FINA

I haven't been watching much telly recently but it seems we dont' have much coverage of the swimming over here this time.  Which is unusual normally the worlds are broadcast.

I did see Grant Hackett's  400m race though!  It was a great to watch that but disappointing he didn't get the contest he was expected to have with Phelps though.

I caught a quick glimpse of the aussie girls relay team too.  They looked pretty strong!

Wookie, I'm not sure if I leave near that Canadian boarder you speak of.  Where is he boarding?  :-)

Oh...also, you can watch live results at www.omegatiming.com.

I just watched the replay of Hackett breaking Thorpie's record for the 800m!~~   Go Grant,

I'll be so interesting to see what happens when Thorpie's back in the pool too.

I don't know how much coverage there was given to the 200m womens butterfly final.

But I'm still really shocked that Otylia Jedrzejczak wasn't disqualified. The official must have bene dreaming it was so clear that she only touched with one hand.  (thats the first thing I learnt when I did swim races) At that level its inexcusable (I think anyway)  Jess Schipper was cheated out of gold if you ask me.

Media is like that over here too but instead of Phelps its Thorpie,  Hackett doesn't get anywhere near the attention that Thorpie does.

Yeah, that's good, but how about Ian Crocker's 50.4 100m fly? I'm probably most amazed by Grant Hackett's ability to swim 15 consecutive 58sec. 100 frees.

(I have yet to figure out how the whole quote thing works, so bare with me)

I dont even know where to start on Natalie...the girl is AMAZING.  She could easily be the female equivalent of Phelps, medaling, even winning numerous events.  I have always been under the impression that she focuses on the backstrokes because of her shoulder problems.  I even have to give her credit for my own personal sucess.  I had shoulder reconstruction a few years ago as a result of overtraining, I knew that she has also had shoulder problems for years that have caused her to adjust her training.  One of my coaches and I looked into her training and modified my post surgery training to mimic hers, and let me tell you it made a WORLD of difference...best times of my life less than a year after surgery.  Her underwaters and kick are simply the best in the world... I cant imagine how dominating she would be if there was no 15 meter rule.  She is also a very sweet and humble girl, carries herself with a grace that is perfect for any role model.

I didnt see the 200 fly so I am not really sure what happened.  Was it on a turn or at the finish?  I know that last year they came out with a rule allowing you to drop your shoulder on your turns but you still had to touch with two hands.  So maybe it just seemed she touched with one hand cuz she dropped her shoulder?  Sorry, wish I had seen it so I could add a little more on this one

Crocker....now let me tell you why I LOVE Ian Crocker.  You take one look at the guy and your first thought is, "this guy cant be a world class swimmer."  Hes kinda pudgy, kinda goofy, not really the typical swimmer body... but holy cow, this guy can move.  And when he breaks his world records he doesnt just kinda break them...he SHATTERS them.  I love seeing swimmers at that level dropping time like they are still age groupers.  It makes my heart all warm and fuzzy

And I do feel bad for Hackett...he is arguably the best distance swimmer ever and you rarely hear about him.  I am happy that he did have a chance to shine at this worlds though since Thorpe wasnt there... it is long past his time to get a little glory.  Speaking of, where was Thorpe?  I am sure I could look it up, but Im just too lazy...

Yay!! Thanks for talking swimming with me...it too makes my heart all warm and fuzzy!

If you click on the quote button on the top of the persons response it will open up a reply box for you with their post in it.  (Hope that made sense)

Hackett has always kinda been in the background.  When Kieren Perkins was swimming and now with Thorpie he just kinda seems to miss out.  but I think with what he has achieved recently he will be sharing the limelight a bit more.

Thorpie has taken a break from swimming for a year.  (At least I think it is a year) it'll be interesting to see where he is at when he gets back into racing again. If/when he does.

Nat is a pretty cool chick. When she was in HS, before going to Cal, she was the first person ever to qualify for Nationals in every single event, 50 free through 400IM, short course and long course. Not even Tracy Caulkins did that. I checked the USA Swimming database, and even Phelps hasn't done that (in 50m free and 100m breast).  Unfortunately, as great as her 100 back is, she hasn't been the same since her shoulder injury. She hasn't mentioned it in ages (very classy...I don't think Ive ever heard her give an excuse for a sub-par performance), but I'd bet a dollar that it still gives her trouble.

Yeah, thats me at my final " big" meet... 2004 NCAAs.  I love that picture just because of the logo in the background... makes me feel cool (dumb as that sounds).  I dont know about more competitive than the Olympics, but its a pretty wicked fast meet.  Faster than any national meet I had been to, I think its because the atmostphere is soo completely different.  I had swam at many national meets before but for some reason before my first event at NCAA's it was the closest I have even been to puking before I swim... like shaking so bad it was hard to get on the blocks.   Guess it just goes to show that no matter how experienced you are anyone can still get nervous.  That meet was sooo fast there were 2 or 3 SCM world records broken, that was awesome to watch.  And speaking of Natalie, I also watched her lose her only collegiate race ever at that meet.  The whole place just went silent and everyone looked at each other with a look of "what the hell just happened???"  It was sad, I think everyone really fealt bad for her.  Hey, we all have our off days.

Oh...the glory days...

It wasn't on a turn it was actually the finish of the 200. She lunged for the boards and only touched with one hand.  Both Otylia Jedrzejczak  and Schipper broke the world record.  so Schipper was kinda jipped out of a world record and the gold medal.  Basically because the officials weren't watching properly.  You could clearly see it on the video replays which they don't use.  It was just an unfortunate incident really