Australian Campbell Sisters – Cate & Bronte – Get Their Sprint Show Under Way

Welcome to the SwimVortex coverage of the 31st Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The team of Craig Lord and John Lohn will report live from the Rio Aquatics Centre, with the keen eye of Patrick B. Kraemer providing photographs. Action gets under way this afternoon with the Day Five preliminary heats – women’s 100 freestyle, men’s 200 backstroke, women’s 200 breaststroke, men’s 200 individual medley and women’s 800 freestyle relay. Continue to visit this file (and hit the refresh button) for running updates from the pool.

Not since the opening night of competition have the Australian Campbell sisters been in action, but Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell get going in the 100 freestyle, where they’ll tangle with Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and reigning champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the Campbells’ teammate, Mitch Larkin, will try to bounce back from a fourth-place finish in the 100 backstroke by taking on the 200 distance. In Larkin’s way will be American Ryan Murphy, who is coming off gold in the 100 back.

The women’s 200 breaststroke is also on the docket and that means the presence of Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, who took silver in the 100 breaststroke and has been embroiled in doping controversy for the past couple of months, and particularly this week. The final individual event of the afternoon will be the men’s 200 individual, where Michael Phelps is chasing a fourth straight gold medal and will duel with longtime rival Ryan Lochte and Japan’s Kosuke Hagino. Rounding out the session will be the women’s 800 freestyle relay.

Day Five Heats … On Your Marks…

United States (7:47.77) Eases Into Lane Four For Final Of 800 Free Relay

Allison Schmitt – By Patrick B. Kraemer

Behind the foursome of Allison Schmitt (1:55.95), Missy Franklin (1:57.03), Melanie Margalis (1:57.04) and Cierra Runge (1:57.75), the United States booked Lane Four for the final in 7:04.77. The Americans will get a big boost at night when Katie Ledecky and Leah Smith are slotted onto the relay, Ledecky coming off gold in the 200 freestyle.

Australia (7:49.24) and China (7:49.58) were the other two countries to eclipse the 7:50 barrier, the Aussies lifted in the final with the addition of Emma McKeon. Russia (7:50.52) and Hungary (7:51.17) also advanced to the final, the Hungarians anchored by Katinka Hosszu (1:55.66), who has already won three individual golds.

Rounding out the field for the final were Canada (7:51.99), Japan (7:52.50) and Sweden (7:53.43), with Sarah Sjostrom on the end. Sjostrom only split 1:57-low, leaving room for a drop.

Latest 200 Medley Duel Shaping Up Between Ryan Lochte (1:57.38) & Michael Phelps (1:58.41)

Michael Phelps – By Patrick B. Kraemer

Since the Athens Games in 2004, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have engaged in some epic battles in the 200 individual medley, Phelps winning three Olympic gold medals and Lochte grabbing the world record and four world titles. The next – and final – chapter in their rivalry is being written in Rio.

A night after teaming to help the United States capture gold in the 800 freestyle relay, Lochte and Phelps qualified first and third into the semifinals of the short medley. Lochte won the first of the seeded heats in 1:57.38, Germany’s Philip Heintz next in 1:57.59. Phelps followed with a victory in the last heat, checking in at 1:58.41. He’s trying to become the first swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Olympiads.

Brazilians Henrique Rodrigues (1:58.56) and Thiago Pereira (1:58.63) had the home crowd roaring on the way to the fourth- and fifth-fastest times. Japan’s Kosuke Hagino (1:58.79) was next and is the only man with a chance at derailing the Americans. Hagino won the 400 individual medley on the first night of action. …

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