Can’t Miss Race at the Missouri Grand Prix

One of the most intriguing match-ups this upcoming Olympic Trials will be the women’s 100 backstroke. Two-time defending Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin will attempt to qualify once again. Superstar-in-the-making Missy Franklin will compete for a spot. T2 Aquatics’ Elizabeth Pelton will make some noise. But one swimmer slightly overshadowed – but who could potentially produce one of the biggest upsets of the Trials – is a young swimmer from Minnesota named Rachel Bootsma. 
If that name sounds familiar, you may remember her making headlines last year when, at just 16-years-old, she smashed the national high school record in the 100 backstroke. This year, the California-Berkeley bound teenager and Eden Prairie native skipped her high school state championships to focus exclusively on the upcoming Olympic Trials. And while that has kept her out of the headlines, this weekend, Bootsma could demand some national-level media attention competing in the women’s 100m backstroke. 

Here’s some interesting tidbits, looking ahead: 

-Should the teenage Bootsma continue to improve, the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 100m backstroke could be dominated exclusively by Cal-Berkeley Golden Bear swimmers. Coughlin, a former Bear, won Olympic gold in 2004 & 2008. Pelton, also an elite 100m backstroker, committed to Cal-Berkeley next fall. That – in addition to Bootsma’s 2012 Cal-Berkeley commitment – could mean the 100m backstroke Olympic gold medal stays within the realm of Cal-Berkeley for some time. The Olympic event with the strongest “collegiate ties” is currently the men’s 400IM: the previous four Olympic gold medalists have University of Michigan allegiances. But Cal-Berkeley could make their case for their own Olympic event dominance in the 100m backstroke. 

-At the Trials, the women’s 100m backstroke will feature three of the most promising young talents we’ve seen — Franklin, Pelton, and Bootsma – against one of the greatest US female swimmers of all-time, Natalie Coughlin. The storylines are there: a veteran vs. youth; a former Cal swimmer vs. future Cal swimmers; experience vs. inexperience. It’s a shame only two swimmers per country can qualify in the event. All four of these athletes could make an Olympic final. 

-I’ve always considered the 100m backstroke the most vital event for USA relays. It’s the lead-off position. The opening act. The lone warrior who leads our American contingent into battle. You could argue the USA has historically had the luxury of extraordinary “lead-off leadership” in previous Olympics. Natalie Coughlin and Aaron Peirsol were each Olympic gold medalists in their event. They consistently provided the American contingent with much-needed leadership and poise. On the men’s side, without Peirsol, we’ll have a new leader in 2012. Will we have a new leader on the women’s side, too? 

This weekend, Bootsma will swim the 100m backstroke, and though she’ll have some swift competition, she’s seeded 1st. She could put up fast, eye-popping times. For once, she won’t play second fiddle to Coughlin, Franklin, or Pelton (who aren’t swimming this weekend.) It’s a perfect opportunity for Bootsma to gain confidence at the national level and allow more mainstream swim fans to see her swim. I’ll admit, I don’t know much about Bootsma. Though she finished 2nd this summer at the ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships, won gold at the Pan American Games this fall, and has competed in major international meets, she’s been overshadowed by the bigger headliners in the event. 

We’ll know more after this weekend. 

At the Missouri Grand Prix (webcast here on USASwimming.org) I’m picking the women’s 100m backstroke as the “Can’t Miss Race” because I want to see Bootsma swim. She’s continuously dropped time throughout her career, and she was only seven tenths of a second off Natalie’s American Record this previous summer. Where will she be in a few months? Even if she drops a little bit of time from last summer, she’ll be on the verge of an American record. According to reports, she’s focused on long course swimming and the upcoming Olympic Trials. But unlike Franklin or Pelton, Bootsma hasn’t really had that one, iconic long course “breakout swim.” 

Will it happen in Omaha? 

Will it happen sooner? Perhaps in Missouri? 

These are the races that matter the most in a swimmer’s four year spurt between Olympic years. The Grand Prixs leading up to Omaha. The small stepping stones toward June. We’ve seen some impressive swimming from the Aquajets teenager lately. 

I think we’ll see more. 

By Mike Gustafson//Correspondent