Australia, U.S. swimmers face strong rivals at Games

Tuesday 05th August, 11:43 PM JST

BEIJING —

Australia’s swimmers aren’t overly preoccupied with their traditional American rivals. It’s the rest of the world that’s got their attention.

A remarkably strong field of swimmers from countries in Europe and Asia will likely produce a wider distribution of medals and a reduced haul for the sport’s traditional heavyweights, Australia coach Alan Thompson said Tuesday.

“I’m sure this will be the most spread of medals that we’ve ever seen at an Olympic Games,” Thompson said.

Team captain Grant Hackett backed up those remarks, but said Australia’s six world record holders would be competitive.

“Traditionally, a lot of time at world championship level, it’s been between Australia and America, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case this time. We’re going to see a lot of other counties step up,” said Hackett, who will be seeking his third straight 1,500-meter title.

“We’ve got to remember that there are so many other countries. There’s Japan, we’re here in China—they have a strong contingent—and certainly Europe, that are going to eat into that medal tally,” he said.

Australia will be looking to stop the United States from besting its top showing at Athens, where the team won 12 golds and 28 medals overall in 2004. The sport offers 34 golds in all.

Others to watch in Beijing include breaststroke world record holder Kosuke Kitajima of Japan, while France brings a strong men’s team featuring sprinters Amaury Leveaux and Alain Bernard and breaststroker Hugues Duboscq. The French could give Michael Phelps and his American teammates a tough time in the 400 freestyle relay.

Besides the Americans, Aussies and French, the Japanese, Germans, Russians and Italians are medal contenders.

Australia’s women hope to continue dominating the 400 free and 400 medley relays that they won in Athens, while Libby Trickett, who previously competed under her maiden name of Lenton, will be a gold-medal favorite to sweep the sprint races.

Trickett’s teammate, Leisel Jones, who figures to rule the women’s breaststroke events, said the women’s strength grew from a mix of veterans and newcomers, such as 20-year-old Olympic rookie Stephanie Rice.

“I think we had a really, really strong team this year,” Jones said.

Hackett, the 1,500 freestyle world record holder, said he wasn’t phased by the special treatment dished out to Phelps, who slipped out a side door on arrival at Beijing airport while other swimmers had to forge their way through the mob in the concourse.

“We’re focusing on ourselves and what we need to do as a team and make sure that individually we get the performances,” Hackett said. “What any other team may be doing and what treatment they get is not a worry nor a focus for us.”

Eamon Sullivan said he believed his 50 freestyle world record could be under threat at the games, and expected a hard slog from the first race.

“I don’t think my place in the final is cemented at all. There’s a lot of hard work getting through the heats,” said Sullivan, whose two-year relationship with Rice was recently put on hold as they shift their focus to the games.

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

TonyUS at 01:20 PM JST - 6th August

A lot of hype, let's just see what happens.. :) I am a little bias though. I do not want to see China go away with the highest total.. hahah

It seems to me it would just be fulfilling the CCP goal of trying to use the Olympics as a show of superiority as was stated earlier in reports of the mentality of the communist leadership, in line with Nazi Germany.. Why China has such mentality among its leaders?????? They have a long way to go to become a normal country seen from the outside.
ExPrinceska at 01:25 PM JST - 6th August

You ought to be ashamed; and you are also showing your ignorance. Thorpe has been absolutely cleared of all newspaper (one newspaper ) gossip and satisfied all testing and analysis. Do you want to share the penalties which the French newspaper will pay for defamation?

sorry but I read the story in the newspapers about Thorpe. Am I guilty that it was written scandalous things about him?!?!??!
huberts2 at 03:52 PM JST - 6th August

exprinceska Yes of course you are. Your words, "I am disappointed with thorp who used doping and retired to cover the drug scandal." You didn't just pass a tedious blogger's opinion, you stated that as a fact. Obviously someone else in a newspaper office once threw away a line about Thorpe and now you and a few others believe. You have continued the "lie". Your only defence is that apart from you almost everyone else knows he did not use drugs and others are less likely to be influenced by your ignorance - consequently damage to him from your 'factual' statement may be less and your penalty reduced.
ExPrinceska at 08:21 PM JST - 6th August

Huberts, Thanks for the explanation. I think I would like mostly the representatives of coutries not so strong in swimming to win, and also I will cheer for the American and Russian team because I find American and Russian swimmers more charismatic. Also it would be good if Japanes swimmers win some medals. Last Olympic games Kitajima won spectacularly. It will be nice competition.
roomtemperature at 03:29 PM JST - 7th August

"Some other countries will surprise, but, Japan, outside of Kosuke Kitajima and couple others, will disappoint. Anyway, we will see how things play out soon."

And in the meanwhile you keep wishful thinking, don't you Pathat.

YOU complain about others grumbling? OMG, the joke of the day!!
ChimpsAhead at 03:37 PM JST - 7th August

I don`t have any doubt that the US will complete an almost clean sweep of medals in the swimming events. Also from news i have heard, the US team is the only one that is likely to be drug free.
dennis0bauer at 03:41 PM JST - 7th August

There are always strong rivals every 4 years
ChimpsAhead at 03:43 PM JST - 7th August

I still feel US will dominate the womens and mens events.
Storenose at 11:26 PM JST - 7th August

It is too bad we don't have Thorpe with us this time, but the rest of the team is looking very strong.
ExPrinceska at 11:31 PM JST - 7th August

I really wonder what Australia will be able to do without Thorpe. Who is the star of the Australian team now?
JackDorff at 02:20 PM JST - 8th August

Exprinceska - Did you read the article?

Grant Hackett - 1500m freestyle world record holder chasing his 3rd straight 1500m title. Star material perhaps?

Without Thorpe, Australia will probably still get a few medals. Probably not as many as the US, but more than New Zealand.
TheCode at 02:35 PM JST - 8th August

ChimpsAhead:

I don`t have any doubt that the US will complete an almost clean sweep of medals in the swimming events. Also from news i have heard, the US team is the only one that is likely to be drug free.

Actually, U.S. swimmer Jessica Hardy was already caught doping, and thus will miss the Beijing Olympics.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/olympics/view/doping-cheats-caught-before-they-get-to-olympics
ExPrinceska at 03:47 PM JST - 8th August

Thanks JackDorff, I will watch for Grant Hackett. The article says he is the captain of the team, the captain is usually the oldest athlete, not obligatory the one in best shape, that is whay I asked who is the greatest star in the team.
Blue_Tiger at 06:37 PM JST - 5th February

To the JSA: YOU DID IT!!!!! You are to be congratulated! You are victorious over your greatest opponent. Despite the power, strengtm, and tenacity you went up against, you OVERCAME! Despite your own lack of stategy, underhanded tactics, and wimpy handslaps, the likes of which would embarrass Chiyotaikai, you were TRIUMPHANT over your opponent, focusing on irrelevancies and attackign them with "correct" righteous fervor!! You pushed him out of the ring and off of the Dohyo FOREVER! CONGRATULATIONS! You have cleared away the "stain" from Sumo forever, showing once again your STRENGTH, COURAGE, and POWER! These forieng upstarts will now and forever understand that EMBARRASSMENT to the National Sport WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!! You took out Asashoryu; now you must prepare for Hakuho, Kotooshum, Harumafuji, and Baruto, men who will UNDOUBTEDLY bring SHAME on the National Sport! You have once again showed the world your true colors! WELL-DONE!!! King Pyrrhus would be proud!

To Asashoryu: FOR SHAME!!! You have for the last time brought EMBARRASSMENT to the National Sport! How dare you embarrass Sumo by dominating the sport from the very day you were "promoted" to Yokozuna?!? PATHETIC!!!! How dare you bring shame on yourself and on Sumo by cracking into the top 5 all-time Basho wins with 25?!? HORRENDOUS!!! How dare you win so often that you embarrass yourself by getting on-pace to smash most -- if not all -- of Sumo's most cherished records?!? TREACHEROUS!!! How dare you take The National Sport and turn it into something Fun?!? BLAZES!!! Is the sport called "Fun"-mo or SUmo?!? It's not supposed to be FUN, but HARD, BORING, DOLDRUMOUS WORK!!! Pumping your fists after a victory?!? SCANDALOUS!!!!! Laughing while accepting the Emperor's Trophy?!? DISGUSTING!!!!!!! Do you not realize that Sumo isn't just a "sport" to be enjoyed, but a "life" that is meant to be "endured"?!? Yet you made it "fun", insomuch that Fans FLOCKED to the BASHO in RECRD NUMBERS!!!! TRAGEDY! How dare you, Asashoryu, literally run roughshod over every Japanese opponent (we KNOW you FEAR them! Yes, dominate them, but you FEAR them, too!), having overwhelmingly victorious records against all Japanese opponents?!? SACRELIGE!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?!?!? After all, had you merely risen to the rank of Maegashira, Komusubi, Sekiwake, or even Ozeki -- insrtead of racing to the top of the sport in record time -- yet remained obscure and/or mediocre, you would have been accepted. Yet, you had to embarrass yourself not only by becoming the youngest Yokozuna in history at the time of your promotion, but you had to win a record number of Basho! You're only bringing this ebmarrassment uponyourself, and it is WELL-DESERVED!!!!!!
Sarge at 09:49 PM JST - 5th February

This is seriously screwed up. I click on "Mongolian officials blast JSA over Asashoryu's resignation" and end up here on "Australia, U.S. swimmers face strong rivals at Games."

Blue Tiger at 6:37 PM- Good one.

Moderator: Sorry, there is a glitch.