Several more swimmers have thrown their names into the ring for the first 2012 British Olympic Trials meet from March 3rd-10th, which has been designated as the official Olympic “test event” and thus mandated to be open to international swimmers.
A 3rd American has signed up for the meet, in the form of former USC star Lyndsay DePaul. The butterfly/IM specialist has had her most recent success by way of a silver medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in the 200 fly.
At the British Trials, DePaul will enter into 6 events: the 50 free, the 200 breast, the 100/200 fly, and the 200/400 IM’s. Her best hope at making the 2012 London Olympic team probably comes in the butterfly events that are among the more vulnerable races on the women’s side for the Americans (or, at least as vulnerable as an event can be in a country as deep as the United States). She’s also got a chance in the 400 IM, where she ranked 25th in the world (and 6th among Americans) in 2011. The 400 IM isn’t nearly as loaded of an event as the 200, though it will by no-means be an easy path.
The Germans are also reported to be sending a sizable crew to the meet, including Paul Biedermann, the Deibler Brothers, and Daniela Schreiber. World Record holder Britta Steffen has instead chosen to stay home to compete domestically, citing concerns that international swimmers would not be well-received by the British natives who don’t really want them there.
Denmark will also send a group of their women’s team that has been on-fire the last year. 2011 World Champions Jeanette Ottesen and Lotte Friis will both be there, as will teenagers Mie Nielsen and Pernille Blume. Breaststroker Rikke Pedersen will also be in attendance.
Their Northern-European neighbors the Dutch will send a small group that thus far stands at three. It includes the two veterans of the vaunted sprint group: Hinkelien Schreuder, who will swim the 50 and 100 free; and Marleen Veldhuis, who will just get a brief feel in the 50. Schreuder will be looking to get her career back-on-track after receiving the emotional blow of being pulled from the Dutch World Championship team. She has only raced twice since then, only one of which was in long course (where she posted a tough 58.7 in the 100 free that was one of her worst times as an elite swimmer).
International swimmers will not be allowed to compete in the same finals as British swimmers, which will maintain the sanctity of the event as an official “trial”.
What? Did Britta Steffen really used that excuse?? I am appalled!