. Great relay from the Russians as well who were all under 48 and are fast improving. They’re 3:10.88 at World University Games was faster than they went in London and would’ve been 3rd
I agree. Vlad’s should be a medal contender in 50. His start and first 50 is astonishing.
But all of the A team Russians are swimming full events … will it come back to bite them? That’s what I’m worried about.
Magnussen is a beast flat out. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes 47 low or possibly under, and goes 21.3 in the 50 … yes, I said it!
he’s gone from 22.41 to 21.74, then to 21.52. Not sure why he isn’t in the conversation for the gold medal.
If one manages to go 47 low and 21.3 at the same meet.. it would indeed be impressive
Everyone is putting 21.3 as gold medal range in 50 free.I think the Olympic Champ deserves some credit.How far Manaudou will improve this year?I will not be surprised if he blasts 21flat, but i will be surprised if he dont improve his Olympic time.His in-season times are around 0.3 better than last year in 50free…
In craig lord’s interview, Magnussen has said himself 50 is a different game together (compare to 100), so the favorites for 50 are still those guys who specialize in it: Manadou and Cielo, and to a certain extent Adrian (Adrian’s 50 was always better than his 100, until London last year when he didn’t swim 50 and had to focus on 100).
A note:Vlad won in 45.65, it was a TEXTILE BEST.Not a 46 swim…
I agree with Magnussen as hardcore swim.Swim 47.67 unteapered is mind-blowing.WR will not be a surprise for me, if he does in Barcelona.
Tapered/Non Tapered/Shaved/Not Shaved, doesn’t matter these days. Almost everyone elite swimmer swims very fast “in season” these days, and often are right around their best times. Part of it is probably because everyone wears a fast suit at every meet, but that can’t be the only reason.
Anyhow, 47.6 doesn’t mean anything unless he goes way faster when he’s “rested.”
Hypothetically, lets say he goes 47.3 at Worlds when “rested.” What will everyone say? If I remember correctly, he said he wasn’t fully rested when he went 47.1 leading up to the Olympics. Sometimes I get the feeling that no one is every fully rested.
I believe he will do a way better than 47.3… his time in 50 was only 21.86(when he already has 21.52).And the fact he grow near a inch from last year(2centimeters to be exact) will make a difference in times… but i agree nowadays, almost everyone swims well in season(Nathan Adrian comes to my mind).
I don’t know if everyone swim fast inseason.
When I pointed out how slow the french sprinters were in the 100 free in the same competition in vichy, some poster (I think it was Josh) chastised me and told me that they were still in season.
I do not see that he has a nation’s pressure on him. The Ashes are being played in England – this will take up 5 sets of intense 5 day intrigues plus endless 10 hour per day TV c& radio coverage.
OK you have to know cricket to understand its mesmerising affects on ex Empire nations.