Swimming Blogs - Jeff Grace

We are in the process of deciding how this little contest will be scored, whatever we decide it is close after the first two days. I can’t say enough about what we have seen at the games so far, it is amazing and just when you don’t think anything can top an event all of a sudden some one finds a way to do something amazing!

Olympic Games – Day 7 – Swimming

Women’s 200 Backstroke

1. Kirsty Coventry

2. Margret Hoelzer

3. Elizabeth Beisel

Coventry has surprised me in the last two days. With amazing swims so far in the 400 IM and the 100 backstroke there is no way I am going to put her in any other position then the gold. Margret Hoelzer is the world record holder and I believe that she has been waiting for this head to head match-up with Coventry and will be tough to beat.

Beisel has been this year’s up start story. Going into the games she is ranked fourth behind Hoelzer, Coventry and Manaduou, the next woman behind Beisel is almost a full second slower. Now that I am off the Manaduou band wagon after she completely gave up – absolutely horrible to see an athlete do that – Beisel will take the bronze.

Men’s 100 Butterfly

1. Michael Phelps

2. Ian Crocker

3. Frederick Bousquet

Don’t have to give rationale for Phelps, the thing with him is 49 point what? I am going with Ian Crocker for the silver in the last year he has posted four of the top ten times and the only man faster has been Phelps. I have total confidence that Crocker will show up when it counts.

Coming in for the bronze will Bousquet, he has shown that he is ready to go after watching him in those relays.

Women’s 800 Free

1. Katie Hoff

2. Rebecca Adlington

3. Coralie Balmy

Wow, that is the best way I can state how this race is shaping up. The two top women in the 400 freestyle who only finished seven one hundredths of a second apart are also the two top performers in the 800 free going into the Olympics. After watching Adlington come back on Hoff, which I never thought possible, I am still going to go with Hoff in this race. She has been disappointed one too many times this week and will be able to win this event, although it is going to be an epic battle.

I think that there will be two other women that are going to be in this race right to the touch and that will be Coralie Balmy from France and Camelia Potec from Romania. I am giving Balmy the edge on the strength of her second 200 (2:02.36) in the 400 compared to Potec (2:03.32).

Just as in the 400 it will come down to who will be the strongest in the second half.

Men’s 50 Freestyle

1. Alain Bernard
2. Eamon Sullivan
3. Garrett Weber-Gale

Simply when you can go 21.27 to the feet in a relay I am not going to bet against you. I think that after losing that relay he will have a chip on his shoulder and will be out to prove to everyone that he is the real deal.

Eamon Sullivan is the world record holder and it was hard for me to put him in the silver position, he will be tough, but as I said I can’t bet against someone who can go 21.27 to the feet. Garrett Weber-Gale will come away with the bronze he went out 21.89 in his first 50 in the relay last night and simply after seeing his reaction after that relay I think that energy will carry him through the rest of the competition to do some pretty great things.