Podcast: Olympic Trials Review

It was an up and down week in Glasgow as places on the British team for the Rio Olympics were decided (or for some the first steps were taken towards the selector’s committee room). Not that the meet was without drama; Bob, Katie and Steve look back at the meet and consider the selection decisions that will be made this week.

Banner image pullbuoy/simone castrovillari

10 thoughts on “Podcast: Olympic Trials Review”

  1. Very good as usual. I liked Katie’s liking of the Wildcard system in particular, I was beginning to think I was alone on that one.
    Great discussion on Adam Barrett and Dan Wallace, very interesting to see which way it goes.
    Disappointed that Luke Greenbank wasn’t discussed tbh, as he’s someone who tends to swim faster later in the year. Plus the possibility of cobbling together a male 100 free relay.

    1. At 45 minutes it’s already a bumper edition – you can have too much of a good thing Chris! But glad you enjoyed it nonetheless.

      1. I started listening late last night and Mrs Chris wasn’t happy, so you may have a point!

  2. So we have 23 athletes within the 2% time. From that I would take away Camilla Hattersley, but then can add two of Adam Barrett, Dan Wallace and Rachael Kelly by using their Kazan splits. This would then leave you with your 6 wild cards. Those with a claim would probably be:
    Whichever of those three isn’t picked, Kurle, Tancock, Greenbank, James, Pavoni, Simmonds, Vasey, Thomas

    So 9 athletes. Given that these were used for relay cover last time, I’d think:
    Kurle, Tancock, Simmonds have a good chance, with Vasey unlikely. I see Kelly as a better pick than Thomas, so that’s her out.
    That would mean that one would miss out of:
    Wallace, Pavoni, Greenbank, James Barrett

    1. The policy doesn’t allow times from Kazan to be plucked out of the air for convenience except in very limited circumstances. Those circumstances are when the calculated time from the times swum in Glasgow falls outside the 2% required and using one of the Kazan splits brings it below. Adam Barratt and Dan Wallace don’t fit that bill.

      They can only be added to the team as wild cards.

      1. Ah yes I see you are correct. Kelly can still be added in this way though.

        I also note that Vasey could be taken as a 2% swimmer by using SMOC’s freestyle time for the ranking of the medley relay.

  3. Comments on atmosphere seem unjustified. Much more upbeat on the spectators side than London last year.

    1. I can’t comment on Glasgow as I wasn’t there, but I do agree that London last year was pretty flat.

  4. Great listen! Would just add that there was a great atmosphere in the spectator stand in the finals sessions and excellent commentary to keep the crowd entertained in between swims.

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