America has a new rivalry in the women’s 100 backstroke. And it’s not Natalie Coughlin versus Missy Franklin.
Coughlin seems to have passed the torch on, and it’s the two high schoolers Franklin and Rachel Bootsma who are thrust to the forefront, as of today’s semi-final in the women’s 100 backstroke.
Is this a rivalry? Do they see it as a rivalry? Is Phelps-Lochte a rivalry? I don’t know, and I don’t really care. Rivalries drive sport, and this has the makings of an epic one. In today’s semi-final, Bootsma went a 59.10 to break the 17-18 National Age Group Record and put herself into the all-time top 10. Not two minutes later, Missy Franklin lowered that record to a 59.06 to snag it right back. And on Wednesday, we will see it bloom in front of a national audience.
Swimming is unique in that we can see teammates become rivals. Even though they’re competing together, they’re competing against each other as well. But they still don’t match up to Bird-Johnson rivalries where athletes from different parts of the country lineup a few times a season, and then for a big one at the end of the year, and just punch each other.
That’s why I almost want Franklin to not go to Cal. It was one of her named finalists, but from a purely cosmetic level, I’m hoping that she goes somewhere else. Georgia, Stanford, Florida, U of Denver, or anywhere else under the sun. I want to see Franklin v. Bootsma be an event, not an every-meet swim.
In the final, Bootsma will punch Missy off of the blocks. Bootsma has one of the better reaction times we’ve ever seen. Franklin will punch her right back on top of the water. I don’t even know what will happen on the back-half of the race. But whatever it is, it is time for this to happen. It is time for this to go off.
#RachelWhootsma? #YourPicksWereMISSTaken
Bootsma-Franklin, media-driven rivalry, it’s on.
Correction: Aquajets is Eden Prairie, not Minneapolis. And I know because I’m on that swim team.
Boothsma which also post a 100 yard backstroke under 51 seconds a year ago might take Tran placed on backstroke in the relay. Tran fly is developing so they might switch Tran to fly on the relay.
It could be a rivalry in the future like you say Braden but for the final it will be different. Rachel will be fresh and Missy will be destroyed by her 200 free just 20 minutes before. About the rivalry yes it could also be with Olivia Smoliga in the game and perhaps very quickly with one or two other young swimmers we have seen in these trials. But for me Missy is by far the best. Rachel or Olivia will have the advantage to be specialized in this race unlike Missy who swims many other races but on the pure potential Missy is ahead of her opponents.
Bobo, the 200 free will only be semifinal. Missy doesn’t have to expend all her energy and she still will qualify for final.
Destroyed is a strong word. This is the same swimmer who did a 1:57/2:08 double in the 200 free/back earlier this month.
coughlin is going to win this
Where can I watch the 100back semi finals for both men and women? I DVR’ed the NBC boroadcast and they cut it off after the 400 free
It’s replayed on NBC Sports network late, it’s a new channel on many cable services.
Thanks Keith!
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/swimming/franklin-shines-coughlin-struggles-in-100m-back-semi.html
And Olivia Smoliga still has another year of high school to go. She may make it a three way rivalry in the future. I wonder where she’ll go to college?
Yes no many people mention her great race. It’s always a big accomplishment to swim under 1.00 in the women’s 100 back for the first time.
Cal is already set up for both the Mens and Womens for the next few years! If Franklin heads to Stanford that would be truly an incredible rivalry, but Cal is the best right now, and I hope for both her and the swimming world that she will be a Golden Bear come fall 2013,
it won’t be an incredible rivalry because Stanford woman have not been strong–great recruiting–average coaching . . .
I’m not a specialist of NCAA but she would be crazy to go to Stanford when we see results or bad improvements of many swimmers there. It will be Cal or Georgia.
CAL is so lucky. It will be even more ridiculous if Missy goes to CAL. They’ll be like NCAA champions for the next 5 years straight.
How tall is Boostma?
Is she any good in other events? I admit I don’t know much about her.
She’s a 22.6/48.7 50/100 and 52.0/1:55 fly as of March. Likely will be on 4 relays.
Cal is LOADED – plus Acker who is 22.6/48.9.
I would swim Bootsma in 100 fly/back and 200 fly with Pelton in 200 IM/free/back and call it a weekend (and a championship title).