US Olympic Swimming Team 2012: Allison Schmitt a Breakout Star for Team USA

USA Swimming has a heated rivalry in Michael Phelps versus Ryan Lochte, as well as a budding superstar in Missy Franklin as part of a youth movement on the women’s side. The national team has another breakout star lurking in the shadows, however. Her name is Allison Schmitt.

The 22-year-old came into the U.S Olympic Swimming Trials with little fanfare compared to her compatriots, but she could come away from the Games in London with quite a haul. 

Schmitt is no stranger to the big stage. Her first taste came in 2008, when raced for the national team in the 200-meter freestyle and the 4x200 freestyle relay. She came away disappointed in the individual event, just missing the finals by placing ninth overall. The relay team fared better, however, winning the bronze medal.

Since then, Schmitt has slowly risen to the top of American freestyle swimming, though not as a dominant force like Dara Torres or Natalie Coughlin once were. Not yet, at any rate.

She added the 400 free internationally at the 2009 world championships, where she placed fourth. She regressed a bit in international competition in 2011, but she looks to be back on top of her game.

The Georgia alum had already made the 2012 team in the 400 free by winning the final handily, but her best was yet to come. Schmitt blew away the competition—Franklin included—winning the 200 free with an American record. Her time of 1:54.40 eclipsed the best time in the world this year, a good sign heading into the  Olympics.

The 22-year-old is starting to make her mark in American swimming, but she must deal with fierce competition to reach Olympic glory. Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini is the gold standard in the 200 and 400 freestyle, holding the world record in both events. Schmitt will have to get past her, teammate Missy Franklin and a host of challengers to have a gold medal dangling from her shoulders in London.

Franklin’s emergence can also help Schmitt to climb the summit in team relays, where the US women have been stymied in recent Olympics after dominating them at the turn of the century. Schmitt and Franklin led the 4x200 freestyle team to a gold medal at the 2011 FINA World Championships, and the team is even stronger going into the Olympics.

The going gets rougher from here for Schmitt at the trials, as she attempts to make the team in the 50-, 100- and 800-meter freestyle events as well. Her best shot will come in the 100 free, where she had the fourth-fastest qualifying time heading into the trials. That would put her in three events in London.

Should she defy the odds in the 50 or 800 free—her qualifying times indicate the odds are longer here—she could have a chance at least half-dozen medals at the Games.

Not too shabby for a woman living in a teenager’s shadow.