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Olympic Trials Preview: Men's 200 Meter Breaststroke

Jul 2, 2008 – 8:01 AM
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JJ Cooper

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We're previewing all the races that will take place at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials.

Men's 200 Meter Breaststroke

What to watch for: Again, watch for the swimmer who has the look of a master jeweler as he pulls out to breathe. Keep an eye on the length of the athlete's stroke. A good breaststroke reaches out and adjusts during the race, instead of hitting a wall short or long.

What it takes:
Look out again for Brendan Hansen, the current American king of breaststroke. Hansen has been the undisputed American breaststroker since the 2004 Games and in order to get a ticket to Beijing Eric Shanteau, Scott Spann, and Scott Usher are going to have to slug it out for the other spot. There likely won't be more than half a second separating Shanteau, Spann, and Usher. We'll just have to see who is the odd one out.

Unlikely underdogs:
Usher, though seeded fourth, is a real contender for an Olympic spot here. He finished seventh in this event at the 2004 Olympics.

My prediction: Hansen will take one of the two spots and Usher will take the other.
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