Five things to watch for on the seventh day of the Rio Olympics swimming competition on Friday:
Michael Phelps goes for a fourth straight title in the 100m butterfly — a race that has provided some of his most nail-biting finishes. He beat world record-holder Ian Crocker to win it in 2004, and famously out-touched Serbian Milorad Cavic by one-hundredth of a second in Beijing in 2008 to keep his drive for eight golds alive. In 2012, after surrendering the 200m fly to Chad le Clos he turned the tables on the South African in the 100m.
Katie Ledecky, with 200m and 400m free gold secured, vies to complete her treble in the 800m freestyle and the signs are more than good for the reigning Olympic champion and world record-holder. The event boasts plenty of talented distance swimmers in addition to Ledecky, including Australia’s Jessica Ashwood, New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle and Great Britain’s Jazz Carlin — silver medallist in the 400m free. But barring a catastrophe for the American phenomenon, they will be battling for the lesser medals in her wake.
The only thing certain about the men’s 50m freestyle final is that nothing is certain in the unpredictable one-lap dash. France’s Florent Manaudou was the surprise winner in 2012 – slicing more than half a second off his personal best to win from lane seven and after some post-London doldrums he’s again in top form. Keep an eye on Anthony Ervin, who won gold in 2000 and is back at the age of 35 to try for more.
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu is poised for a charge at a record-equalling fourth individual gold in Rio in the women’s 200m backstroke final after topping the heats in a new personal best time. Missy Franklin is still struggling to regain the form she showed in winning Olympic gold in this event in London.
In the 1,500m freestyle heats China’s Sun Yang launches his bid to become the fourth swimmer to retain his Olympic title in the longest race on the programme, and the first since Australia’s Grant Hackett in 2000-04. After failing to reprise his 400m free title from London he won the 200m free here, and can become the first man to win the 200m and 1500m free at the same Games. Meanwhile Mack Horton of Australia, who denied Sun in the 400m free, will go for a 400-1500 double.
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