First Night of Finals was full of Fireworks

What a great way to start the 2016 Olympic trials with the crowd singing the National Anthem, because the microphone went out on the singer. Even I knew the lyrics. 

Well fireworks were set off and the place rocked. First race Men's 400 IM. It came down to the last 50 and Dynamo's/UGA Jay Litherland,  out touched Ryan Lochte to punch his ticket to RIO. Jay split a 28.5 to Ryan's 30.3. Chase Kalisz won, who also swam for UGA a year ago.

Women's 100 Fly is really a two swimmer race, as both Dana Vollmer and Kelsi Worrell look to go one two at finals, based on their semi final performances. 

The men's 400 Fr was an awesome tactical race. The first 200, the boys from Texas went after it pretty solid, but the guy from Michigan, Connor Jaeger out split everyone on the last 100 to be first in an excellent 3:43.7. The other Conor with one "n" was second. I believe Connor two "n's" will not only win the 1500, but will break the American Record later in the week. He looks that good.

The women's 400 IM was a solid race between the two favorites and it turned out like I predicted, with Maya and Beisel getting 1-2. I talked to Coach Chuck, Elizabeth's coach, after the race and apparently she has been sick and they are just glade she gets a chance to swim FASTER at the games.

Finally the Men's 100 BR and our first American Record from Kevin Cordes, 58.94.

Day two RAYS Swims

Alec swam the 200 Fr today and just couldn't get going. I really feel for him, as this was his last swim ever. Although I think he might come back one more time. Hey Phelps did.
Well Melissa keeps getting better and better every race she does. She dropped another second in the 100 Bk this morning, going a 1:02. Northwestern has done and outstanding job with her. Its great to see her smile after each race. I believe she could give a great talk on the "process" of getting better throughout your swimming career. In 2012 when I bought Melissa here, she was scared and not prepared. 4 years later, night & day. So proud of this young lady.

Finals night two predictions

Women's Final 100 Fly - Dana Vollmer & Kelsi Worrell

Men's semi finals 200 Fr - Local favorite to make Top 8 - Gunner Bentz Dynamo/UGA

Women's semi finals 100 BR - Local favorite to make Top 8 - Melanie Margalis UGA

Men's Final 100 BR - Cody Miller & Kevin Cordes (surprise upset could be Josh Prenot)

Women's Final 400 Fr - SURPRISE - Katie Ledecky & Leah Smith (possible World Record)

Men's semi finals 100 Bk - Local favorite Michael Taylor Dynamo

Women's semi finals 100 Bk - Missy Franklin will be not be in the top 3 "tonight" and Natalie Coughlin not in top 8

First Morning of 2016 Trials

Our first day started good and went to FANTASTIC!

We had two swims this morning Alec Cohen in the 400 Fr started the first 200 to slooooo (2:00.), but rocked the second 200 in under 2 mins. Alec finished 4th in his heat out of 10, but did not execute the way he planned. He will bounce back tomorrow in his 200, if I know Alec.

Now Melissa Postoll in her 400 IM, smoked her heat and dropped 4 seconds to go under 4:50 in the event. You can tell by her smile how she felt. Congrats Melissa, great job. #RAYSNation.

The heats this morning were very competitive, especially in the Men's 100 BR, with 4-5 swimmers under the 1min. The women's 100 Fly looks like a two swimmer race, with Kelsi Worrell of Louisville, KY and the reigning Olympic Champion and American Record holder Dana Volmer, who is a 28 year old mother.

Tonight we will decide 6 swimmers that will make the Olympic team and be forever known as an Olympian. My predictions are: Men's 400 IM Chase Kalisz & Ryan Lochte, but I'm pulling for Georgia's Jay Litherland & Gunner Bentz.  Men's 400 Fr Zane Grothe & Connor Jaeger. Women's 400 IM Elizabeth Beisel & Maya  Dirado, but I'm pulling for Sarah Henry.

Anticipation for Trials 2016

Today I entered our 5 athletes into the Olympic Trials. It always gives me a sense of pride at what our swim team can do. It's one of the pinnacles a swimmer can reach and one that has a tremendous process to follow.

Less than 1% of all registered USA Swimming Athletes ever make it to this spectacle. The meet takes place every 4 years and we are one of the top 25 teams that continually get athletes to that pinnacle.

During the week of the competition, I'll write my experiences. I'll also try and FB live some video. I hope I can excite our athletes to get to this meet in 2020.

Ian

Farewell Mother Russia

Well this is my last post from the Russian experience.
Overall, it was absolutely one of the best experiences I have had as a coach. With being around coaches from all different backgrounds, you can see subtle differences about their styles.

As for the meet, watching Miss Ledecky was, as I told Nuna, was watching history being made. That young lady has such poise when she is on deck, but so voracious in a race, To see her in the semi finals of the 200 Fr, last at the 150, just 15 mins since she won the 1500m in World Record time, just pure GRIT to make it to the finals. Unbelievable. Oh she then went on to win the 200 Fr finals the next night.

Ledecky 1500m Final (last 100)

Russian Crowd Getting pumped up at finals

Ledecky 800m Final (last 100)

Two More World Records

Day 3 and two more World Records fall. USA Swimming looks great as more records tumbled tonight. This meet may very well be the fastest meet ever in the World. Swimmers who are getting 3rd would final at the Games in 4 weeks.

The night started with the women's 200 Fr semi finals. It took under 2mins to make 16th spot. To put that into perspective; four years ago at the 2004 Trials, 6th place (which makes the team) was a 2:00.0. Now have us coaches got that much better in 4 years? Or is it due to the new technology of the race suits? That should be debated sometime. As a coach I think its the coaching :)

The next race saw Mr Phelps pull away from the field and winning the 200 Fr in a US Open record (fastest time ever on American soil). While I sat there tonight, I realized we could have an 800 Fr Relay team at the games, that goes under 7mins! That will show the Aussie's.

Then the excitement really got going in the Women's 100 Bk. Yesterday am in the prelims, Hayley McGregory set the World Record, only to have Natalie Coughlin break it in the very next heat, in the very same lane. Tonight Hayley did not make the team, she was 3rd. What a heart breaker. It just shows you can never count on anything, you have to be consistent at what you do. Coughlin won in a new World Record and was the first lady under 59 sec.

More excitement and drama happened in the very next race as Aaron Peirsol broke his World record in the 100 Bk. Now heres something interesting, Ryan Lochte pulled out of the final of the 200 Fr, so he could concentrate on the 100 Bk. He had the 3rd fastest time in the Fr. Well he got 3rd in the Bk, didn't make the team. However, the rumor on the deck is that he will still make the 800 Fr Relay, because the 3rd place time in finals, did not beat his semi finals time. What would the 6th place swimmer (who should be on the team) think of that one?

More drama unfolded in the Women's 100 BR. In the final the top qualifier was 4th; the 6th place qualifier won and poor Tara Kirk was third - by 1 100th of a second. Ouch! But she came out of the pool smiling, that's a champion to me.

Well the Girls or Bryan did not swim today, so we practiced twice. I know I'm a wicked coach.

By the way Bean took the picture of the pool. It is what it looks like just before they walk out the finalists. Tomorrow the Girls will be writing for the Blog.

Nuna 200 Breaststroke

Nuna off to ready room for her 200 Breaststroke at World Championships, Kazan 2015

Well we did it, our World Championship swimming and coaching experience is over. We had a really good 200 BR finishing 49th in a 3:07. Just off her best this year of 3:04. I told her it was the jet lag, not the coaching. Over the past week I have seen our athlete grow to handling pressure and on a pretty big stage. She represented herself, family, country and us RAYS with a lot of class, I am very proud to have had this experience with Nuna and looking forward to some more.

Thinking & Racing Don't Work Well Together

Well today was an off day for Nuna, so we went to a water polo game, visited the FINA water world and then we workout. Tonight we watched finals sitting with the Swedish contingent. Very nice people, as we all know from Coach Michael. Funny no one new him? He must be over 50.

But the highlight of the day was our own (USA) Miss Katie Ledecky. At the World Championships you have heats of the mile, followed by finals the next evening. This morning, Katie who was seeded 20+ seconds ahead of 2nd place swimmer, swam a World Record time, "without thinking about it". That was her coaches quote. He said, it's like a golfer, when having a great round, they get in the zone, everything feels easier and you play lights out. That's what she did. Katie could have gone 40 seconds slower and still made the finals.

What can swimmers learn from that? Well, when you swim relaxed and get into a good fast rhythm, that's when you swim your best. You trust the process that got you to thre. NO DOUBTS.

Wow, if only I could Coach that, I would be .......