Beijing Olympic Games

US swimmers set to dominate in Beijing

by Rebecca Bryan

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Always formidable in the Olympic pool, the United States will launch a squad of proven performers at Beijing's Water Cube in their bid to maintain their swimming superiority.

Eight of the nine world records set or matched at the US trials June 29-July 6 were produced by swimmers with previous Olympic experience, including two medley world records for multi-event superstar Michael Phelps.

"We always talk about experience," said US men's head coach Eddie Reese. "More important is good experience and good results."

The US has plenty of that to draw on.

Phelps, who won six gold and two bronze in Athens, is again the figurehead of a US men's team that could conceivably approach the record of 12 gold medals captured by the American men in Montreal in 1976.

Phelps himself will tackle five individual events, in four of which he holds the world record - the 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly and the 200m and 400m individual medleys.

His fifth individual event could well turn out to be a tussle with teammate Ian Crocker in the 100m butterfly, in which Crocker holds the world record but trails in his head-to-head rivalry with Phelps.

Peirsol, who owns the 100m back world record outright and shares the 200m mark with teammate Ryan Lochte, will be back to defend the backstroke double he earned in Athens - with Lochte in pursuit.

Newcomer Garrett Weber-Gale leads the US men's charge in the sprint freestyle, winning both the 100m and 50m at the trials, but he'll face stiff competiton from both French and Australian rivals.

In the medal count stakes - for the US men's team as a whole and for Phelps as he chases Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven golds at one Games - the three relays could be the key.

"Hopefully we can come back in a month and show that the US is the best swimming team in the world," Phelps said as the trials concluded in Omaha, Nebraska.

The picture isn't quite as bright for the American women.

Katie Hoff has posted the fastest times of 2008 in the 200 and 800 freestyles and the 400 medley, in which she set a world record at trials.

She also owns the second-fastest times of the year in the 400m free and 200m medley, but she'll face tough medley competition from Australia's Stephanie Rice.

Only two other women's world records belong to Americans - Coughlin's 100m backstroke mark and world champion Margaret Hoelzer in the 200m back.

American women are definite underdogs when it comes to butterfly and as in Athens could well fail to medal in either the 100m or 200m.

Dara Torres, who made a splash with her trials victories in the 100m and 50m free at the age of 41, nevertheless lags behind Australia's freestyle sprint stars.

"We look forward to the challenge," US national team general manager Mark Schubert said of the women's underdog status. "I think it will give our women's team a rallying cry. It is something to think about and work on in the next five weeks."

But America's women will have to have a superb meet to avoid failing to bag the most medals for the first time since 1988.

"I have no idea what to predict," admitted women's head coach Jack Bauerle. "We have to be prepared for fast swimming on all fronts. If you blink, there's going to be a lot of people in front of you."