The Splash-and-Dash event is finally down to the top eight fastest swimmers in the world. Here's the list:
50 Meter Freestyle Finalists
Cesar Cielo 21.54
Cullen Jones 21.54
Anthony Ervin 21.62
Bruno Fratus 21.63
George Bovell 21.77
Florent Manaudou 21.80
Eamon Sullivan 21.88
Roland Schoeman 21.88
Analysis: As you can see, only 0.30 seconds separates the finalists. Defending Olympic champion Cesar Cielo ties with the much improved Cullen Jones with a 21.54 while the 2000 Olympic 50 freestyle champion Anthony Ervin comes in at 3rd.
The thing which makes the 50 meter freestyle very difficult to analyze and predict is that, by nature, it is anyone's race. Of course your lane assignment matters but even the outer extremities have a chance to win as much as those in the inner lanes. One does not need any special skill or tactic; it needs little technique other than having an explosive start, excellent finish and the ability to resist the urge to "spin one's wheels" by holding one's stroke pattern.
That said, my prediction for this race will be Cielo (21-low), Ervin (21-mid) then Jones (21-mid-high). With how Cielo has been swimming in the heats and semi-final, taking him down will take a lot more than speed and power. Inasmuch as I have always been a fan of Cullen, my money is on Anthony challenging Ceilo since he knows what to it takes to win the gold medal in the 50 free. That and him earning a medal 12 years after his first Olympics makes one hell of a fairytale story.
Perhaps the two dark horses of this race would be George Bovell and Roland Schoeman. Bovell posted an Olympic textile best in the heats, proving that he has speed. Schoeman, on the other hand, has always been one of the greatest sprinters in the world and has always been a fixture in almost every 50 meter freestyle (or butterfly) final of any international competition. The fact that he is in lane 8 makes him all the more scarier since no one will notice him creep up for the finish.
As I said before, it is very difficult to predict the outcome of the 50 free. In tomorrow's final, do not blink lest you miss a spectacular finish.
Take Your Mark!
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