What’s the Buzz On The Web: Twas the Night Before Swimming

We’re going to try something new for the World Championships. We may tweak the title a bit, but for now, it shall be named “What’s the Buzz on the Web,” with a subtitle of “television commentators’ cheat sheet.”

Some of you may have picked up during the World University Games that the commentators were basically reciting the SwimSwam comment sections. Now, this is no guarantees that they were actually reading SwimSwam, as compared to somewhere else, but we figured we’d help them out, and make a sort of cliff’s notes of what comments have been trending hot, and what the hoi polloi of the swimming community can’t stop talking about.

We’ll specifically curate those comments related to the World Championships, though if all goes well, perhaps we’ll expand it further.

So, the pre-meet conversation (which, admittedly, is somewhat influenced by our posts) has centered around a few things in the lead-up.

Belmonte or Hosszu: Will the Stick to their Guns?

Mireia Belmonte-Garcia and Katinka Hosszu are both swimming just unbelievably challenging schedules: Hosszu 6 individual events (100/200 back, 200/400 IM, 200 free, and 200 fly), while Belmonte has 6 individual events (400/800/1500 free, 200 fly, 200/400 IM) to go with what could be three relays.

Our readers are both marveling at their endurance, and questioning their decisions:

From “mcgillrocks”:

she’s doing the schedule that most age group swimmer have nightmares about (referring to Belmonte)

“aswimfan” says:

Mireia Belmonte is certified CRAZY!
or at least her coaches!

Swimming the 6 most energy sapping events (200/400 IM, 400/800/1500 free, 200 fly) on top of three relays??
yikes.

And I thought Hosszu was an iron woman, well this Belmonte must be adamantium woman!

Men’s 400 Medley Relay

We thought that Kevin Cordes was the key to the medley relay. Our commenters, however, feel that the backstroke leg is, in fact, will be the difference-maker.

From “aswimfan”:

The key for Australia is Delaney.
If Delaney can get to 53 low, yes they have very good chance to win, but if he swims 53 high, they won’t be able to overcome US.

“John26” says:

I’m going to take the bait and choose Australia for the win. I think the pieces are there this year. If Delaney is within 0.7 of the US backstroker, I think Australia is going to take this.

Kosuke Kitajima

Kosuke Kitajima, after being initially named a “relay-only” swimmer by the Japanese Swimming Federation, was a surprise entry into the individual 100 breaststroke.

Some of our readers thought that only made sense, others didn’t, and others questioned the qualifying standards for Japan altogether.

“Peter” said:

So what is the point of a qualifying standard that keeps out the 5th fastest time in the world?

“Bossanova,” notorious for trying to rile other commenters up, retorted that:

The Japanese Swimming Federation is gonna feel silly doing this for Kitajima after he goes slow in that 100 breast.

to which “aswimfan” responded:

Why would they?

Kitajima was already on the team, why not let him swim the 100, it doesn’t disadvantage any other swimmer anyway.

The meet starts tomorrow, are you ready? All the links you need to follow can be found here.