Beijing Olympic Games

US swimmers chomping at the bit

by Martin Parry

SINGAPORE (AFP) - The US swim team are chomping at the bit in the countdown to Beijing after an ideal preparation, with head coach Mark Schubert predicting another titantic battle with fellow superpower Australia.

Always formidable in the Olympic pool, the United States will have a squad of proven performers at Beijing's Water Cube in their bid to maintain their swimming superiority.

With the aid of Speedo's new LZR Racer form-fitting bodysuit, world records are set to fall—and Schubert acknowledges the meet will be one of the fastest ever.

"Over the last two years technology has obviously improved greatly and that technology will help, but the best racers will still win," he said in Singapore, where the team enjoyed what they said was "a dream training camp".

"Yes, it will be faster and maybe it's going to be the toughest. But to me it is still all about racing, and the people who know how to race well and are prepared for it will do the best."

Spearheading the team is Michael Phelps, who won six gold and two bronze in Athens.

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

"This is probably some of the best training I've done in quite some time and, you know, we're all getting so much more excited, and the closer we get we can hardly wait for the Olympics to actually come," said Phelps.

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.

Brendan Hansen, who will go hammer and tong with Japan's Kosuke Kitajima for the 100m breakstroke title, echoed the sentiments of Phelps.

"Most of the team has been chomping at the bit this last week, waiting for the week to go by. We are definitely anxious to get to Beijing and for the Games to get started," he said.

The men's team is stronger than the women's.

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—Natalie Coughlin's 100m backstroke mark and world champion Margaret Hoelzer in the 200m back.

While the depth of swimming worldwide has improved considerably since Athens, Schubert still sees Australia as the USA's great rival.

"We enjoy competing against the Australians. They just seem to be our natural rivals. We have a great deal of respect for them, particularly for creating so may great swimmers from such a small country," he said.

"When we have a chance to race against them, we always relish it."

Despite the relaxed atmosphere at the Singapore camp, the team has had to cope with some setbacks: breaststroke medal contender Jessica Hardy tested positive for a banned substance at the US trials.

Breaststroker Eric Shanteau meanwhile is heading to Beijing battling testicular cancer, while Dara Torres's coach is suffering a potentially deadly blood disorder.