Olympic Preview: US to overshadow Australia at Athens pool

With the raging splashes of world-records produced by the American and Australian swimmers recently, the Athens Olympic Games is destined with more world marks as the United States is likely to overshadow their long-time rival Australia for supremacy in the pool.

Led by 19 year-old talent Michael Phelps, who will try to equal or surpass Mark Spitz's unprecedented seven Olympic gold medals from the 1972 Games in Munich, the US team is expected to dominate in Athens, especially by their men swimmers.

The U.S men are favored to sweep golds in nine of the 13 individual events: 50 freestyle, 100 and 200 backstroke, 100 and 200 breaststroke, 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 and 400 individual medley.

Phelps will swim the 200 freestyle, both 100 and 200 butterfly, 200 and 400 individual medley races, plus at least one relay in the 4x200 freestyle in a bid to emulate Spitz's achievement.

Among the 44-member squad, seven are current world record-holders, including Ian Crocker in 100 butterfly, Brendan Hansen in both 100 and 200 breaststroke, Lenny Krayzlburg in 100 backstroke, Aaron Peirsol in 200 backstroke and Phelps in 200 butterfly, 200 and 400m individual medley for the men, Amanda Beard in 200 breaststroke and Natalie Coughlin 100 backstroke for the women.

However, the titles of the 200, 400 and 1,500 freestyle are likely under the belt of the Australians. Ian Thorpe, who are freestyle specialist and world record holder over 200 and 400 freestyle will swim six events plus three relays in Athens.

Grant Hackett, current 1,500 freestyle world record holder, will also race in 400, 1,500 freestyle and 4x200 freestyle relay.

In the medley relay, with world record-holders Peirsol, Hansen and Crocker in backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly and world leader Lezak on the anchor, the US team is gold contender. The 4x100 freestyle relay will be in chaos with the US, Russia, Australia, South Africa and Italy all looking for gold.

But don't forget other big names. Russia's Czar Alexander Popov, who wrapped up 50 and 100 meters freestyle champion in 1992 and 1996 Olympics but lost both titles at the 2000 Sydney Games, has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance and regained global crowns in each event at last year's world championships in Barcelona. The Russian will pursue his fourth Olympic crusade at the age of 32. Van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands took Popov's Olympic 100

freestyle title in Sydney and achieved a sensational victory over Australian sweetheart Ian Thorpe to win the 200 freestyle as well.The Flying Dutchman will try to defend his titles in Athens.

Japan's world champion Kitajima Kosuke, who lost both breaststroke world records to the American Hansen, will set a showdown with the new rival.

In the women's part, the golds will spread away to many teams as the United States, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Australia, Britain, Finland, Netherlands and China as well.

Led by the 31-year-old Jenny Thompson, who has seven gold medals and nine in all from free previous games, the U.S. women are only favored in the 100 backstroke, medley relay and, perhaps, in the 200 breaststroke, where Amanda Beard lowered the world record set only a week ago by Australia's Leisel Jones on July 13.

Germany's world champion Hannah Stockbauer is to show her resistance in middle-long distance freestyle, Ukraine's Yana Klochkova is posed to dominate both individual medley and Australia's Jones will fight against big-race nerves to prove herself as one of the world best breaststroker. However, China's top star Luo Xuejuan, five-time world champion over sprint breaststroke, will not easily concede a failure to Jones and American Beard though she has no world mark on her hands.

Source: Xinhua