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.