OK, so maybe it's time to squash any comparisons between Katie Hoff and Michale Phelps.While Phelps is living up to every expectation at the Olympics, Katie Hoff is running out of time to win her first gold.
After swimming three of her six events, including her best event (the 400 IM), Hoff has a bronze and a silver. Things got worse on Tuesday night as she floundered at the end to drop to fourth in the 200 meter freestyle. Hoff still could snag a gold, but she is unlikely to be a favorite in any of her final three events (including the 4 X 200 meter freestyle relay).
It's hard to say that someone who is 2-for-3 on medals is having a horrible Olympics. And in the event that she didn't medal, all three medalists broke the existing world record, while Hoff set an American record. But Hoff was supposed to be the U.S. women's team's brightest star. Right now she's been eclipsed by Natalie Coughlin, who has a gold and a silver.
There have been rumblings that Hoff took on too much, and should have focused on fewer events. Michael Phelps hasn't seemed to be bothered by the heavy schedule, but then, he's half-Cyborg. But Hoff 's struggles began in her fist event, which is a little early to be fatigued. The reality seems to be that she has just been outswum by a very talented field.
