Looking Back on 2011: Renaissance of Swimming

2011 witnessed what I like to call the renaissance of technical swimming. Some may argue that this rebirth started a year ago in 2010--when the high-tech full bodysuits were officially banned from competitions. However, to use the metaphor of the phoenix, 2010 was the death of the fully grown bird and its rebirth as an infant. 2011, on the other hand, was the phoenix's first flight; it's baby steps to reclaim its former glory. With all that has transpired last year, no other metaphor could be so apt. That said, here is my top five epic and memorable swimming moments of 2011. 

5. Brendan Hansen wins the 100 and 200 breaststroke in the US Nationals
When Brendan Hansen announced his comeback to swimming, he did not receive that same fan-craze or media-frenzy that Ian Thorpe got when he announced his. However, being a highly decorated swimmer and former World and Olympic Record Holder, USA swimming was more than pleased with the idea that one of the most dominant breaststrokers who ever lived will be attempting to gain more Olympic glory. Especially when USA's breaststrokers have not quite been able to pick up the slack Hansen left when he quietly retired back in 2008.

Some have doubted his endeavor as impossible borderline hopeless but after USA's Nationals, Hansen showed the world that his current swimming prowess matches his mental focus in possibly making the US National team. With impressive wins in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke and with times near his best, the last surviving member of the original Texas Trio stable is still a force to be reckoned with.

"Hello, boys! I'm back!" 

Brendan Hansen Wins the 100 meter Breaststroke

"And I'm here to stay! London 2012, baby!"

Brendan Hansen Wins the 200 meter Breaststroke 

4. The Australian 4x100 meter freestyle relay gold medal performance
The 4x100 meter freestyle relay is regarded as one of the glamor events in swimming. There is little room for error so much so that a moment's hesitation could mean the podium for a team fast enough to make it to the final heat. While the winners are somewhat predetermined because of the very nature of the sport, miracles and surprise finishes tend to happen. Amazingly, miracle and surprise finishes have been a stipend in the 4x100 free these past three years. That said, it is easy to expect that the Shanghai World Championships would have one coming. The only question is which team would deliver it. Personally, I never expected the Australians to do it.

Coming in the event, all eyes were of course on the Americans. Boasting a team composed of three of the four world record holders (Michael Phelps, Garret Webber-Gale and Jason Lezak) as well as the gold medalist in the 100 free in the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships (Nathan Adrian), the Americans had it won on paper. However, the Australians proved to be the ones fast enough to dethrone the defending champions. Led by the blistering 47.49 split of youngster James Magnussen (that was actually the fastest 100 free in a textile suit, by the way!) as well as the strong anchor leg of veteran swimmer and former 100 free record holder Eamon Sullivan, the Aussies blew away the competition and swam atop the podium. What is more exceptional is that Matt Targett, Matt Abood and Eamon Sullivan all  swam 48 seconds mid to low to aptly complement the exceptional 47.49 of Magnusson.

And the Americans? They settled for third after a neck and neck race with arch-rival France. The French got their revenge for always finishing second to the Americans, I guess.

"Eat Our Wakes, Mates!"

Team Australia Dominates and Decimates!

3. Aussie youngster James Magnussen blitzes to the 100 freestyle gold 
After his superb starting leg in the 4x100 meter freestyle, the pressure was on for James, "The Missile" Magnussen. With a field that is packed with veteran freestylers the likes of record holder and defending champion Brazilian Cesar Cielo, Canadian Brent Hayden and Frenchmen Alain Bernard and Fabian Gilot as well as American sprint-sensation Nathan Adrian, Magnussen had his work cut out for him. A relative unknown in the international scene, Magnussen was the only swimmer under 48 seconds after the semi-finals, earning him the top seed. If the rookie felt the pressure, he surely did not show it; while he did not leave the field behind off the blocks, he methodically caught up with the leaders in the closing lap to become the first Australian 100 meters freestyle world champion.

I cannot wait to see how Magnussen will fare in the London this August. I am going out on a limb and say that there is a high probability that the 100 meter freestyle event in London will be Ground Zero caused by the Aussie Missile.

"The Missile has superseded the The Thorpedo!"

James Magnussen Wins the 100 meter freestyle, the first Aussie to do so

2. Ryan Lochte sets the first post-high-tech body suit long course world record...defeats Michael Phelps twice!
After Ryan Lochte shocked the world by getting near his 200 IM world record in 2010 during the Pan Pacific Championships, experts agreed that it was only a matter of time until Lochte becomes the first man to set a world record post-high tech body suit era. Almost a year later, at the World Championships in Shanghai, Lochte did not disappoint. Even with a motivated and semi-Olympic fit Michael Phelps racing against him, Lochte out-dueled the Greatest Swimmer of All Time in one of Phelps' signature events in world record fashion. As if to prove a point, Lochte again out-swam Phelps in the 200 meter freestyle.

What is amazing about Lochte's feats of beating Phelps is that he used Phelps' strengths to dethrone him in the world's stage! In the 200 IM, what spelled Phelps' demise was Lochte's powerful breaststroke leg. Historically, the backstroker Lochte always caught up with the butterflier Phelps in the second lap (the backstroke) and would begin to fade come breaststroke. This time around, Lochte distanced himself considerably from Phelps in the breaststroke, giving him enough of a cushion in the freestyle to challenge and defeat the world record line. In the 200 freestyle, Lochte employed a much more powerful underwater dolphin kick at all three turns, preventing Phelps from chasing him down in the final lap.

With London merely eight months away, I cannot wait for the Phelps-Lochte duel Part III. As Phelps continues to train harder with rejuvenated motivation and focus, Lochte will surely have a lot on his plate come the London Games. After all, their rivalry is as great as their friendship.

"Jeah! Got you, Michael!"

Ryan Lochte defeats Michael Phelps and breaks his 200 IM World Record

"Reezy out-swims The Baltimore Bullet"

Ryan Lochte wins the 200 meters freestyle...defeats Michael Phelps again! 

1. Sun Yang breaks Grant Hackett's ten year old record in the 1500 freestyle!
The greatest swimming moment in the international stage would be fall of Australian swimming legend Grant Hackett's world record in the 1500 meter freestyle. Set in 2001 at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Hackett's record in the longest and most grueling event in swimming was the only record left unscathed even after the advent of high-tech swimming suits. Dubbed by Olympic Champions Ous Melluoli as an "epic" record, Hackett's 14:34 seemed unbeatable. That is until Chinese swimmer Sun Yang came to the picture.

After flirting with the record in 2010, everyone in the swimming world, including Hackett himself knew that the epic 1500 freestyle record would soon tumble. In front of a home crowd, Sun Yang shifted to a higher gear during the last 25 meters of the race to dramatically and emphatically break the ten-year old record of the Australian swimming legend.

Judging by how strong Sun Yang finished the final lap, there is no doubt in my mind that he could have gone 14:33 high had he shifted to overdrive earlier. Judging by how he was "straddling" the world record line in the final 8 meters, I am sure that he could have not only broken but smashed the mile record. However, even if he broke it by 1 second or 1 hundredth of a second, the fact that he broke the longest active world record which survived the high-tech bodysuit era is legendary enough.

"The Hometown Hero bags the Gold in the Mile!"

Sun Yang wins the 1500 Free and cements his place in swimming history

2011 was truly a memorable year in the international swimming scene. I expect 2012--the London Olympic Games being the most important meet of the year--to be more memorable filled with epic swims, dramatic chase downs, surprising finishes and tumbling world records. 

Happy New Year and Take Your Mark!

The Comeback Season

It seems that with the London 2012 Olympics drawing nearer and nearer, a lot of international swimming legends are mounting a comeback. Perhaps this is due to the banning of the supersuits which gained notoriety after the 2009 Swimming World Championships dubbed "The Plastic Wars"; swimming with the regulation textile jammers (knee-length suits), times are slower but the sport is back to its purest form. Therefore, the playing field has been leveled completely, making swimming inviting once more to former Olympic swimmers. I am sure that aside from the swimmers I will be mentioning, there are many other swimmers who are planning a comeback. But these swimmers are the ones rocking the swimming headlines and are the ones who I am personally looking forward to see.

1. Ian Thorpe - No other former international swimmer has made headlines when announcing his comeback other than Ian Thorpe. Retiring in 2006 citing his waning motivation for the sport, the Australian was arguably the best middle-distance swimmer in the modern era. To point a fact, he was the best swimmer in the world before Michael Phelps came along. From 1999-2004, no one could dethrone him in his pet event, the 400 meters freestyle. Few could forget his forays into long-distance swimming and his duels with compatriot and record holder Grant Hackett in the 800 meters freestyle during the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Seemingly inexperienced in the race, Thorpe bid his time during the first 700 meters then shifted to a higher gear in the last 100 meters, leaving the veteran long distance swimmer in his wake. His only specialty event wherein his competitors, specifically Peiter Van Dan Hoogenband and a young Michael Phelps, ever got close to him or in the case of Van Dan Hoogenband, actually beat him, was the 200 meters freestyle. Other than that, no swimmer could keep up with his closing laps once his employs to full effect his powerful 6 beat kicks.

With the bodysuit ban in effect, it will be a shame that we will not get to see Thorpe clad in his signature black full bodysuit. It is also more shameful that we won't get to see him swim the 400 freestyle since his focus is the 200 freestyle and a spot in the 4x100 meters freestyle relay. The thought, however, of witnessing a sequel to the Thorpe-Phelps showdown is entertaining especially when the likes of Ryan Locthe, Paul Biedermann, Peter Vanderkay and Park Taeh-Wan are among the fastest 200 meter freestylers today.

Click here to watch The Thorpedo's first international swimming competition in six years. He competed in the 100 IM during the Singapore grand prix.

Click here to watch Ian Thorpe's final world record swim in the 400 meters freestyle with a time of 3:40.08 during the 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, England. (It is a shame that this record had to go during the 2009 World Championships when Paul Biedermann broke it by 0.01 seconds wearing the infamous Arena X-glide full bodysuit).

2. Geoff Huegill - Swimmers these days do not know who Geoff "Skippy" Huegill is. During his prime, Huegill was one of the most dominant butterfliers in both the world and in Australia. He and compatriot Michael Klim have had a lot of duels in 100 meters butterfly in national and international meets. While Klim has won more swims during their duels, Huegill always gave him a run for his money especially during the first 50 meters. Unlike the 100, the 50 meters butterfly is Huegill's bread and butter. During his prime, he owned the event and even held the world record for a time.

Most do not know that Huegill began his comeback in 2009, during the era of the supersuits. While his motivations back then were simply to get back in shape after gaining over 40 kilograms after his last Olympic stint in 2004, Huegill has been improving leaps and bounds. Testament to his improvement was his gold medal performance in the 100 butterfly during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. What is more impressive is that his gold medal was the first gold medal of Australia during the games, winning it by breaking his personal best time of 52 seconds from the 2000 Sydney Olympics with a 51.69. (Click here to watch the video)

With a stellar performance in 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as having qualified for the 100 butterfly finals during the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, expect Huegill to be gracing the final of his signature event in the 2012 London Games. The gold medal maybe out of reach for Skippy since Michael Phelps has been the dominant swimmer in the 100 butterfly since 2007. However, it is possible for him to win the silver or bronze medals; Phelps aside, the field is quite close with the likes of Tyler Clary, Jason Dunford and compatriot Andrew Lauterstien in the mix. Let's not forget Serbian Milorad Cavic who, after finishing second to Phelps by the closest of margins in 2008 and 2009, is gunning for a rematch with the Baltimore Bulltet. But it would be a perfect ending if this comebacking veteran gets a podium finish in the 2012 London Games.

3. Brendan Hansen - Known for his outspoken demeanor on top of his powerful breaststroke, Brendan Hansen is back with a vengeance. One of the original members of the Texas Trio--an epically fast swimming stable of the Texas Longhorns Swim Team comprised of butterflier Ian Crocker, backstroker Aaron Piersol as well as Hansen, all former world records in their specialty events--Hansen's comeback has not received the proper amount of international attention as opposed to Thorpe and Huegill. Regardless, Hansen will perhaps bring about the renaissance of American breaststroke dominance (or so the experts predict it).

History has proven that the Olympics is a venue wherein Hansen has had his difficulties. During the US Olympic Trials in 2004, he convincingly gained a spot in the national team by setting world records in both the 100 and 200 meters breaststroke. With the expectations of an entire nation behind him, Hansen was nowhere near his world record times during the Olympics itself. He finished second in the 100 meters breaststroke behind Japan's Kosuke Kitajima and swimming to third in the 200. While earning a medal as part of the 4x100 medley relay team, Hansen placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

However, much like his Texas Trio partner Ian Crocker, the Swimming World Championships is where he has been dominating in the breaststroke. During the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Hansen produced a double gold performance in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. He was also a member of the gold medal 4x100 meters medley relay team alongside Texas Trio teammates Crocker and Piersol as well as veteran freestyler Jason Lezak. During the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Hansen again won the 100 meters breaststroke as well finishing second in the 50.

Emphasizing that he is back for good, Hansen won the 100 and 200 meters breaststroke during the US National Championships. Though his times may not be near his personal bests (which are former world records), it is evident that he is on the right track and will no doubt be someone to be reckoned with come the US Olympic Trials and, if he plays his cards right, the London Olympics itself.

Click here to watch Brendan Hansen's world record swim in the 100 breast during the 2006 US National Championships.

Click here to watch Hansen's comeback victory in the 100 breast during the 2011 US National Championships.

4. Michael Klim - If ever there is a swimmer who embodied a versatile sprinter before and during the first years of the millennium, Michael Klim would be it. With his trademark skin head, "Klimy" was nearly unmatched in the 100 butterfly and was always among the top medal contenders in the 100 and 200 meter freestyle. Klim was the first man under 52 seconds in the 100 butterfly by setting the then world record of 51.81 in 1999. It stood for nearly four years before Andri Serdinov, Michael Phelps and finally Ian Crocker lowered it to 51.76, 51.46 and 50.98 respectively during the 1st heat of the semi-final, 2nd heat of the semi-final and final heat of the 100 butterfly during the 2003 World Championships.

In the 100 freestyle, Klim stood out among the competition by incorporating his signature underwater dolphins from the dive and off the turn in an effort to gain an advantage over his opponents. On top of his underwater technique, Klim employed a unique strategy when approaching the wall during the 100 free. In contrast to the traditional style of maintaining his six-beat kick all throughout the race, Klim would utilize body dolphins 15 meters away from the wall to facilitate a stronger finish. The technique looks awfully ridiculous but speaking from experience, the move is truly a handy technique since the body dolphins utilizes a different and less tired muscle group than the that of the flutter kicks.

Much like Brendan Hansen, Michael Klim has not enjoyed much success in the Olympics with respect to his individual events. In 2000 Sydney Olympics, many were expecting Klim to bring home gold in both the 100 freestyle and butterfly. Coming into the Olympics, Klim was the current world record holder in the 100 butterfly with a 51.81. Though qualifying second for the final heat and leading almost the entire race, Klim was upstaged by Lars Frolander who, almost out of nowhere, overtook Klim in the last 5 meters and out-touched the Australian. In the 100 freestyle, Klim finished 6th even after breaking the then world record during his relay leg. In the 2004 Olympics, Klim was part of the Australian 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays helping his team place 6th and 2nd respectively.

In contrast to Hansen however, Klim has an Olympic moment which will forever be remembered in the history of swimming. Before 2000, no other country has won the 4x100 meters freestyle other than the USA. As such, the American team consisting of Anthony Ervin, Neil Walker, Jason Lezak and Gary Hall, Jr. were extremely confident coming into the event with Hall going as far as claiming that they will smash the Australians "like guitars". Needless to say, the team of Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus and Ian Thorpe upset the Americans through the record breaking swim of Klim in his opening 100 as well as an extremely epic chase down by the anchoring Ian Thorpe (click here to watch the race). With the gold medal and relay world record to boot, Klim led his teammates in playing air guitar in reference to Hall's pre-race jabs.

To be honest, I would not be so bold as to predict whether or not Michael Klim would qualify for the Australian Team for the 2012 Games. If he does, then I would get to see one of my swimming heroes in action once more. If he doesn't, well, at least he did something about his desire to accomplish all the things he left unfinished in the pool. But then again, I would like to see the old "Shave Down the Pool, Klimy" signs adorning the stands once more.

Take Your Mark!