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Americans raring to go after lengthy build-up
Source: Agencies |
July 23, 2011, Saturday
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THE head coaches of the United States team were in agreement today that selecting the world championship squad far earlier than their rivals had given them more time to focus on preparations for the Shanghai event.
The powerful American team was selected after the 2010 Pan Pacific championships last August, a decision that perplexed Australia's head coach Leigh Nugent, who believes trials held closer to the major championships are a better form guide.
"We like to have athletes who are currently in form (and) picking people a year out, there's some conjecture about whether you've got the right team," Nugent said yesterday.
"They've done it before and it has worked for them, otherwise they wouldn't have revisited it. It's not something we would do."
The US, however, said they had looked at the times the team were producing in their final training camp in Australia and were confident they had made the correct decision.
"We have been talking about that for about a month and some times when you select close to the meet, you have trouble getting people back up for the meet. So (that is) one of the benefits of selecting this far out," US men's head coach Eddie Reese told reporters at a packed media conference today.
"This team is more ready than any teams we have had at a big event. ...It's going to be a great team."
US women's coach Jack Bauerle said that giving the swimmers such a long time to prepare had probably helped, particularly with the number of veterans in the team.
"It will be an interesting meet for us because this team was picked a year ago. So that will have some interesting dynamics around it," Bauerle added.
"If you're a year out you don't need to worry about qualifying and therefore the veterans, they can really sink their teeth into a year's worth of training and not have it disrupted. That's something that is a plus.
"We're happy with where we are, how we qualified and who is on the team, this is our best team (and)... we're ready to go because we're a little tired of waiting around to be honest with you."
The Americans will once again be led by the incomparable Michael Phelps, who is expected to retire after next year's London Olympics, and he said he was hoping to end two years of frustration in Shanghai.
"It's going to be a pretty challenging week but I think we're in the best place possible to compete given what has happened over the last couple of years," he said.
"I'm in a lot better shape than I was in last year. I don't even think I'm in the same ballpark as last year.
"It was frustrating last year. I actually feel like I have confidence whereas last year I didn't know what to think or expect.(Now) I feel good in the water and I'm ready to compete.
"I'm kind of tired of sitting around in my hotel playing games all day.
"That's all I have been doing for the last couple of days and I'm eager to get into the water."
The powerful American team was selected after the 2010 Pan Pacific championships last August, a decision that perplexed Australia's head coach Leigh Nugent, who believes trials held closer to the major championships are a better form guide.
"We like to have athletes who are currently in form (and) picking people a year out, there's some conjecture about whether you've got the right team," Nugent said yesterday.
"They've done it before and it has worked for them, otherwise they wouldn't have revisited it. It's not something we would do."
The US, however, said they had looked at the times the team were producing in their final training camp in Australia and were confident they had made the correct decision.
"We have been talking about that for about a month and some times when you select close to the meet, you have trouble getting people back up for the meet. So (that is) one of the benefits of selecting this far out," US men's head coach Eddie Reese told reporters at a packed media conference today.
"This team is more ready than any teams we have had at a big event. ...It's going to be a great team."
US women's coach Jack Bauerle said that giving the swimmers such a long time to prepare had probably helped, particularly with the number of veterans in the team.
"It will be an interesting meet for us because this team was picked a year ago. So that will have some interesting dynamics around it," Bauerle added.
"If you're a year out you don't need to worry about qualifying and therefore the veterans, they can really sink their teeth into a year's worth of training and not have it disrupted. That's something that is a plus.
"We're happy with where we are, how we qualified and who is on the team, this is our best team (and)... we're ready to go because we're a little tired of waiting around to be honest with you."
The Americans will once again be led by the incomparable Michael Phelps, who is expected to retire after next year's London Olympics, and he said he was hoping to end two years of frustration in Shanghai.
"It's going to be a pretty challenging week but I think we're in the best place possible to compete given what has happened over the last couple of years," he said.
"I'm in a lot better shape than I was in last year. I don't even think I'm in the same ballpark as last year.
"It was frustrating last year. I actually feel like I have confidence whereas last year I didn't know what to think or expect.(Now) I feel good in the water and I'm ready to compete.
"I'm kind of tired of sitting around in my hotel playing games all day.
"That's all I have been doing for the last couple of days and I'm eager to get into the water."
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