More Olympic Stuff… « Prolix. No extra words unused.

More Olympic Stuff…

Six gold medals with twelve total, and six world records in all six events thus far. Of course, that’s the story with the biggest headliner of these Olympic games. Not that I’m diminishing his achievements, but Phelps is overexposed and I prefer to highlight the achievements of others. Besides, he’ll probably have his biggest challenge tomorrow, when he swims that 100m fly. Michael Cavic, as much as I think he’s being an annoying attention whore, is really giving Phelps a run for his money. I’ve never really seen Phelps swim super fast at the 100 fly. Sure, he held the world record five, six years ago, but he’s never swum better than 50.80-ish, I believe. Without Crocker swimming well, I thought Phelps had this event locked up. Along comes OC native and Cal product Milorad Cavick, swimming a 50.76 for Serbia (not Serbia-Montenegro nor Yugoslavia anymore). I still think Phelps will out touch him in the final, but that will happen only if Phelps swims a near perfect race, takes it out fast, and holds on.

Lost in the shuffle is USC’s Rebecca Soni giving it to Leisel Jones in the 200 breast. Jones is no longer that annoying, petulant little baby who bitched during Barcelona in 2003 and Athens in 2004, but I think she got complacent this year when she thought no one could challenge her speed in the breaststroke events. While keeping up in shape for the 100, she probably didn’t train to endure the 200 as much. I know the 200 hurts a million times more than the 100, and Rebecca Soni really did something special, breaking Jones’ WR in the process.

Today was upset day, as Ryan Lochte dethroned backstroke king Peirsol in the 200 back and then got too tired to challenge Phelps in the 200 IM. This was not surprising at all, though, since Lochte already did this at Melbourne last year. I just thought Peirsol would’ve made it more interesting at the finish, since he is so strong closing a race.

Natalie Coughlin, of whom I’m a big fan of, won her 10th Olympic medal today with a bronze in the 100 free. She matched her personal best (and American Record) with a 53.39, but was disappointed probably because the entire field wasn’t swimming as fast as it could have, and she definitely had a chance to out touch Steffen or Lenton (I prefer her maiden name over Trickett). At least she won the 100 back. Still, I feel bad for Kirsty Coventry, who is swimming so well, but just always has that one person ahead of her. I blame Robert Mugabe and their ten million dollar bill.

The nice thing is that most of the British Commonwealth isn’t doing as badly as Zimbabwe, like Australia for example. I actually like Eamon Sullivan. He’s a pretty boy, and he looks tiny compared to other sprinters (have you seen Alain Bernard? He’s a giant!) but he’s just so efficient in the water and just seems like a good bloke. It’s too bad Sullivan didn’t get the 100 free gold, but he still has a chance in the 50. Plus, if he can stay healthy, he still has a lot of swimming in front of him.