French swimmer Amaury Leveaux is the latest swimmer to scratch the men’s 200 free in order to focus on the 400 free relay, marking the third swimmer we’ve seen make a similar decision this year.
Leaveaux placed 2nd in the event at this year’s French Olympic Trials in 1 :46.72, touching just ahead of teammate Gregory Mallet for the 2nd individual slot. That swim ranked Leveaux 11th in the world this year, and would have made him the 9th seed in London.
With this decision, Mallet and his 1:46.77 will overtake that 9th seed alongside countryman Yannick Agnel, who will be a medal favorite.
This highlights the importance that countries around the world are placing on the men’s 400 free relay this year. In addition to Leveaux’s scratch, we’ve seen Michael Phelps and Russia’s Evgeny Lagunov make the same move, reaffirming their desire to help their respective countries place well in the 400 free relay that comes later in the session.
I understand the Lochte fans, but until he turns up a good time, he doesn’t belong on the relay. There’s more to the 100 free than a big aerobic background and a good backhalf.
I was also surprised South Africa wasn’t mentioned. Crazy things happen at the Olympics and even though they were unimpressive at their own trials, SA were right in the mix in Shanghai until the last leg and if Schoeman is back near his 2004 form, all they need is Graeme Moore to replicate his out-of-the-nowhere 48.1 leadoff
What has shifted the focus to the relay is that everyone is lining up for a piece of Magnussen…..but they won’t catch him!
Anyone thought about South Africa? In Shanghai they did start magnificently, second until the last leg. If Roland Schoeman’s right about himself being back to 2004 form that could be dangerous.
This announcement surprised me.
The men 4×100 free is now raising the stakes to an impossibly higher level still!
The final will be amazing, and might even top Beijing!
It will be a great race but to equal the race of the last olympic games is impossible. There was a dual and most important suspense. And the end wasn’t predictable.
What’s important is that if one of the Australians (lets just say Roberts, whose lack of form is probably the most likely weak knot on the relay), we could really see a 4 team scramble for 3 medals, with times separated by less than half a second. That would just be absolutely intense.
No one has even talked about them, despite almost upsetting the US last summer, but Italy is certainly a dark horse and a much more potent and likely team to upset than Brazil. I dont know when Brazil came into the medal picture, but even on paper they have no shot against the Americans, and probably sit in the 6th position behind Italy.
Italy is behind Germany on flat start on paper..
You know, it kind of surprises me that the 4×100 free has picked up so much importance over the last few months.
Last year, we had Agnel, going into Shanghai, saying “I only care about the 400free”, didn’t even swim the event, though his inclusion probably would’ve secured a gold medal. Then, especially with Sun Yang added to the formsheet for London, the 200m free has shaped up to become the race of the meet.
But, really, that didn’t seem to be case in the mind of the swimmers (except Agnel, who has publically said that this was what he believed because Phelps and Lochte swim it), otherwise, why would they drop the event? Even Agnel, dropped his other event… Read more »
There are 3 swimmers who have to be in the final. Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Nathan Adrian. After it’s open. I have little doubts about Cullen Jones. For me he’s by far more a 50 free swimmer and perhaps he will not be able to swim as fast or faster in London. I’m sure he was fully tapered at the trials. And imagine a big surprise with Anthony Ervin if he’s impressive during the training camps! He has been world champion in the 100 free. Ok it was in 2001 but the talent is the talent. If I have well understood every swimmer can be in the relay.
ryan lochte is far from a guarantee,you cant deny that he’s an amazing swimmer, but its obvious that the coaches of all leading countries are taking a no bs, no room of error approach on this relay. With that unless lochte can prove he’s worth at least a 47mid split, it may not be worth to call upon him after the 200. It would be risky and that time might not necessarily get the jobdone, you dont want to rely on other people’s mistakes to win a race.y
It’s just a feeling. For me Ryan Lochte even a liitle tired after his 200 free will be more efficient than Cullen Jones.
For me Ryan Lochte even a little tired after his 200 free will be more efficient than Cullen Jones. You can be sure he will finish well his race.
for the US team only… their back half of them are not “amazing” at international level (if you put guys like Sun yang and Magnussen to compare)
2 options for the american relay.
First, it would be a classic option with Michael Phelps, Jimmy Feigen, Cullen Jones and Nathan Adrian.
Second, it would be a more surprising option with Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen or Cullen Jones or Matt Grevers or Jason Lezak and Nathan Adrian.
For me the second option is the best even with a more tired Ryan Lochte after his 200 free. And good luck to the staff to choice the third swimmer.
And I think behind Australia anything can happen. USA and France will battle for the silver medal.
DRDOV,
Jones DID finish SECOND behind Adrian at the olympics trials!
He WILL BE on the relay final.