Solid Olympic Trials for our "poster boy," Michael Andrew

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  • #3050
    Gary P
    Participant

    10 swims, 6 personal bests, qualified for 4 out of 5 semifinals, 2 out of 5 finals. Really only one half-clunker of a swim, the 100 free prelim. Apparently he’s been most focused on his breaststroke training and it really showed; he set 5 consecutive NAG records in 10 days, and finished 4th in the final, just 57/100ths short of making the team. That effort improved his world ranking in the event to 17th. Not bad for a kid who just recently turned 17! Of course since he’s not as good as Michael Phelps was at 17, it gives those invested in traditional training an excuse to continue to say USRPT is a waste of time. Because there were a lot of traditionally trained 17-year-olds who made the men’s team this year right? Well, maybe not, but that won’t stop the naysayers from saying nay.

    I personally think Michael Andrew’s best short term opportunity is in the 200 IM. The three breaststroke gurus ahead of him are all in their early 20’s, and will presumably still be competing for at least the next 4 years. Maybe MA can pass two of them in the next year, maybe not. At this point, one would assume the gains get harder and harder for him to come by in the 100 breast.

    Phelps and Lochte are almost certain to retire after Rio, leaving the door wide in the 200 IM for the 2017 World Championships. And I think MA is quite a bit farther below his ceiling in this event than the 100 breast. He’s really just a solid closing 50 away from being the next best American in the event right now. I’d like to see him train for, and compete in, the 400/500 free for the next 6-9 months. I really think the longer sets that go with training for that race would help him on the close of the 200 IM.

    #3051
    ljomccullough
    Participant

    Could not agree more! Honestly, even if this 17 year old does nothing more, he has certainly out performed a signifigant amount of swimmers who used traditional training during their careers. And what I thought most interesting was the back half of the 100 breast. I always hold my breath he doesn’t fade. Not only did he not fade, but he was reeling Cordes in a bit.
    USA Swimming does a great job of marginalizing his performances but he has accomplished some great things in his short 17 year span. And you failed to mention the National Jr records and now WORLD Jr. Record he set at OT. So, yeah, if this training can produce even 1/1000 of those results for my high school swimmers, I’ll rish it! Because, honestly, it’s fun and it takes a great deal of intensity that is quite good in life skills department! I do miss creating workouts though.

    #3053
    Gary P
    Participant

    And you failed to mention the National Jr records and now WORLD Jr. Record he set at OT.

    To be honest, the World Jr Records are a bit meaningless. No swims prior to 2013 considered. Swims that are “Sr World Records” don’t count. Many swims awaiting “ratification” for an extended period of time. Andrew’s “Jr World Record” 200 IM time is 3.5 seconds slower than Phelp’s 17-18 National Age Group record in the same event.

    I did mention that Andrew set 5 consecutive National Age Group records.

    #3056
    Marlin
    Participant

    I thought he did really well at trials also. I thought his 200 IM was incredible because he said in an interview that he didn’t do any 200 IM training leading up to trials. They put most of the focus on 100 breast which was smart because that was his best chance. It’s incredible that he did so well in the 200 IM without training for it.

    As for training for longer events, you may get your wish. MA swam the 400IM long course in a meet yesterday. A lot of people are calling for him to start to narrow it down, but I think he should keep swimming a lot of events and keep his options open. Then when world champs trials, Olympic trials are a few months away, put all the focus on the best 2 or 3 events. I think this is kind of what they did with this years trials, and I think it’s a good plan.

    I’d like to see him start doing the 200 free on a regular basis to help his IM. And I think he should revamp his stroke technique. His 50 is good but the 100 and up it is clearly his worst technical stroke. I don’t think it’s a matter of getting sloppy at the end of the race either. His technique is exactly what he practices. I had his freestyle technique video. Also, if he brings his dolphin kicks up to the level of the top flyers and backstrokers, he is going to be an absolute freak.

    #3057
    kevin
    Participant

    Which times did he post this weekend? He did the 4IM, but also 2Free and 2Breast I think?

    #3058
    Marlin
    Participant

    400 IM 4:38.61- 27.11 31.43 36.76 36.10 39.36 38.96 34.80 34.09

    200 fly 2:06.91- 26.83 30.73 33.71 35.64

    200 breast 2:21.77- 31.75 35.93 36.86 37.23

    200 back 2:06.81- 29.55 31.41 32.97 32.88

    #3059
    kevin
    Participant

    clearly not on par with his 100’s or 200im. I wonder if he is going to focus more on these distances without the pressure of trials, will be interesting to see.

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