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Australian head swim coach Alan Thompson has predicted the Americans will use Jessica Hardy’s positive doping test to galvanise them for the Beijing Olympics.
The former world record holder will appeal her positive test for the banned substance clenbuterol but her status for the Beijing Games remains uncertain.
Thompson expected the breaststroker’s doping violation to initially prove a distraction for members of the world No.1 swimming team but believed it would stiffen their resolve by the time the swimming program begins in Beijing on August 9.
“They will then focus on their individual performances, there’s no doubt they will use this as a strengthening factor for their team,” Thompson said today as the 43-strong Australian team departed for its pre-Olympic training camp in Kuala Lumpur.
The Dolphins will spend a week training in Malaysia before flying into Beijing on Sunday week.
Australia and the US have been tipped to dominate in the pool at the Water Cube, having collected 29 of the 40 gold medals on offer at last year’s Melbourne world championships.
However Thompson warned it wouldn’t just be a two-horse race in Beijing.
He believed it would take the fastest times in history to win medals and expected several countries to be stepping onto the podium.
“I think there’s going to be the biggest spread of medals (ever at an Olympics) – France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Sweden,” he said.
For the first time the Olympics have added the 10km open water event to the program with former ironman star Ky Hurst representing Australia in the men’s event.
The 27-year-old said while it was disappointing that he wouldn’t be joined by good mate Grant Hackett in the marathon event, he was ready for any rough house tactics.
“The more physical it is, the better it is for me,” he said, confident after years of being race hardened through surf races.
“The tougher and harder the race conditions and the environment, the better it is for me personally.”
Meanwhile freestyler Craig Stevens confirmed the three fractured ribs he suffered a couple of months ago had healed and wouldn’t be a factor in Beijing.