Day 4 Prelims

Hats off to the competitors in the Men's 100 Free this morning as it doesn't seem like anyone held anything back. Jason Lezak broke his own American Record swimming out of Heat 13 only to see it broken by Garrett Weber-Gale in the very next heat. I am sure everyone in the Qwest Center expected the record to be broken yet again in the 15th and final heat but Michael Phelps came up a few tenths short. Weber-Gale and Phelps became the first American men ever under 48.00 in the 100 Free. As I predicted last night, Phelps has scratched this race for tonight. Going 47.9 in prelims virtually assures he will be on the relay in Beijing, unless three other guys go about 47.7 flat start between now and then...but I doubt that will happen. Phelps is scheduled to swim the Final of the 200 Fly tonight just minutes after the semi-final of the 100 Free. If you want to see the Men's 100 Free semi-final you will have to tune in online to nbcolympics.com as it is the first event and not likely to be broadcast on USA. That's a shame because Weber-Gale is swimming really well right now and could challenge the World Record of 47.50 tonight or in the Final tomorrow night.

Keep an eye on Alex Righi in Heat 2, Lane 6 of the 100 Free semi-final. He finished 2nd in the 50 and 100 Free at NCAAs in March representing Yale University. This is further proof that fast swimmers can come from anywhere, not just Auburn or Texas. Its all about finding the right mix of academics, training, and atmosphere for you. I'll be rooting for Alex to make it to the Final Heat.

Fearless Prediction for Tonight: Say goodbye to the Women's 200 IM American Record...I'm just not sure who is going to wind up with it when it is all said and done. Katie Hoff did her lifetime best in the semi-final last night and still looks like she has more time to drop. Natalie Coughlin has yet to put a full effort into the entire IM, saving her energy for other races. Put a gun to my head and I'll pick Coughlin, but can you really bet against Hoff under any circumstances? Don't be surprised if both Women finish under the current American Record (Coughlin's 2:09.77). Also the World Record of 2:08.92, set by Australia's Stephanie Rice in March, is in serious trouble. Going head-to-head these two could very well push each other to around 2:08.7 tonight. Should be a great race.

I'll also be rooting for Davis Tarwater to finish first or second in the 200 Fly. Davis is a real good guy and has been working towards this race tonight for the past four years. I expect Phelps to win the race and for Tarwater and Gill Stovall to duke it out to the wire for the second spot on the team. Stovall and Tarwater won three out of the last four NCAA 200 Fly Titles, with Stovall winning this past year and breaking the 17 year-old meet record. Look for Tarwater to be out fast over the first 100 meters and for Stovall to close quickly on the last 50.

In the Women's 200 Fly semi-final watch for Germantown Academy's Teresa Crippen in Heat 1 Lane 3, Penn State University and Suburban Swim Center's Kelly Nelson in Heat 1 Lane 8, and West Shore YMCA's (Harrisburg, PA) Leah Gingrich in Heat 2, Lane 2.