Respect for seniority lies at the heart of the USA team philosophy: in a squad vote at camp in California, the choice was Beard, Coughlin, Torres, Vendt, Lezak and Hansen - with 18 Olympic Games experiences between them
A leading US coach once told me 'if it was up to be, relationships between swimmers would be barred outright'. For the sake of performance in the Olympic pool, the Australian world record holders have called time-out on matters of the heart
The pressure to raise standards continues apace beyond the Olympic arena. At the US Open - Usher, 2:10.67, 200m breaststroke; Descenza, 2:07.26, 200 'fly; La Tourette, 14:59.49, 1.500m free
Countdown to 08/08/08: SwimNews continues its preview to the Games with a look at how the seascape has changed in the past year, who is still in the race, who is out and where the medals are likely to go. Today: Women's Sprint Freestyle
French team visit 45,000m² site just 500m from the grand Stade de France where the Centre Aquatique Olympique will be built at Aubervilliers in time for 2012 European Championships (bid)
I think I'm swimming faster than I was in Sydney and Athens and I've just got to get up and do it. To win I'm going to need to swim faster than those times ... physically, I feel like I've done everything - the 30-lap defending champion
Countdown to 08/08/08: SwimNews continues its preview to the Games with a look at how the seascape has changed in the past year, who is still in the race, who is out and where the medals are likely to go. Today: Men's 200-1,500m Freestyle
Brit squad happy with facilities and welcome in Japan; relay plight of Jess Sylvester highlights the thorny issue of selection policies and final decisions on quartets
Japanese fears that China would not be able to cope with its culinary demands have been put to rest by the double Olympic champ but Ai Shibata is missing her bathtub
The Water Cube, which breathes like a greenhouse, is starting to get a little more crowded as teams arrive in the host Olympic city to test the waters ahead of racing from August 9
Countdown to 08/08/08: SwimNews begins its preview to the Games with a look at how the seascape has changed in the past year, who is still in the race, who is out and where the medals are likely to go. Today: Men's Sprint Freestyle
There are those who feel that the suit issue is tired and insignificant. They are wrong. Listen to what the swimmer - not the media but the swimmer - says in a release from his former sponsor
Updated file: Hardy talks of a living 'nightmare' and proclaims her innocence; substance will make the breaststroke ace's chances of being cleared at appeal somewhat remote, given the precedence in the sport: three Chinese bans