mpjmcevoy

The issue here is that it involves a minimum of two discretionary picks.

Hopkin needs to swim 52.69 for the medley relay to get in. Bizarrely, Mixed medley is already safe as the FMFM version squeaks under consideration time

She looks in very good nick already.

Are you counting the confirmed relay swimmers in the 25 - Cahoon, Joe Litchfield, Medi Harris and Leah Hope?

Peaty needs the cover - if there's any space on the boat/plane/train, Wilby goes. some of tonight's results, particularly the 2-3 in the 50 free and 1-2 in the 200 IM take a certain amount of the pressure off, tomorrow they'll want the obvious 4 for the 4 x 200, so they'll be keeping a nervous eye on Guy - if he's top 4, a lot of the issues resolve. Tomorrow they'd like one of the three key breaststrokers to punch the ticket, Luke Greenbank to hit his straps, and no shocking surprises in the freestyles. Id Blocksridge did a miracle, that would be ice but it's not really likely. Bt my raw count, we have 24 guaranteed or 2nd with consideration time. Tomorrow they'll want Guy, Greenbank, Hanlon or Evens to do likewise, and would quite like Freya Anderson to swim - she is listed, all the other 4 x 1 major players are already on the boat. That would, in theory, bring the team up to 28. After that, if its me, I'm bringing Wilby, I'm bending the rules by saying Tobias is an openwater quota place, and then its a toss up for me between Bird and Blocksidge, leaning toward the latter. I think in that scenario, Whittle and Cox lose out.

Orangehair can meet with victory and defeat and treat those two imposters both the same...that is, he can be ridiculously, wildly wrong in both directions!

I think Cox (and Wilby) is closer than Whittle on the simple basis that the 100 and 200 free relays will already have cover, but Dawson (and Peaty) won't for the medleys. Dawson and Peaty, in particular, are likely to be pulling double duty as I think GB will be going WMMW again for the mixed medley, so it makes sense to cover them. We are also getting to the part of the week, however, when Richards, Scott and Dean, and possibly Guy start piling up quotas in 100 fly, 200 fr and 200 IM, which may relieve some of the pressure.

The fact Freya Colbert has already stated she doesn't intend to swim the 200 free in Paris only makes it more likely that Freya will get her seat, and Abbie, who is already in as a 4 x 2 free relay leg will come with her. Meanwhile Colbert is on the plane as a relay swimmer, thus may get to swim 400 I'm whether or not she makes the time. Of those who have missed the time, Bird is at the greatest risk - I'd be stunned if Wilby is not included at a minimum as a relay only swimmer just to take heat off Adam - his sub minute 100 is already within Olympic measure, and he could well get the 200 time. For my money, the 4 relays girls, Adam, James, Keanna, Laura are already all but on the plane, with Freya A almost certain if she regains full fitness. The notable thing so far is the number of 2nd place finishers getting the British Q time. That's a step up, I think on recent times outside the men's free 200.

If Freya is genuinely fit in time, she's going, no questions - she's too useful as a relay swimmer (where she tends to excel) - and cannot be completely rules out as an individual medal shout, albeit an outside one. If that means ticking upward slightly from 30 so be it. So far the Champs have been absolutely on fire, suggesting the 30 limit will be tight. Trust me when I say that limit will magically vaomoosh if genuinely competitive swimmers exceed it - it was only ever there to allow GB to turn down individuals with no relay worth, and no real risk of top 8, who clawed in to the Olympic Q time. If, as looks possible at the moment, we might be on the crest of something special, that limit will prove a moveable feast.

Yep. Treat a troll as a troll, and ignore their attempts to engage.

Technically, yes, but given Anderson's Swiss Army knife relay quality, it's not a hard decision - the only issue is will she be race fit.

2 seconds beneath the relay Q time combined, they're in. Anderson, if regains fitness and form, will slot in as Colbert won't race the 200 Free in Paris, so won't take up an excess quota.

Outside the superstars in the medal hunt, a sub 1.00 Breaststroke is absolutely motoring, several relay teams in the medleys won't match that.

Have to; if Peaty's progress from 59.1 to 57.9 continues toward PAris, both the medley's become fair game - and that would require giving Adam a bit of rest.

I'm not 'disappointed' in that, in context. 58.53 in the heat may not be Peaty at his absolute best- that may not return - but it's pretty blooming swift - Gold in this years worlds, and more importantly, silver in last years.

1:27.05 being better than the world record, but because its a mixed international team, will not be credited as such. Alfred, Adeleke and Dina all clearly on scorching early season form...

Must be good points for the lads, now with that Hors cat. Probably relatively safe now with 2, and Kye increasingly looks a real threat come Paris Unfortunately the push for two on the women's side looks goosed at this point, but if Schriever is fit and on form, should be good to o for at least the podium

She's clearly the successor, along with Sophie to the Potter-Taylor Brown generation, much as they were to the Stanford-Holland - and they in turn Cave and Tucker/Jenkins. The women's pipeline continues to deliver, and Sian, Olivia, Jess Fullager means there is good depth, as Learmonth provided. On the boys side, the sound of drifting tumbleweed...

Excellent signs for GTB who had a really, rally tough year just when she should have been taking the 'final step' last year. Her strength on the bike is tactically very useful against the likes of Duffy, where Beth Potter, Kate Waugh etc can be slightly weaker, while their running strength means Beaugarde etc can't just wait them out. Given the strength of Sophie Coldwell over supersprint relay distances, it's going to be a brutal 2 from three to join Beth. And that's not allowing for the Sian's and Fullagers making a late charge, or Learmonth showing old swimming form... The Boys would give their right leg for that sort of depth...

Yep, Istanbul was announced as the likely host a month or so ago, and it was confirmed last week - I think their 2026 ambition is 'unlikely' but it would very likely have a good shot thereafter. Clever of the EOC to lean into Istanbul's Olympic ambitions, but they need to pull it off now - Poland did an exceptionally good job in very difficult circumstances, but a 'bad' Games can really derail Olympic ambitions - see Delhi CWG 2010.

Keeps all options open...and shows how close it probably is in selection terms...

I see Charlie Young made it to the third round, albeit with a bye

Interesting is putting i mildly - it's dynamite.

Great summary Rafa. I think GBR might do OK here; I'm actually quite hopeful in BMX freestyle and women's Park skateboard - even 3 is not beyond the bounds of possibility in the latter, as I think Strachen is better than her ranking. Think GBR COULD pick up a handful of '1 quotas' too in men's park, men's breaking and women's Boulder and Lead. When you add this event to the Boxing, it seems the IOC are increasingly stretching their remit out from the Games simpliciter and into the qualifications - and for the IOC that makes good sense, gives them much more narrative control - and it's a win win for these slightly fringe urban sports. Istanbul 2027 is also making noises about giving the EOC (essentially Europe's end of IOC) much more input in qualification for LA 2028, which will both give IOC more of this power, and raise the importance of Continental Games, which IMHO IOC should make a priority from its own standpoint.

Have we seen much of Houldan this term?