SW Biweekly August 7, 2021 Issue

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CONTENTS

SWIMMING WORLD BIWEEKLY JULY 2021 | ISSUE 15

008 GRIND OF TOKYO OLYMPICS PRODUCES LESS GOLD, BUT STILL GRAND MEDAL HAUL FOR TEAM USA

by David Rieder Throughout the eight days of swimming finals at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the Americans produced special moments and podium finishes aplenty, but the team struggled to gain and sustain momentum.

010 RYAN MURPHY AND TEAM USA CAPTAINS PROVIDED MAJOR IMPACT THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP

by John Lohn Team USA departed Tokyo behind the leadership of four athletes—team captains Simone Manuel, Allison Schmitt, Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Murphy—whose influence will be remembered in a variety of ways. Like those before them, this quartet served its role triumphantly.

012 U.S. WOMEN: LOTS OF MEDALS, YOUTH AND POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE BRILLIANCE

by David Rieder The American women won just three gold medals in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics—their fewest at any major international meet in recent memory. However, taking a closer look, you’ll find an incredibly strong performance by one of the most well-rounded swim teams ever assembled.

016 IN EPIC SHOWDOWN, ARIARNE TITMUS DISPATCHES KATIE LEDECKY TO BECOME AUSSIE GOLDEN GIRL

by John Lohn The final of the women’s 400 meter freestyle earned legendary-event status, as Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and American Katie Ledecky battled in an epic duel that will go down in Olympic lore. Titmus ultimately prevailed, running down Ledecky over the last 100 meters, with the two swimmers touching the wall with the second and fourth fastest times in history.

018 KATIE LEDECKY POWERS TO GOLD IN INAUGURAL WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE; ERICA SULLIVAN RALLIES FOR SILVER

by John Lohn Thirty-seven years after track and field added the women’s marathon to the Olympic program, swimming finally contested the women’s 1500 meter freestyle on the Olympic stage.

020 PEATY, GREENBANK, GUY & SCOTT DON’T WANT SILVER LINING AS TEAM GB ENJOYS RECORD HAUL

by Liz Byrnes The fact that members of Great Britain’s men’s 400 medley relay team expressed disappointment after finishing second explains their newfound attitude that runs throughout the team. Now it is all about the podium and a constant quest for improvement. And that perspective paid dividends: a record Olympic haul of eight medals and a third-place finish in the team standings.

022 GOLDEN DAYS RETURN WITH A HEADLINE PERFORMANCE FROM AUSTRALIA’S DOLPHINS

by Ian Hanson The glory days of the Australian Swim Team returned in spectacular style in a memorable eight-day Olympic gold medal rush at the Tokyo Aquatic Center—and already the Aussies are planning the team’s assault toward Paris 2024.

024 IN LONG-AWAITED SHOWDOWN, CAELEB DRESSEL SEIZES 100 FREESTYLE CROWN FROM KYLE CHALMERS

by John Lohn The Olympic men’s 100 freestyle had been hyped for several years: Caeleb Dressel vs. Kyle Chalmers...Team USA’s premier force vs. Australia’s top gun...two-time world champion vs. reigning Olympic champion. The duel had it all, and the showdown certainly lived up to its billing, with Dressel outtouching Chalmers by 6-hundredths of a second.

026 IT’S A THREE-PEAT AND WORLD RECORD FOR AUSTRALIA IN WOMEN'S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY

by John Lohn The outcome was expected and, yet, Australia still found a way to dazzle as the first day of finals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo came to a conclusion. All it took was a world record in the women's 400 meter freestyle relay— and quite a global mark it was.

028 AHMED HAFNAOUI SHOCKS BY WINNING GOLD FROM LANE EIGHT

by Ian Hanson Tunisian teenager Ahmed Hafnaoui caused the first major upset of the Tokyo 2020 Games, winning an extraordinary Olympic gold in the 400 meter freestyle from lane eight. The 18-year-old, swimming in his first major international long course competition, only just scraped into the final, but produced the swim of his life!

029 KATIE LEDECKY HAS NO RETIREMENT PLANS; LOOKING AHEAD TO PARIS...AND MAYBE LOS ANGELES

by John Lohn 030 SARAH SJOSTROM SILVER MEDAL A SILVER LINING FOR HER & EUROPEAN WOMEN

by Dan D’Addona Sarah Sjostrom, who had elbow surgery just months before the Games, was so excited with her silver medal in the 50 freestyle on the final night of swimming that she celebrated as if she had won gold.

032 MEN’S MEDLEY RELAY LINEUP WAS RIGHT ONE—AND GOLD MEDAL PROVED IT

by David Rieder The U.S. swim team coaching staff had made some relay decisions that could best be described as questionable.

But in the last race of the meet, the men’s 400 medley relay, a difficult choice finally worked like a charm.

The Americans earned a gold medal and world record that kept Team USA undefeated in the event throughout Olympic history.

034 BY ANY MEASURE, A HISTORICALLY SUCCESSFUL TOKYO OLYMPICS FOR SWIMMING CANADA

by Matthew De George From the immediate obstacles of 2020 and COVID-19 to the decade-long rebuild of the program, Swimming Canada’s achievements at the Olympics were nothing short of a rousing success.

036 WITH RELAY MEDALS, CHINA ANNOUNCES NEW ERA OF SWIM PROWESS

by Matthew De George Even without two of its most recognizable names on its swimming roster, China managed to win six Olympic medals—three gold, two silver and a bronze. Even more impressive was the array of talent that got them there and a pair of relay medals (a gold/world record in the women’s 800 free relay and a silver in the mixed medley) that were indicative of the program’s depth.

038 BEHIND OUTSTANDING ASHLEIGH JOHNSON, U.S. WOMEN’S WATER POLO CLAIM THIRD STRAIGHT GOLD

by Matthew De George 040 HOW THEY TRAIN: MILES SIMON

by Michael J. Stott 041 PARTING SHOT

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INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS Americas: Matthew De George (USA) Africa: Chaker Belhadj (TUN) Australia: Wayne Goldsmith, Ian Hanson Europe: Norbert Agh (HUN), Liz Byrnes (GBR), Camillo Cametti (ITA), Oene Rusticus (NED), Rokur Jakupsstovu (FAR) Japan: Hideki Mochizuki Middle East: Baruch “Buky” Chass, Ph.D. (ISR) South Africa: Neville Smith (RSA) South America: Jorge Aguado (ARG)

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COVER PHOTO: CAELEB DRESSEL BY ROB SCHUMACHER/USA TODAY SPORTS

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Grind of Tokyo Olympics Produces Less Gold, but Still Grand Medal Haul for Team USA

BY DAVID RIEDER

O

n day one in Tokyo, the United States was off to an unbelievably hot start at the Olympic Games. With every bounce going the Americans' way, a six-medal effort on day one was more than reasonably expected. There had been concerns prior to the meet about how the Americans would perform. Would they struggle to win 25 medals, even 20? And after night one, had all concerns suddenly been absolved?

Not exactly. Throughout the eight days of swimming finals at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the Americans produced special moments and podium finishes aplenty, but the team struggled to gain and sustain momentum. Day two began with a pair of fourth-place finishes for Torri Huske in the women’s 100 butterfly (by one hundredth) and Michael Andrew in the men’s 100 breaststroke, neither one poor swims but both the kind of disappointing results that can drain a team.

On day three, three straight finals included Americans who held the world record in their respective events at the start of June. Two of those swimmers still hold those records – and none of them won gold. Regan Smith, Ryan Murphy and Lilly King ended up with individual bronze medals that night, although 17-year-old Alaska native Lydia Jacoby pulled a stunner that landed her on top of the podium and produced the first rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in honor of a female swimmer.

A day later, Katie Ledecky and Erica Sullivan’s gold-silver 8

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finish in the first-ever women’s 1500 freestyle final was followed by the first-ever Olympic swimming relay where the American quartet missed the podium.

And on it went, the pendulum swining back and forth all the way through to Sunday morning in Tokyo, when Caeleb Dressel’s historic third individual gold, Bobby Finke’s second out-of-nowhere gold medal in as many distance finals and a world-record setting effort in the men’s 400 medley relay brought the meet to a close on a high for the U.S. men, while the American women received one final gut-punch when Australia’s Cate Campbell touched out Abbey Weitzeil for gold in the women’s 400 medley relay.

Weitzeil did not swim poorly — her 52.49 split was the fastest of her career. Neither did Smith, Jacoby or Huske on the first three legs. The silver medal is one to cherish, and when these swimmers look back, they undoubtedly will. But in the moment, Weitzeil looked absolutely crushed by the result. She lingered in the pool before she climbed out and slumped her head on Smith’s shoulder, the 19-year-old left to offer uplifting words to her teammate.

In the one remaining event on the program, the U.S. men captured first place in the men’s 400 medley relay, recording a new world record in the process. The race earned Dressel his fifth gold medal of the week and several new spots in swimming’s history books. But in the minutes after the race

ended, Dressel took a seat on the pool deck to catch his breath, the physical and emotional demands of the Games finally getting to him as all the boxes were ticked for the week. He got up only to hug British rivals James Guy and Adam Peaty and congratulate them on a relay well swum.

We have become used to seeing the American swimmers roll through the Olympics — they had won 16 gold medals, or half of the total awarded at the pool, at each of the last two Games. But when not everything is perfect, the Olympics are a brutal ordeal, an eight-day spectacle of a swim meet with millions of viewers tuned into and riding on each moment. It’s an experience so far removed from the everyday experience of swimming. And the one-year delay of the Games, the global pandemic and the locked-down nature of the Tokyo Olympics only exacerbated those stresses and pressures for athletes — not just swimmers but across all sports.

Weitzeil’s blank facial expression after finishing with the silver reflected all those stresses, pressure and emotions.

This was a grind, never the downhill-rolling wrecking ball to which we have become accustomed.

Triumphs and Setbacks for Team USA in the Pool Let’s begin with the men. Obviously, Dressel was simply magnificent all week long. His years-long preparation for these Games culminated in Dressel replicating two dominant World Championships performances, only this time in the amped-up environment that is an Olympics.

For years, the men’s distance events had been basically a black hole for the United States, particularly in the five years since the Rio Olympics when there had been no medal contenders in the 800 or 1500 on the international stage. No American had claimed Olympic or World Championships gold since Mike O’Brien in 1984. Then Finke arrived and absolutely made three of the world’s best distance men look silly on the last 50.

Beyond that, Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland provided a magnificent U.S. 1-2 in the 400 IM, the meet’s first event. Ryan Murphy did not defend his gold medals in either backstroke race, but he did win individual medals. After the 200 back final, Murphy revealed some of his frustrations, namely that he was getting beaten only by swimmers representing a country rocked with a state-sponsored doping schedule.

Kieran Smith, Finke’s fellow Florida Gator senior-to-be, was tremendous with a bronze medal in the 400 free and becoming the third-fastest American ever in the 200 free behind Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. Michael Andrew was not great, finishing just off the podium in all three of his events before contributing to the Americans’ meet-ending and record-setting men’s 400 medley relay.

The American men ended up with a strong eight gold medals, almost half of those offered, but this American men’s team lacked depth, certainly compared to the men’s group that claimed medals in all but one individual event in Rio. The Tokyo team won only five additional individual medals, and men’s breaststroke was a complete shutout.

The women, however, won 17 medals, but the only golds were courtesy of Ledecky in her distance races and Jacoby in the 100 breast. Other than that, the Americans won a lot of silvers and bronzes, mostly with very good performances but a tinge of disappointment that they could not end up one spot better. While all three women’s relays performed well, getting shut out of relay gold was a painful outcome to digest.

Sprint freestyle was a struggle, as expected, but otherwise, the Americans captured medals in nine of 14 individual events. Two of the misses saw the top American take fourth by narrow margins, and in another, Ledecky finished an unexpected fifth in the 200 free. In four events, the Americans went silver-bronze, filling out the podium with great depth behind an unbeatable gold medalist.

This was a really good, well-rounded women’s team, with only the one noticeable deficit area. They just did not match up as well as hoped in the chase for gold medals. It was also a really young team, with a lot of teenager rookies (like Huske, Jacoby, Sullivan and more) thrust into big spots. And now, the next Olympics in Paris are just three years away, so this year’s young guns will undoubtedly grow from this experience when they return to the training pool with sights set on France.

Zooming out, the final medal count was 30, really close to the amazing 33 medals of 2016 or 31 from 2012, although this time, the Americans won three medals (including two golds) in events just added to the Olympic program for these Games.

The final tally of 11 gold medals was down significantly from 16 in both 2016 and 2012, but chalk that up more to swimmers from other countries performing admirably and winning tough races. The margins between the U.S. and the rest of the world are simply smaller now. Of course, the Americans had a handful of stunners of their own, Jacoby and Finke among them.

This was not quite the dominant team performance of Olympiads past, but different factors have changed the game, like holding the Olympics during a pandemic and swimming becoming so much more balanced globally. The U.S. is still the world’s premier swimming nation, even if during the grind of Tokyo, that preeminence took slightly different shape.◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Ryan Murphy & Caeleb Dressel

Ryan Murphy and Team USA Captains Provided Major Impact Through Their Leadership

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I

n recent years, Nathan Adrian would play the role. Jason Lezak, too. Count Natalie Coughlin and Brendan Hansen in the category. Same for Elizabeth Beisel. They were all captains for the United States at the Olympic Games. Their performances in the pool were critical to the success of Team USA, while their actions out of the water had just as much of an impact on what unfolded.

Name someone captain of a National Team and pressure is immediately added to that individual’s job. His/her workload is enhanced, personal responsibilities complemented by duties that will promote the betterment of the team cause.

Sometimes, an athlete’s actions are enough to handle the role fluidly. Teammates watch and emulate. In other instances, there is the need for vocalization, a pick-them-up speech an example.

The United States went to work at the Olympic Games in Tokyo with a highly accomplished quartet of captains.

Simone Manuel and Allison Schmitt were elected to guide the women’s team. Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel got the nod for the men. It was an all-star group, all destined for future induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

But these four athletes were about significantly more than their championship pedigrees between the walls. Consider: • Manuel was the epitome of perseverance. Hampered

by Overtraining Syndrome, a diagnosis she revealed at the United States Olympic Trials, Manuel did not qualify to defend her Olympic title in the 100 freestyle.

However, she dug deep and earned a Tokyo bid in

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the 50 freestyle, then contributed a leg to the United States’ bronze-medal winning 400 freestyle relay. More important, she spoke about her journey and the pride she felt. Her story is one of inspiration – and a lesson.

• Schmitt has long been open about her mental-health struggles, and has taken a proactive role in emphasizing the importance of an individual’s mental well-being.

On television, while racing on the biggest stage, these athletes are not just machines. They are human, and Schmitt is reminding the world of that fact.

• Dressel is now a seven-time Olympic champion, his Tokyo run featuring five gold medals. He, too, is more than the greatest swimmer on the planet. He is introspective during interviews, routinely providing a reminder that the sport does not define him. It is what he does. It is not who he is. Dressel allows himself to be vulnerable. He tears up on the medals stand. During press conferences, he admits to feeling overwhelmed at times. It is a true sentiment, and one he doesn’t try to cover up with bravado.

• Murphy is the picture of calm and possesses an awareness of his surroundings that belies his 26 years of age. He knows when a teammate needs to hear certain words. He’s not afraid to speak up about critical topics in the sport. He can lighten the mood when necessary.

Murphy supplied the best line of the press conference featuring the men’s 400 medley relay, which captured gold and set a world record. The Floridian discussed his age-group

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

days in Florida and joked about a meet in which he would clash with a standout 4-year-old who was setting the water on fire. He was referencing Dressel. The tongue-in-cheek comment elicited laughs from the room and provided a small glimpse into Murphy’s personality and ability to break a moment with humor.

Five years ago, in his Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro, Murphy was perfect. He swept the backstroke events and led off the United States’ victorious medley relay with a world record. This time around, Murphy collected bronze in the 100 backstroke, silver in the 200 backstroke and gold in the medley relay, where the U.S. shattered the 2009 super-suit world record.

Britain’s Luke Greenbank as the bronze medalist, Murphy did not hide his belief that doping is present in the sport, and he was likely a participant in races that were not clean.

Increasing his career Olympic-medal count to six accounted for just a portion of the importance of Murphy as a captain.

Twice, his voice was a factor inside the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. We’ll start with his latter vocalization, the words that were needed for the United States to finish the meet in strong fashion.

“To be clear, my intention is not to make any allegations here,” Murphy said. “Congratulations to Evgeny and Luke.

I think they did an incredible job. They’re both very talented swimmers. They both work really hard, (and have) great technique. At the end of the day, I do believe there’s doping in swimming. That is what it is.”

After the United States finished fifth in the inaugural mixed medley relay, Murphy chatted with Dressel about the chance for redemption a day later, when the men’s 400 medley relay would conclude the meet – and give the U.S. a chance to exit Tokyo on a high note. It was an important conversation to have, so the team would go into the final day not carrying baggage but looking at an opportunity.

On the heels of his comments, Murphy was dubbed a sore loser and prompted the Russian Olympic Committee to distribute a statement on the issue. The ROC’s commentary was a mix of sarcasm and over-the-top poetics, reeking of smugness.

For a country that was found to operate a systematic-doping program and got off with just a slap on the wrist (no flag and no anthem in Tokyo), it was a brazen approach.

“I think as athletes, we are always looking to the next thing,” Murphy said. “Even as we come into these mixed zones after a race, we’re always looking at the next race. Right after the mixed medley, it’s like, ‘OK, that is done and over with.

We’ve got a stacked men’s medley coming up. We’ve got to go, warm down, get ready for that.’ And luckily we did that today.”

Murphy indicated he was not singling out Rylov as a doper but wanted to emphasize his belief that performance-enhancing drugs are part of the sport. It was a statement questioning the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow Russia to compete, its sanctions hardly commensurate with its violations. It was a message to FINA, under new leadership, that athletes want guarantees of a doping-free sport and transparency in the quest to produce a level playing field.

All the United States did in that closing relay was break the world record, as Murphy jumpstarted the squad with a 52low effort on the backstroke leg. That led to Michael Andrew doing a solid job on breaststroke, with Dressel following with the fastest butterfly split (49.03) in history. The anchor was handled by Zach Apple and his superb mark of 46.95.

After eight days of grueling competition, action that was delayed and threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States finished the way it wanted, and expects.

Murphy’s other vocalized moment, which came just past the midpoint of the competition, stirred the most controversy of the week but was needed – and required guts to utter.

Following his silver-medal finish in the 200 backstroke, which was won by Russian Evgeny Rylov and featured Great

>> Abbey Weitzeil and Simone Manuel

Simply, Murphy acted as leader. He acted as an advocate for clean sport. He acted as a captain.

The United States departed Tokyo with 30 medals, 10 more than resurgent Australia. It won 11 gold medals, also the highest figure of the competition. Those achievements will be remembered, logged in the history book that documents an unusual Olympiad.

Team USA also departed behind the leadership of four athletes – Manuel, Schmitt, Dressel, Murphy – whose influence will be remembered in a variety of ways. Like those before them, this quartet served its role triumphantly.

Arigato. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Regan Smith, Lydia Jacoby, Torri Huske & Abbey Weitzeil

U.S. Women: Lots of Medals, Youth and Potential for Future Brilliance

BY DAVID RIEDER

I

t’s true — the American women won just three gold medals in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics, their fewest at any major international meet in recent memory. Katie Ledecky brought home the inaugural Olympic gold medal in the women’s 1500 freestyle, and she earned her historic third straight gold in the 800 freestyle. 17-year-old Alaskanative Lydia Jacoby shocked the world by winning the 100 breaststroke. But the Americans were shut out of gold medals in the relays and in the remaining individual events.

But was this a poor performance in Tokyo? No way. Not even close. Look across the board, and you see an incredibly strong performance by one of the most well-rounded swim teams ever assembled.

Back at the 2016 Olympics, the Americans won eight gold medals and 15 overall medals. This time, the total was 18 medals, although the comparisons are slightly skewed because of an additional event (the 1500 free) on the Olympic program. That total included eight silver and seven bronze, and American swimmers also finished fourth in additional four events. Two American swimmers finished among the top four in eight out of 14 individual events, which is incredible, and of the 28 American individual swims, all qualified for the semifinals and 25 of them advanced to finals.

To only focus on the gold-medal count and lack of relay wins

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would be an absolute disservice to this American women’s team and the enormous strides taken in just the past two years. Let’s go stroke-by-stroke and see what happened.

Freestyle In an unexpected twist, sprint freestyle turned out to be the weakest of the disciplines for the American women in 2021.

It was a strength in 2019 when Simone Manuel captured world titles in the 100 free and 50 free, but she was diagnosed with Overtraining Syndrome and was not the oft-dominant sprinter of years past. With Manuel struggling, Abbey Weitzeil stepped up and qualified for very fast finals in the 50 free and 100 free and supplied the go-to leg on the 400 free and 400 medley relays. Cate Campbell edged Weitzeil for gold in the medley, but Weitzeil’s 52.49 split was elite.

While the Americans had depth in the 100 free, plenty to earn an Olympic medal in the 400 free relay, no one came to Tokyo with a faster best time than 53.5, compared to four Australians under 53. It was the same story in the 200 free where American depth did not measure up to Australia on paper, but Americans like Paige Madden and Katie McLaughlin raised their game significantly and Katie Ledecky was amazing on the anchor leg while Australia underperformed in that event.

Given the setup in the freestyle events, the Americans did great to walk away with bronze in the 400 free relay and silver in the 800.

Backstroke The results here were fine and in line with pre-Olympics expectations, even if you would assume the swimmers were not thrilled with their times. Regan Smith took bronze in the 100 back in 58.05 behind rivals Kaylee McKeown and Kylie Masse after setting the Olympic record in the semifinals.

Rhyan White took fourth in the 100 back before White and Phoebe Bacon ended up fourth and fifth in the 200 back, just behind Australia’s Emily Seebohm.

Going forward, American backstroke is still in really good hands. Smith will be motivated to get back to her world-record-setting level from 2019 in both backstroke events, and both White and Bacon were first-timers to the major international level on an upward trajectory. There is more college-aged depth back home with swimmers like Katharine Berkoff and Isabelle Stadden. These were the most competitive events in the country prior to Olympic Trials and will remain so, despite just one Tokyo medal.

Breaststroke All American women’s breaststroke swims in Tokyo earned medals. That’s a far cry from the 2016 Games, when no American women were in the final of the 200 breast, but in Tokyo, Lilly King became just the second American to ever break 2:20 while Annie Lazor dashed home to earn her first Olympic level, a bronze. A few days before that, King had been a little off her game in her signature 100 breast, and she ended up not winning the event for the first time at any meet in six years. But then, in an absolute stunner, Lydia Jacoby continued her meteoric rise to win gold.

This group had realistic hopes of a big Tokyo performance, and they completely delivered.

Butterfly The teenagers representing the U.S. in the 100 butterfly were not perfect in their Olympic debuts. 18-year-old Torri Huske was mere hundredths off her American record in the event, at 55.73, but in the most unlucky of finishes, she ended up fourth by 0.01. Huske was then about four tenths slower in swimming the fly leg on the mixed and women’s 400 medley relays at the end of the week. Meanwhile, Claire Curzan could not replicate her form from the spring and from Olympic Trials as she was 10th in the 100 fly.

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

Regarding the longer events, Ledecky did her thing in the 800 and 1500, and she swam one of the best races of her career in the 400 free on the way to the second-fastest mark of her career and best time in five years, only for Ariarne Titmus to be a little bit better. No shame in that. Ledecky and Erica Sullivan provided one of the U.S. highlights of the Games with the 1-2 finish in the 1500, and Katie Grimes was impressive in finishing fourth in the 800 as a 15-year-old.

>> Lydia Jacoby

In the 200 butterfly, the Americans were aiming to win their first Olympic medal since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and they won two behind gold medalist Zhang Yufei of China.

Hali Flickinger, one of the best in the world in the event since 2018, took bronze while Regan Smith stormed ahead to win silver become the second-fastest American in history in the event. Zhang became the fastest performer ever in a textile suit in the event, so she was never going to be caught. Silver and bronze was an A+ performance for the Americans in the event.

Individual Medley It’s no secret that the Americans had been in the midst of a rough stretch in the women’s IM events, particularly the 400 IM after the retirements of Rio silver medalist Maya DiRado and stalwart Elizabeth Beisel. Since 2016, they had won just one medal at the World Championships, a 200 IM bronze by Madisyn Cox in 2017. And none of the swimmers qualified for the IMs in Tokyo had ever previously represented the U.S. in IM in at a World Championships or Olympics (and other than Hali Flickinger, all were national team rookies).

But the Americans rocked it in the IMs. Sure, they benefitted from generally slower finals than we’ve seen in the IMs at major meets in recent years and from Katinka Hosszu’s drastic decline this year, but they still got the job done. Yui Ohashi turned out to be the IM star of the Games (and also Japan’s only gold medalist in the pool), but Emma Weyant fought her all the way to the finish in the 400 IM. Three days later, Alex Walsh did the same thing in the 200 IM, coming up only 0.12 short of the Japanese winner. Flickinger (400 IM) and Kate Douglass (200 IM) each secured bronzes.

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The IM results were by far the biggest surprise for the U.S. women this year, given the struggles of recent years. And Weyant, Walsh and Douglass — all current or soon-to-be Virginia Cavaliers — all competed at the Olympics at 19 years old (Walsh turned 20 three days after the 200 IM final).

All of them will be back.

Overall The U.S. women’s 400 medley relay team that concluded the meet with a silver medal represented this women’s team in a nutshell: good, even if not quite quick enough to secure Olympic gold, and really, really young.

Two years earlier at the World Championships, Regan Smith had forced her way onto the U.S. women’s medley relay by virtue of her performances, and she combined with veterans Lilly King, Kelsi Dahlia and Simone Manuel to set a world record. Smith was the youngest swimmer in that group by five years.

By Tokyo, Smith was the only member left as Lydia Jacoby, Torri Huske and Abbey Weitzeil had earned their way on.

Now, Weitzeil, at 24, was the oldest by five years. The American women took 10 teenagers to Tokyo, and eight of them earned at least one medal.

All of these swimmers have years of college swimming ahead of them, so you expect them to continue to grow and improve. And the gap between the Tokyo Olympics and the next edition of the Games, in Paris in 2024, is just three years, the shortest ever. Compared to the massive turnover of the U.S. team from the 2016 Games to 2021, we could see a lot of familiar faces back again in Paris.

And the Tokyo Games were hard for the swimmers, more stressful than even the normally very-high-pressured Olympics, thanks to the restrictions induced by the COVID-19 pandemic — swimmers totally secluded, no families in Japan and so on. The swimmers who got through these Games should be so well prepared for a more normal Olympics in 2024, should they make it back to this level.

Despite all that, the American women still won 18 medals, finished 2-3 four times and stacked up medals in breaststroke, butterfly and IM events that had been obvious weaknesses in the not-too-recent past.

So even though the gold-medal count was not quite as impressive as normal, this was a really good American women’s team and perhaps just the beginning for a group that could carry the torch for years to come. ◄

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[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports ]

In Epic Showdown, Ariarne Titmus Dispatches Katie Ledecky To Become Aussie Golden Girl

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

H

ype is – and always will be – a major element of the sports world. Rivalries are built up, with the media and fans alike eager to witness a moment in history. Frequently, these much-anticipated showdowns unfold as duds, the actual event unable to live up to lofty and sometimes unrealistic expectations.

Earning the bronze medal was China’s Li Bingjie, who went 4:01.08, with Canadian 14-year-old Summer McIntosh finishing fourth and just off the podium in 4:02.42. But this race was about Titmus and Ledecky, and they provided a spectacular show that figures to be replayed for years to come.

Occasionally, though, something special is produced.

“It is the biggest thing you can pull off in your sporting career, so I’m over the moon,” Titmus said. “I’m trying to contain it as much as I can. I have a big program ahead of me, but I can enjoy this afterward.”

On the second day of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the final of the women’s 400-meter freestyle earned legendary-event status, as Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and American Katie Ledecky battled in an epic duel that will go down in Olympic lore. Ultimately, it was Titmus who prevailed, as she ran down Ledecky over the last 100 meters and touched the wall in 3:56.69, the second-fastest time in history. Ledecky, who had the lead for most of the race, clocked in at 3:57.36, the No. 4 all-time performance, but not quite quick enough to retain her Olympic crown.

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An argument can be made that the women’s 400 freestyle was the can’t-wait-to-watch women’s event heading into the Tokyo Games, pushed for that distinction only by the 100 backstroke. Yet, the head-to-head nature of Ledecky vs.

Titmus made that clash slightly more enticing, as the sporting world loves its individualized rivalries. More, there was history between the distance aces.

At the 2019 World Championships in South Korea, Titmus dealt Ledecky a rarity – defeat on the international stage.

Blasting down the final lap of the 400 freestyle, the Aussie overhauled the American and gave the podium a very different look – Ledecky a step below a foe. It is worth noting, however, that Ledecky was dealing with a severe stomach virus that not only affected her performance in the 400 freestyle, but necessitated her withdrawal from the 1500 freestyle.

Then, during June’s Australian Olympic Trials, Titmus pulled off what was thought to be unthinkable: She challenged Ledecky’s world record of 3:56.46 in the 400 free by registering a time of 3:56.90. That territory visited by the 20-year-old was previously domain only known to the American, and not thought to be explored by others anytime soon. Still, Titmus needed to get the job done on the Olympic stage.

In some ways, Titmus has played the role of Ryan Lochte during his rivalry with Michael Phelps. The mere presence of Phelps on the starting blocks shook the confidence of many competitors, but Lochte embraced the challenge and possessed a confidence that he could close the gap and topple his American teammate. And while Phelps overwhelmingly ruled the entirety of the rivalry, Lochte enjoyed a brief period in the early 2010s when he bettered Phelps in the medley events and 200 freestyle.

Titmus has followed a similar path, undaunted by the previously never-seen times generated by Ledecky. Her coach Dean Boxall crafted a plan that would position his charge to contend against the U.S. star, and that blueprint worked splendidly. The tandem believed certain times, no matter how fast and formerly reserved for one person, were within reach and they chased them.

“I just thanked her,” Titmus said of Ledecky. “I wouldn’t be here without her. She’s set this standard for middle-distance freestyle. If I didn’t have someone like her to chase, I definitely wouldn’t be swimming the way I am.”

The Ledecky-Titmus rivalry also features the angle of disparate styles. The Ledecky camp, which includes her coach Greg Meehan, has adopted a buttoned-up approach.

Information pertaining to training and goals is rarely shared, and Ledecky’s comments to the media are vanilla. She does not discuss her competition. It’s an approach that works. On the other side of the spectrum, Titmus and Boxall are vocal, have lauded Ledecky by name and sworn – even after topflight performances – that much more speed is to come.

Following Titmus’ triumph, Boxall erupted into a wild celebration of arm waving, fist-pumping and screaming. It

elicited memories of Laurie Lawrence, the coach of Duncan Armstrong. When Armstrong won the 200 freestyle at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Lawrence celebrated by shaking security barriers and wandering up and down the venue stairs. Both outbursts revealed the care and passion for their athletes and work.

As is her trademark, Ledecky attacked from the start and had the lead at the 100-meter mark. But as opposed to the past, when she would already have clear room over the opposition, Titmus was right with the U.S. star. Ledecky touched at the midway point in 1:57.44, with Titmus at 1:58.10, and the American was still in front at 300 meters, although her margin had been cut to 2:58.11 to 2:58.27. Just a few strokes into the last 100 meters, Titmus was ahead and never looked back.

“Honestly, at the 200, I was a bit worried, but I did not come to the Olympic Games unprepared,” Titmus said. “I had to trust myself and stay as composed as I could. Use the speed that I have. And all that against a woman who has an amazing back end of her race. I’m really proud.”

Titmus’ victory will also end the speculation that she cannot beat a healthy Ledecky, a narrative which emerged in 2019 due to the American’s sickness at the World Champs.

To her credit, Ledecky defended her Olympic title superbly.

When the United States Olympic Trials were held in June, Ledecky won easily, but she looked sluggish and not the athlete who might be the best female swimmer in history. But as Tokyo approached, Ledecky obviously positioned herself to excel and have a chance at defending her three freestyle crowns from the Rio Games.

It just turned out that Titmus was a touch sharper.

“I’ve had some tough ones over the years,” Ledecky said.

“Certainly a tough race, but I think we delivered. It can’t get much better than that. It was tremendous racing, a lot of fun and I can’t be too disappointed with that. That was my second-best swim ever, and I feel like I fought tooth and nail, and that’s all you can ask for.

“She definitely swam a really smart race. She was really controlled up front and I felt pretty smooth and strong going out, and I looked up at the 300 and it was like, ‘oh, she’s right there.’ I knew it was going to be a battle until the end. I didn’t feel like I died or really fell off. I think she just had that faster last 50 or 75 and got her hand on the wall first.” ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

Katie Ledecky Powers to Gold in Inaugural Women’s 1500 Freestyle; Erica Sullivan Rallies for Silver

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I

t was the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the women’s marathon was added to the track and field program for the first time. As Joan Benoit captured the gold medal in sweltering heat, the event’s inclusion marked a major moment for women’s athletics. Finally, the gender was given equal billing with the men.

It took 37 years for swimming to catch up.

While Ledecky won gold, a back-half flourish from American Erica Sullivan yielded the silver medal to the 21-year-old, who touched the wall in 15:41.41. That effort was a fivesecond improvement over her personal best from the prelims.

Between the Olympic Trials last month in Omaha and the Games in Tokyo, Sullivan chopped 10 seconds from her personal best. She was followed as the bronze medalist by Germany’s Sarah Kohler (15:42.91).

The Games in Tokyo mark the first time women have contested the 1500-meter freestyle on the Olympic stage, their previous longest event the 800 freestyle. Although the decision to add the event should have been made long ago, it’s better late than never – as the cliché goes. More, the woman who earned the inaugural gold was perfect for the honor.

Since emerging as an Olympic champion in the 800 freestyle at the 2012 Games in London, Ledecky has been the face of distance swimming. Initially chasing Janet Evans for the distinction of greatest ever, Ledecky has assumed that identity. Consequently, it was fitting that Ledecky was crowned the first female champion in the metric mile.

Leading a gold-silver sweep for the United States, Katie Ledecky covered her 30 laps in 15:37.34 to etch her name in the record book. The greatest distance swimmer of all-time, Ledecky led wire-to-wire and posted the 12th-fastest mark in history. The fastest 11? Well, they all belong to the 24-yearold. The gold medal arrived a little more than an hour after Ledecky finished fifth in the final of the 200 freestyle, an event in which she was the defending champion.

In typical Ledecky fashion, she bolted to the front of the field off the start and was never challenged. No, this latest performance was not vintage Ledecky and didn’t come close to her world record of 15:20.48. But Ledecky was in command the whole way, building a second-plus lead by the 200 and moving that margin to two-plus seconds by the 400.

Most impressive was the way Ledecky stood out mentally, grinding through a brutal schedule and operating with a

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“We’re (Olympians) at the highest level and the most eyes on us of anyone in the world,” Ledecky said. “Everyone around the world is watching. The cameras follow you around and I have experienced that on days like today. Every move you make is watched and judged, and as much as we say we ignore it, I think we try to keep a positive mindset and move forward.”

Ledecky has spoiled the sport over the past nine years, to the point where nothing short of victory – an unfair weight – is expected. What is overlooked is that Ledecky, much >> Erica Sullivan & Katie Ledecky like Michael Phelps, has raised the bar and forced the competition to back half and cut her deficit to second-place Kohler to one elevate their performances. That second by the 1200. She moved into the No. 2 spot at the development can be seen in the way Australia’s Ariarne 1350-meter point and never looked back.

Titmus has risen to Olympic champion in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle, defeating Ledecky in both events.

Sullivan beamed after her performance, sharing an embrace with Ledecky in the pool, and another on the deck. The To Ledecky’s credit, she has demonstrated maturity and guts distance star’s mother is a Japanese citizen and Sullivan in Tokyo, taking her results in stride. When she won the silver speaks the language fluently. Obviously, excelling in Tokyo medal behind Titmus in the 400 freestyle, she accurately meant a great deal. And the manner in which Sullivan assessed the effort for what it was – a strong showing and medaled stood out. the second-best time of her career. It just happened that an Australian was a little faster. Meanwhile, she was undeterred “I’ve just had far too many races where I’ve gone out too by her fifth-place outing in the 200 freestyle. In about an recklessly and I’ve really felt tight in the last 500, which is hour, she put that race in the past and shifted her focus on so unlike me because even in the training pool, I don’t go out winning the inaugural 1500 freestyle for her gender. fast. I finish strong.,” Sullivan said. “Before the race, Coach Ron (Aitken), made it clear to me: ‘Hey, stay in control, stay Job done. relaxed, and trust your training.’ I said that to myself and I held on to hope the whole way.”

“After that tough 200 free, I was warming down and went blank for a little bit,” Ledecky said. “I tried to find some Undoubtedly, it was a key moment of growth for the sport positive things to get me moving forward. The easiest thing – even if it was excessively delayed. And it’s likely that a for me is to think of my grandmothers. We lost my two young girl watching Ledecky and Sullivan will want to grandfathers. I really love them all and it makes me happy follow in their paths. to think about them. They are four of the toughest people I know and if I thought about them during the race, I knew I “As a father of four daughters, it’s frustrating that it took would have the power I needed to get through the race.” this long,” said three-time Olympic gold medalist and NBC broadcaster Rowdy Gaines during the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Adopting a race strategy that was the antithesis of Ledecky, “It’s unbelievable. Someone thought women were not strong Sullivan spectacularly rallied herself to the silver medal. The enough, and 50 years ago, I guess you could understand it, University of Texas commit, who has dealt with the death of not that I agree with it. It’s a relief (for the athletes). I just her father and depression, sat in sixth place at the 400-meter feel bad for the generation that didn’t get a chance. At least mark and was just fifth at the 800, nearly four seconds out of second place. But Sullivan picked up the pace during the they’re doing it now.” ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

target on her suit and constantly in the public spotlight.

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Adam Peaty

Peaty, Greenbank, Guy & Scott Don’t Want Silver Lining as Team GB Enjoys Record Haul

BY LIZ BYRNES

When the British men’s 4×100 medley relay won silver in the final event of the pool program, it ensured Team GB left Tokyo with a record Olympic haul of eight medals and third in the medal table.

There were four golds, three silvers and one bronze. One world record. A one-two. And Duncan Scott became the most decorated British Olympian in any sport at a single Games with four medals.

did want the gold – but I think that hunger is still there now for three years’ time in Paris.”

Peaty’s comments explain perfectly the attitude that runs through the team.

Where once some would be happy to have booked their slot on the squad, now it is all about the podium and a constant quest for improvement.

However, the air hung heavy with the word “disappointed” and that after a European record of 3:27.51 as the United States won in a world record 3:26.78.

It exceeded their haul of six at Rio 2016 although there Jazz Carlin and Siobhan O’Connor won three silver medals between them.

Adam Peaty said: “I’m a little disappointed with that because we set our expectations so high, the culture within British Swimming is (all about) striving.”

In Tokyo, there were no individual medals for women with Abbie Wood the closest to the podium with fourth in the 200IM, locked out by 0.11.

Luke Greenbank – who led off the quartet – mused with a smile: “I can’t believe I’m saying this but we were a little bit disappointed with an Olympic silver medal which sounds ridiculous but it just shows how much faith we have in this team and I think we’re going to come back stronger.”

The women’s 4×100 free squad was fifth with Molly Renshaw and Kathleen Dawson sixth in the 200 breaststroke and 100 backstroke respectively.

James Guy too. “Getting this silver did hurt quite a bit – we 20

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Anna Hopkin though broke the British 100 free record, lowering Fran Halsall‘s 2009 mark to 52.75 and was seventh in the final, thriving under the expertise of Mel Marshall at

the Loughborough National Centre.

also in the Catalan city.

Alongside Hopkin in those Loughborough waters are Peaty and Greenbank while Dave McNulty continued his fine Olympic record at the Bath National Centre.

It is fair to say though that the mentality has changed. The selection policies ensure it’s tough to get on to the team and once there the hard work is just starting.

Dean – who led home Scott in the 200 free one-two – and Guy are training partners under McNulty with Calum Jarvis and Freya Anderson also receiving medals after swimming heats in their respective medal-winning relays.

Eight years ago on 31 July 2013, Peaty went inside a minute for the 100 breaststroke for the first time after narrowly missing the team for Tokyo.

Scott – who won a gold and three silvers – is coached by Steven Tigg at Stirling.

It’s a far cry from the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona when the team came away with one medal courtesy of Halsall in the 50 free.

It’s untrue though to say the landscape into which head coach Bill Furniss and national performance director Chris Spice walked was barren.

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

Guy made his senior debut with fifth in the 400 free in Barcelona with the team also featuring Tokyo swimmers Ben Proud, Ross Murdoch and Aimee Willmott.

Twelve months on and he won his first senior international title at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“It has been a colossal journey,” he said. “I have broken a world record every single year since (my debut).

“It just shows the amount of time, the amount of races, the amount of investment you’ve got to put into the sport. It doesn’t come easy.”

That winning mentality that saw him become the first British swimmer to retain an Olympic title came to the fore when talking of the medley relay.

O’Connor and Carlin also competed as did 2012 silver medallist Michael Jamieson and Chris Walker-Hebborn, who led off the medley relay to world titles and 2016 Olympic silver – all four at some point under the tutelage of McNulty.

“We knew we could probably get silver with great racing – we did that, we did great races – but we are always aiming for gold so we are not just looking to make finals like we were eight, 10 years ago – we are looking at how we can dominate those finals.

Renshaw had already made her GB debut at the 2011 World Championships while Hannah Miley had competed in two Olympics by that point with British stalwart Georgia Davies

“So we’ll go back to the drawing board – it’s a little bit painful that is – but theres no point in having that pain now, we are going to put it to rest.” ◄

>> >> Tom Dean, Matthew Richards & James Guy

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Cate Campbell & Emma McKeon

Golden Days Return With a Headline Performance From Australia’s Dolphins

BY IAN HANSON

The glory days of the Australian Swim Team returned in spectacular style in a memorable eight-day Olympic gold medal rush at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre – and already team bosses are planning and plotting the team’s assault towards Paris 2024.

The nine-gold medal haul by the Dolphins have generated these page one headlines including “Our Greatest” that have sent Australia into a swimming spin.

The team proudly displayed their medals and Australian flags and posed for history-making, history-keeping photos today in Tokyo after a medal factory-revealing final press conference, before returning to Australia and a two-week quarantine in Darwin.

A team of all ages from 28 and 29-year-old veterans of four Olympic campaigns Emily Seebohm and Cate Campbell to baby of the team in 17-year-old schoolgirl Mollie O’Callaghan, who returns with three medals – two gold and a bronze.

A team that came together like the teams of 2000, 2004 and 2008 – teams that included the likes of Kieren Perkins, Susie O’Neill, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Jodie Henry and Petria 22

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Thomas.

Thorpe saying in television commentary this week on Channel 7 that the spirit and the success of the class of 202021 matched that of the glory days of 2000-01 – when they won the World Championships in Fukuoka.

It has been 20 years since the Dolphins commanded the kind of headlines that heralded the performances gracing the front and back pages of the newspapers in this swimming mad country.

With Olympic broadcaster Channel Seven bringing unprecedented blanket coverage that has generating record ratings with much of Australia forced to stay at home in Covid lockdown – watching every lap, every turn and every dive of swimming coverage – making a splash after a broadcast drought that saw no live free-to-air coverage of the 2019 World Championships.

The Swim Team is back!

A 35-strong pool of Dolphins, led by National Head Coach Rohan Taylor and his right hand man, mentor coach Leigh Nugent, and a team of coaches who steered their charges to

the best performances of their lives.

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports ]

Twenty-five of them winning medals – a total of 53 medals –precious cargo that will be packed into their green and gold kit bags – as they jet out of Tokyo bound for Darwin.

“It’s amazing, unbelievable, everything we were hoping for,” Taylor said at a team press conference in Tokyo today.

“We had some things that didn’t go our way, but we had more go our way than not.

“I’m so proud to be a part of the team. Going through Covid was a challenging time for everyone in the world and for these athletes to come together, we really played on that as a resilience thing.”

And on shifting the Australian Trials to five weeks before the Games? Taylor said: “Obviously we’ve performed very well, so I would suggest off that … it went well.

“It’s something we needed to do – we needed to try something different, because we’d been doing the same thing for so long.

“I’d say it’s one of the ingredients, but probably the most important ingredient is we have is (a group of)…. talented athletes who know how to compete under pressure.”

With the team’s mentor coach and 2008 and 2012 head coach Nugent full of praise for the staff, with his own words of wisdom: “We had a wonderful coaching and support team assisting a team of professional swimmers to perform to their capabilities. A result of implementing change from the learnings of our Olympic performances of the past three decades.”

The pair will now spend their quarantine time reviewing and planning their Paris assault which is less than three years away – the World Championships and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham here before we know it.

They will build the future on a team that re-wrote the record books and continued to re-write them and re-write all over again before the ink was dry…..as the 2020-21 Dolphins became the country’s greatest ever Olympic Swim Team – winning: Nine Gold, Three Silver and Eight bronze medals for a total of 20 medals – the most ever gold by an Australian Swim team at an Olympics Games – one more than Melbourne from 1956 and two more than Athens from 2004.

A team that won four of the six women’s freestyle gold medals with Emma McKeon taking the 50 and 100m freestyle and Ariarne Titmus the 200 and 400m freestyle with those memorable performances to beat the world’s greatest

>>Kaylee McKeown

swimmer Katie Ledecky (USA) and pushing home strongly adding a close up silver to Ledecky in an 800m freestyle that the US superstar won for a record third Olympics.

Joined on the top of dais by triple gold medallist Kaylee McKeown who won the 100m and 200m backstroke gold and joining McKeon, rookie breaststroker Chelsea Hodges and four-time Olympic legend Cate Campbell for a spectacular medley mix that lit the final candle on a cake of gold.

McKeon won the greatest ever medal haul of any female swimmer in Olympic history with seven (Four gold and three silver); added to her four medals in Rio (1-1-2) and the 27-year-old becomes Australia’s greatest gold medallist from one single Games; the greatest total medal winner with 11, with her five total Games gold medals equaling Ian Thorpe with five.

A humble champion who added her third (50m freestyle) and fourth (the butterfly leg in the 4x100m medley) gold medals on the final day of swimming at a Tokyo Games that has ushered in the Australian team’s finest Olympic hours.

And it was Campbell who was full of praise for McKeon, saying: “I would just like to say full credit to Emma … we just need to acknowledge what an incredible job she has done.

She walks away from these Games with four gold medals…

“I honestly could not be happier for her. She is such an important part of this team and I think that needs to be recognised.”

And although she would not buy into her own future, Campbell, always the class act, showed just why she will go down in history as one of Australia’s all-time greats – adding that final golden touch to what could well be her last hurrah. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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your hand on the wall first, so I have no complaints.”

At the finish, Dressel glanced to the scoreboard to digest what unfolded, and upon realizing his triumph, the 24-year-old glanced upward with what appeared to be a sense of relief across his face, which gave way to emotions on the broadcast and on the medal stand.

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

For Dressel, who has been the face of the sport for the past few years, individual gold was the only missing element in a career portfolio packed with achievements. Now, that checkbox has been ticked. The emotions of it are different, not better or worse, but just different.

“It is a lot different,” he said. “I guess I thought it would be, but I just didn’t want to admit to it. It’s a lot tougher. You have to rely on yourself. There’s no one to bail you out if you have a bad split. It’s a lot different.”

In Long-Awaited Showdown, Caeleb Dressel Seizes 100 Freestyle Crown From Kyle Chalmers

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

he race has been hyped for several years. Before COVID-19 delayed the Olympic Games. During the pandemic – albeit with hope it would even take place. In the months leading up to the rescheduled Tokyo Games. Caeleb Dressel vs. Kyle Chalmers. The United States’ premier force vs. Australia’s top gun. Two-time world champion vs. reigning Olympic champion.

The duel had it all, and the showdown certainly lived up to its billing on Thursday morning at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

If some ballyhooed matchups fizzle out ont he big stage, that scenario did not fit the classic delivered by Dressel and Chalmers. Rather, it wasn’t until the touch that the victor was known, exactly what is desired from an Olympic final.

Blasting to the front of the field via his typically explosive start, Dressel remained strong down the final lap and touched the wall in an Olympic-record time of 47.02, just quick enough to deny Chalmers back-to-back golds. The Aussie was clocked in 47.08, with the bronze medal going to Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov in 47.44.

“I thought I executed well,” Dressel said. “I would’ve liked to have been out a little bit faster. But I’m happy with 47.0.

I would’ve liked to go a little bit faster for a PR, but these moments are a lot different than Worlds. Olympics is a quite different feel. I think the goal here for everybody is to get

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The battle between Dressel and Chalmers was a clash of styles, the American a fast-starting speedster whose explosiveness off the starting blocks is unmatched in the sport. Conversely, the Australian is a closer whose tactic is to remain close to the front of the field on the outward 50 meters and rely on his homecoming power on the homecoming lap.

Adding to the intrigue was the presence of Kolesnikov, who entered the final as the top seed whose skill set is of the Dressel approach. The silver medalist in the 100 backstroke earlier in the week, the Russian possesses raw speed and owns the world record in the 50 backstroke. Those fast-twitch muscles – obviously – were on display as the Games decided its champion in what is often referred to as the sport’s blueribbon event.

While some rivalries are bitter and contentious, such as Alexander Popov vs. Gary Hall Jr. and Kosuke Kitajima vs. Brendan Hansen, the Dressel-Chalmers rivalry has been nothing but respectful. They have lauded one another’s talents and used each other to elevate the event. Making the rivalry even more engaging has been its back-and-forth nature.

Consider the past: •

As Chalmers mined Olympic gold at the Rio Games in 2016, Dressel was sixth.

•

At the 2017 World Championships, which Chalmers missed due to injury, Dressel captured his first world title in the event.

•

The advantage returned to Chalmers at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, where he won gold in the 100 freestyle to a shared silver by Dressel.

•

At the 2019 World Championships, Dressel and Chalmers engaged in their finest showdown to date, with the American winning in 46.96, that scorching time needed to fend off the 47.08 of the Aussie.

•

In 2020, they waited.

Over the first half of the Games, it was evident Dressel and Chalmers were headed for another spectacular finish. For his part, Dressel looked strong on the leadoff leg of the United States’ title-winning 400 freestyle relay, and was solid in the first two rounds of the 100 freestyle. As for Chalmers, his superb anchor leg in the 400 free relay propelled Australia to the bronze medal, and the 23-year-old easily managed the prelims and semifinals of the 100 freestyle.

Indeed, the final shook out as expected. Dressel notched the fastest split over the first lap, turning in 22.39. He was followed by Kolesnikov at 22.49 and Chalmers at 22.71.

Down the last lap, Chalmers popped the fastest split, going 24.37. But Dressel was timed in 24.63, an effort that got the job done.

With two gold medals pocketed, Dressel still has four events to contest in Tokyo – the 100 butterfly, 50 freestyle and a pair of relays. Dressel is favored in each of his solo events, but the relays bring some uncertainty. The United States could finish anywhere on the podium in the mixed medley relay and the men’s 400 medley relay. There is a chance for Dressel to win six gold medals, which would elevate him to special status in Olympic lore. Historically, only Michael Phelps (2004/2008), Mark Spitz (1972), East Germany’s Kristin Otto (1988) and the Unified Team’s Vitaly Scherbo (1992) have matched or eclipsed six gold medals. All are swimmers except Scherbo, who is a legend from gymnastics, and Otto’s

accomplishments are clouded by her connections to East Germany’s systematic-doping program.

Chalmers was trying to join an exclusive club as a backto-back Olympic champion in the event, territor explored only by legends Duke Kahanamoku (1912/1920), Johnny Weissmuller (1924/1928), Popov (1992/1996) and Pieter van den Hoogenband (2000/2004). Dressel is the 11th American (totaling 13 titles) to win Olympic gold in the event.

“It is a bit bittersweet,” Chalmers said. “To get second is amazing, and to back it up with gold in Rio and the five-year journey, (which) has been really challenging and to get silver is special but to be so close, it does hit home a little bit.”

Kolesnikov, too, had conflicting feelings about his finish.

While it was pleasing to win another Olympic medal, he was hoping for a better performance.

“A little bit disappointed because it wasn’t the time I wanted to show – first of all for me, second for everyone,” Kolesnikov said. “Such different feelings right now. I’m third at the Olympics, which is really good because everybody wants Olympics, and I am third fastest right now. But at the same time, it’s not the time that I showed yesterday (European record in the semifinal) and yesterday I knew that I can do better.” ◄

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon & Cate Campbell

It’s a Three-Peat and World Record for Australia in 400 Freestyle Relay

T

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

he outcome was expected and, yet, Australia still found a way to dazzle as the first day of finals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo came to a conclusion. All it took was a world record in the 400-meter freestyle relay – and quite a global mark it was.

The foursome of Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell blasted a time of 3:29.69 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre to wipe nearly a half-second off the previous world record of 3:30.05, and hand Australia its third consecutive Olympic crown in the event. Cate Campbell, the oldest of the sister combination, has been the common denominator on all three relays.

Few events on the Olympic program are no-doubt-aboutit affairs, but the outcome of the first relay of the Tokyo Games truly has been long known. Australia boasts a sprint contingent that is unrivaled, the rest of the world envious of the Dolphins’ depth. Members of the Aussies’ prelim squad, Mollie O’Callaghan and Madison Wilson were cheerleaders during the final, and their skills certainly would have been welcomed by any other nation.

After Australia secured the top seed with a 3:31.73 marker in prelims, there was little doubt the world record was going down. The Aussies couldn’t go wrong in the selection of their two holdover swimmers from the opening round and had the knowledge they would sub in McKeon and the elder Campbell for the final. Those additions meant bolstering the relay with an athlete with the fastest time in the world this year and a woman who rates as one of the greatest relay swimmers in history.

From the start, Australia backed up its expectations, as the younger Campbell split 53.01 and gave way to the 53.09 of Harris. Then the dominance really started as McKeon, who has been 52.19 in the 100 free this year, produced a split of 51.35 to create a major cushion between Australia and the rest of the field. Campbell closed in 52.24, an anchor leg that simply solidified Australia’s status as the event’s premier power.

“Depth and high standards,” Cate Campbell said of the Aussie reign. “We’ve all really had to step up year in and year out, but also supporting each other. We come together at least once a year and train together for a full week. We push each other and challenge each other but we do that in a really supportive way.

There is no malice and no animosity toward one another, and I

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think that has just spoken volumes. This is the third Olympics in a row that Australia has won this event and that in itself really needs to be celebrated. To do that for 13 years in a row is incredible.”

The gap between Australia and Canada, which picked up the silver medal on the strength of Penny Oleksiak’s anchor effort, was more than three seconds. That difference is an eternity and surely will have coaches around the world looking to Australia to glean ideas for how to enhance their sprinting programs.

En route to the silver medal, Canada benefited from Oleksiak’s excellence down the stretch. Trailing the United States’ Simone Manuel when they entered the water, Oleksiak split 52.26 to rally the Canadians to the second step on the podium. She was joined by Kayla Sanchez (53.42), Maggie MacNeil (53.47) and Rebecca Smith (53.63) and furthered her reputation as a big-race performer. Four years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Oleksiak shared gold with Manuel in the 100 freestyle and added three other medals.

For the United States, its bronze medal was a positive result considering the uncertainty that emerged surrounding the relay during prelims. When Team USA qualified only fifth during heats, it seemed plausible that the U.S. could miss the podium.

Instead, it did enough to medal, thanks to the combination of Erika Brown, Abbey Weitzeil, Natalie Hinds and Manuel. The Americans were timed in 3:32.81, with the Netherlands fourth at 3:33.70.

Given Manuel’s difficult past few months, a period in which she has dealt with Overtraining Syndrome, her closing leg of 52.96 to ensure a podium place for the United States was a badge of guts. Additionally, Weitzeil gave an all-important split of 52.68 and Hinds was quicker than her prelims effort that earned her a spot on the squad for finals.

“I don’t think it mattered if I was on this relay or not,” Manuel said. “I’ve seen improvement since going to Trials, and I think it doesn’t do me any justice to step up on the block and not be confident in the training that I’ve done. Even though the last couple of months haven’t been the greatest for me, I’ve trained really hard the last four or five years, so eventually that hard work will show up. I just have to keep trusting in myself.”

Obviously, Australia has developed a deep trust in the implementation of its sprint training that has led to untouchable status.

“It’s very special to be part of this relay. It always is,” Bronte Campbell said. “The competition in Australia is fierce for this relay and that’s what makes us so competitive on the international stage. It’s more than us competing against each other for the spots on the relay because we really are an extended team, and we support each other. That is why we have managed to have such a strong team for so long.” ◄

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major events contested in an Olympic Games from opposite sides of the pool and not from the centre lanes – but these are no ordinary times, and these are turning out to be no ordinary Games.

Hafnaoui told NBC: “I just can’t believe it, it’s amazing…I felt better in the water this morning (than) yesterday and that’s it – I’m Olympic champion now!”

He later added his reaction to winning the gold, saying: “”I just can’t accept that – it is too incredible.”

Ahmed Hafnaoui Shocks

By Winning Gold From Lane Eight

BY IAN HANSON

Tunisian teenager Ahmed Hafnaoui caused the first major upset of the Tokyo 2020 Games – winning an extraordinary Olympic gold in the 400 metres freestyle from lane eight.

The 18-year-old, swimming in his first major international long course competition, only just scraped into the final but produced the swim of his life at the Tokyo Olympic Aquatic Centre.

It was a special Olympic performance made in heaven – a second coming for Tunisia – following in the footsteps of his idol and Tokyo team mate – the great 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli – who won the first of his Olympic golds in Beijing in the 1500m freestyle.

And on whether he is inspired by three-time Olympic medallist Mellouli?….Hafnaoui replied: “Oussama is a legend. I wish I could become like him.”

And on his coach cheering for him in the stands: “He is so supportive. I have two coaches, they have worked (so) hard.”

And there was not only an immediate flash back to Beijing and the final session of the 2008 Games when Mellouli caused a major upset – beating Hackett – and stopping the Aussie’s crack at a three-peat but also to 1996 when another Australian Kieren Perkins defended his 1500m freestyle gold – swimming from lane eight.

Hafnaoui wasted no time in launching his celebrations, jumping on the lane rope and thrusting his arms in the air – what a moment for a youngster who has written his way into the Olympic annals.

McLoughlin said he normally wears glasses so he was pretty far out of it. When I saw what I came in the heats I was, like, this is perfect, because that was going to be my race plan.

Hafnaoui grabbed his gold by just 0.16secs in 3:43.36 from Australia’s Jack McLoughlin (3:43.52) with the USA’s Kieran Smith taking bronze in 3:43.94.

“I knew those boys had real big back ends (latter part of the race) so I was trying to get out in front and just say, ‘chase me’ and it almost paid off.”

And it’s a pool of dreams for Hafnaoui, dreams that can be won and lost in milliseconds – the Tunisian making the final by just 0.14seconds and winning it by 0.16 – in a personal best of over two seconds – pointing to his coach and his followers in the grandstand.

“I couldn’t really see all the way over (to lane eight). I could see some splashes and I could see the middle of the pool moving at me (during) the last 100m, but I was just trying to hold on.

It was an Olympic moment to behold, only Tunisia’s second gold medal in the pool and third in swimming and joins the country’s legendary six-time Olympian Mellouli who beat Australia’s Grant Hackett to win that memorable gold in the 1500m in Beijing in 2008 – and added his second over 10km in London – putting Tunisian swimming on the Olympic map.

And Hafnaoui of course also beating an Australian in McLoughlin, who led the race from lane two through 200m until the final turn.

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“I didn’t really breathe the last 10m and I was kind of sinking at the end, so got there in the end.”

“I knew I’d be up there. I just knew they were coming at me, so I was just hoping I could put my hand on the wall.

“I am super stoked for second, a little annoyed I didn’t get the win.”

Hafnaoui started to make his mark on the pool in 2018 – at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires – finishing 7th in the 800m and 8th in the 400m after standing out at the African Championships winning two bronze medals over 800 and 1500m. ◄

[ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars/USA TODAY Sports ]

Katie Ledecky Has No Retirement Plans; Looking Ahead to Paris...and Maybe Los Angeles

BY JOHN LOHN - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I

f there was any doubt concerning her future in the sport, Katie Ledecky put the speculation to rest after she concluded her program at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Following her third consecutive gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle, the American distance star confirmed that she will continue on to the 2024 Games in Paris, with the possibility of pursuing the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Ledecky made her Olympic debut in 2012 in London, where she won the first of her six individual gold medals as a 15-year-old. Although she is only 24, Ledecky has put herself through a grind – physically and mentally – to establish herself as perhaps the finest female swimmer in history.

Still, she acknowledged a love for the sport and plans to stay competitive.

She was also fifth in the 200 freestyle.

Titles in the 200 free and 400 free went to Australian Ariarne Titmus, who was the silver medalist behind Ledecky in the 800 freestyle. A respectful rivalry has developed between the women.

“She swam so fast at her (Australian Olympic) Trials and I was a little off at my Trials and it really pushed me to work hard for that period in between Trials and here,” Ledecky said of Titmus. “I wanted to deliver. I wanted to have that great race that we had in the 400 (freestyle). I wanted to be up there with her and give her a great race. I think we’ve really pushed each other, not just this week but over the past five years in training. Just knowing that we’re both out there working hard and trying to get to this point and get to these races.” ◄

“I’m still young. Twenty-four is not that old,” Ledecky said during her press conference. “People are sticking around in this sport into SWIM MART their 30s. I still love this sport. I love it more and more every year. I feel I’m going to give every ounce I have to this sport. I love the training, I love the day to day. I’m just going to keep doing it until I feel like it’s time. Obviously, the Olympics in 2028 are in L.A. so that’s kind of out there and appealing also.”

Ledecky collected four medals at the Tokyo Games. She was the gold medalist in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle and added silver medals in the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay.

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and that doubled the number of medals won by European women throughout the meet.

Italy’s Simona Quadarella won a bronze in the 800 free and Germany’s Sarah Kohler won bronze in the 1500 free.

So just four medals and Sjostrom’s the only silver.

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports ]

For comparison, in 2012, European women won four gold and 14 medals overall. In 2008, they won six gold and 12 total medals. In 2004, it was six gold and a stunning 21 total medals. In 2000, it was eight gold and 20 total medals.

The last time the European women went without a gold medal was the 1972 Munich Games.

Several European gold medalists of the past were in Tokyo this week, including Sjostrom, Blume, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, Italy’s Federica Pellegrini, Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands and Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain.

Sarah Sjostrom Silver Medal a Silver Lining for Her & European Women

BY DAN D'ADDONA

S

arah Sjostrom was so excited with her silver medal in the 50 freestyle on the final night of swimming at the Tokyo Olympic Games that she celebrated as if she had won gold.

It has been an extremely tough year for Sjostrom, who had an elbow injury just months before the games. She wasn’t expected to be at her best, and she wasn’t — though in fairness her best is world-record pace kind of swims and that isn’t a fair standard to hold against anyone.

Still, she swam well in a lot of events, making several finals, but didn’t medal until the last day.

It was great to see that kind of emotion from the Swedish star, as her reaction told the story of how difficult the quick comeback was after her injury and just how much winning a medal meant to her. Plus her 24.07 matched her best recent time pre-injury.

But that race was one of the few thrills for European women in Tokyo.

Sjostrom and Denmark’s Pernille Blume went 2-3 in the 50 freestyle on the final night behind Australia’s Emma McKeon

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In 2016, Hosszu, won both IMs and the 100 back, Sjostrom won the 100 butterfly, Belmonte Garcia own the 200 butterfly and Blume won the 50.

That’s six individual gold medals for European women, who also won seven silver and five bronze.

So the European women went from 18 medals to four, with no gold this year.

There are a lot of factors that go into that. The first is time.

Five years between Olympic Games took a toll on older swimmers, including several former medal winners. Some retired between games. Some weren’t at their best.

The flip side of that issue is the youth movement, particularly from the U.S. who saw several teenagers claim medals.

For Sjostrom, who won three individual medals in Rio, injuries definitely were the deciding factor. We will never know if she would have won gold in any of those events, but it seems like she would have won more than one medal had she been healthy at least.

While it was disappointing, her silver medal to close the meet was a welcome sight to the world of swimming, and a silver lining for her and all of Europe.

With a a not-100-percent Sarah Sjostrom claiming a silver medal, and just three years until Paris 2014, there should be at least one more shot for the world to see how great a healthy Sjostrom can be as she leads the next European charge. ◄

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Michael Andrew

Men’s Medley Relay Lineup Was Right One — And Gold Medal Proved It

BY DAVID RIEDER

T

he U.S. swim team coaching staff had made some relay decisions that could best be described as questionable, decisions that resulted in the two worst relay finishes for the United States in Olympic swimming history. Confidence in those decisions was shaken, significantly so. Prior to the meet’s final day, yet another agonizing relay decision hovered over the American men’s staff, with only an alltime undefeated record at the Olympics on the line.

They made the call, they submitted the lineup, and they walked out to the blocks behind lane one, where the Americans would swim after a rough effort in the prelims more than 36 hours earlier. This time, the difficult decision paid off — Michael Andrew, the scrutinized 22-year-old at the end of an Olympics debut where his performances were not up to the par he set for himself at last month’s Olympics Trials, put up exactly the split he needed on the breaststroke leg.

For the purposes of relay selection, the coaching staff mainly involves head U.S. men’s coach Dave Durden, women’s coach Greg Meehan and National Team managing director Lindsay Mintenko. The other eight members of the official Olympic team coaching staff contribute their input, but it’s that trio who make the final calls.

Around the halfway point of the Olympics, the staff made the decision to place Zach Apple in a high-stakes spot in the 800 free relay — when the 200 free is not Apple’s best event and Apple had already swum the 100 free semifinals earlier in the session — and Apple faded down the stretch.

The Americans could not make up the difference and ended up fourth. Then, the staff bucked conventional wisdom and even the straight numbers when putting together the lineup for the mixed 400 medley relay. That team ended up fifth, more than one-and-a-half seconds away from the podium.

Less than two minutes later, the American men were gold medalists again — with a world record to boot.

After that mixed relay debacle on day seven, only the singlegender medley relays remained on the Tokyo schedule, and those are typically straightforward strategically. Cannot mess that up, right? In this case, maybe.

Credit where credit is due. The U.S. staff got this one right.

By all accounts, it was not a perfect week for Andrew. He

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew & Zach Apple

took fourth in the 100 breast final, more than a half-second off his American record set at Olympic Trials. In the 200 IM, the event he arrived in Tokyo holding the world’s fastest time by more than a half-second, Andrew faded badly down the stretch. While he usually slows down on the freestyle, this was way more of a slog than Andrew’s Olympic Trials performances. He ended up fifth, more than two seconds off his Olympic Trials time.

was sixth-place Great Britain he had to watch out for, with world-record holder Adam Peaty handling that leg.

Undoubtedly, Peaty was going to crush Andrew, but by how much? Peaty would put up a 56.53 breaststroke split, one of history’s fastest. Andrew got out-split by two seconds — and you know what? That kept it close enough for Dressel to launch into the pool and got the job done, building a lead the Americans would never surrender.

Do we trust him? The coaches had to ask themselves that question. By this point, the staff had realized they were overanalyzing decisions and second-guessing themselves, all to the detriment of the team. But given Andrew’s struggles and the fact that he would be competing on the relay just an hour after the 50 freestyle final, you wondered if the U.S. would turn to Andrew Wilson, eighth in the 100 breast at the Olympics, or perhaps Nic Fink, third in the 100 breast at Olympic Trials and fifth in the 200 breast in Rio.

And after the men’s 800 free relay and mixed 400 medley relay resulted with two of the most disappointing moments in U.S. Olympic swimming history, the men’s medley ended in a signature moment: the Americans winning gold by seven tenths, breaking a 12-year-old, supersuit-era world record by a half-second. Murphy, in particular, shouted and screamed in jubilation, his teammates joining in on the celebration.

Any of the three would bring risk. While Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Murphy are longtime veterans of this medley relay, the others, certainly would not. The U.S. has spent years searching for swimmers to take up the mantle of in sprint breaststroke, and while Andrew took massive strides in that direction at Olympic Trials, his Tokyo struggles brought him back to Earth.

Could they trust Andrew, who would be competing in an international long course relay for the first time in his career?

Yes. Yes they could.

Andrew began with a two-tenth-lead over Italy, but it

If the earlier debacles were on the coaching staff, so too was this enormous success. They took a strategic gamble, and it worked. Placing Apple on the anchor leg was another slight risk since Apple would be racing for the first time since that rough 800 free relay split Wednesday. But here, Apple would deliver the fastest anchor split in the field at 46.95, another decision gone right — and a redemptive moment for Apple, too, after the 24-year-old had been up and down in his first Olympics experience.

It took until the very last race of the meet, but a difficult relay choice finally worked like a charm, earning the Americans another gold medal. The coaches pushed the right buttons this time, and that kept the Americans undefeated in the event throughout Olympic history. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem, Maggie MacNeil and Penny Oleksiak

By Any Measure, a Historically Successful Olympics for Swimming Canada

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

J

ohn Atkinson toggles between the long- and short-term perspectives.

that I’ll split that up today is we’re equal fourth on the medal table with six total medals.”

Three months ago, Atkinson and Swimming Canada were struggling with how to stage Olympic Trials as a pernicious wave of COVID-19 cases washed over the country. Already out of the water for the longest stretch of any of the leading nations, the path to Tokyo seemed obstructed anew. As much as Atkinson’s job was to not dim optimism, particularly around a women’s program tipped for big things, it was hard at times to prevent doubt seeping in.

Such a haul can be taken for granted from the external view, given the preponderance of college stars and World Championships medalists Canada has raised through the years. But winning just three combined medals in 2012 and 2008, on the heels of being shut out in Athens in 2004, six medals – one goal, three silver, two bronze – is a historically massive return. (And Atkinson would add four fourth-place finishes in Canadian record times, which he’s just as pleased about.)

But Atkinson weighed those concerns against what he felt when he took over as the high performance director in March 2013. Then, Canada had won just two medals at the most recent Games in 2012. One of the medalists, Brent Hayden, had retired before London’s closing ceremonies. The last Canadian women’s swimming medal was collecting dust, already 17 years old. Atkinson inherited a grand total of eight Canadians in the top eight of their events worldwide.

Through either lens, from the immediate obstacles of 2020 to the decade-long rebuild of the program, Swimming Canada’s achievements at the Olympics were nothing short of a rousing success.

There are so many reasons for Swimming Canada to be pleased with those results. The COVID-19 conditions in the country are one, for sure. But even once the pared-down Trials were conducted in June, surprises still cropped up. Taylor Ruck went from holding Canadian records in the 50 and 200 free to failing to qualify for the Games in either, her freestyle form evidently abandoning here. She didn’t factor into the medals save for two prelims relay swims. Sydney Pickrem, an anticipated medal threat in three individual events, had to pull back due to an illness upon arrival in Japan, swimming instead just one individual event and a gutsy medley relay leg for bronze.

“You want to see things progress annually and from year to year,” Atkinson said Sunday from the mixed zone at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. “The strategic plan of Swimming Canada when I started was to be a top-six swimming nation.

And you can split that up whichever way you want. The way

It speaks to the group’s adaptability. As Atkinson puts it, any collection of 26 individuals will face unforeseen adversity on an international trip, pandemic or not. The mystery isn’t if something will go wrong but what that something is. And then the challenge shifts to how you choose to cope with it.

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“It’s been crazy,” Pickrem said. “I think emotions have been high, they’ve been low. It’s a long meet. It’s always going to be like that, and you have to make sure you can handle it.

“If you would’ve asked me two weeks ago what did I envision my Olympics, I would’ve said I’d do three individuals.

Instead, I did one individual and two relays. And I think I got to embrace a side of swimming that I didn’t necessarily know I was going to get at these Olympic Games. I got to be part of a team more than I could’ve asked for.”

The group has grown closer over the last year because of the pandemic closures all but requiring them to flock to the Toronto High Performance Centre to train, and it paid dividends in Tokyo.

Masse, in particular, is the primary leader in that regard, as coach Ben Titley put in no uncertain terms.

“Kylie Masse is possibly the greatest human being I’ve ever coached,” the veteran coach said. “You’ll see it in her smile, you’ll see it in her eyes, you’ll see it in the way that she acts, probably with you, definitely with her friends, definitely with volunteers and staff like that around. …

“She is probably the nicest athlete I’ve coached in a personal respect. Most athletes have a bit of an edge to them, and they do need that. She has a steeliness about her when it’s a competitive environment. Any time outside of that, she’s a phenomenal young woman and she’s going to be successful in whatever she chooses to do in life.”

The team’s excellence is magnified by its place in the greater Canadian effort in Tokyo. Not only were all six swimming medals taken home by women, but the first 11 medals that Canada won in all sports belonged to women. Those athletes have gotten the attention back home to match, and it offers a poignant return on investment in girls and women in sports.

“I think it’s so empowering and inspiring to be surrounded by so many successful and dedicated athletes,” Masse said. “But to have them all be female right now, it’s so empowering and so special, and I think hopefully it’s inspiration to younger

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

The Canadian adaptability is rooted in its team dynamic.

It starts with exemplary leaders at the top, whether it’s Penny Oleksiak leading by her performances in the water (and her perspective out of it), Kylie Masse being the allaround standard-bearer or Pickrem providing constant (and blindingly honest) vocal support. Even younger swimmers like Maggie MacNeil, who grabbed the country’s gold medal via the 100 butterfly, have the seasoning of multiple NCAA and World Championships required to perform to their best on the Olympic stage. >> Rebecca Smith, Maggie MacNeil & Kayla Sanchez

kids in sport, and not even just sport but in all aspects of their lives, that they can achieve whatever they want as long as they work hard.”

“I’m just super grateful to have these girls and have the training group that we have, have the staff that we have, have the support in Canada that we have,” Oleksiak said. “ … It takes off a little bit of pressure, lets you focus on your racing and having these girls and knowing that I have the best girls in the world to race with, I pretty much have a medal in the back of my mind the whole race. I’m racing with three of the best swimmers in the world so why should I worry.”

Whichever way you phrase the hypotheticals to Atkinson, his answer is the same. If you told him, on his first day on the job in 2013, that eight years on, Swimming Canada would be a top-five swimming nation on the medal count, he would’ve taken it.

Had you presented him the same bargain in May, he again would’ve signed the deal without hesitation.

“I’m really proud of the team, really proud of the athletes, really proud of the coaches and the team behind the team, the support staff that have done a great job in preparing them to be here and do their best,” Atkinson said.

Not just their best now, but a best that stacks up favorably against anything the program has ever produced. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

>> Zhang Yufei

With Relay Medals, China Announces New Era of Swim Prowess

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

China’s swim program is too weighed down with medals to count as emerging any more. But at the very least, China’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics marks a potential inflection point.

Absent from these Games were arguably the two most recognizable names in the program’s recent history – one suspended for doping infractions (Sun Yang), one failing to qualify (Ye Shiwen). Yet China managed to still finish tied for fifth with six total medals from the pool. Even more impressive is the array of talent that got them there and the pair of relay medals that are indicative of the program’s depth.

The six medals fit with the recent history from China. It won six at the 2016 Rio Games and the 2008 home Games in Beijing before ramping up to 10 in London in 2012. But even that London tally featured a lone relay bronze, as opposed to relay gold (women’s 800 free) and silver (mixed medley) in Tokyo.

It can be difficult to remember that the Chinese program, as recently as the 2000 Sydney Games, was completely shut out of the medals, despite smatterings of success in the 1990s (much of it dogged by rumors if not many actual findings of 36

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doping, in the women’s program in particular).

The capstone performance was the women’s 800 free relay, in which Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei and Li Bingjie set the world record in 7:40.33. Yang’s outstanding opening leg of 1:54.37 built a two-second lead over the U.S., which clawed back all but four tenths in an American record that resulted in silver. All three medalists, with the Australians in bronze, undercut the old world record.

“We didn’t expect to win the gold,” Li said. “We just tried to finish third because Australia and the United States are very strong.”

That relay provided the Chinese story of the meet, with Zhang, fresh off gold in the women’s 200 fly, not told until after that swim that she would be on the relay.

“I didn’t know I was doing it until I’d finished the 200 butterfly and our coach told me, ‘you’re in the relay,’” she said. “I didn’t even know how to swim the 200 free, although I have the training qualities and levels for the 200m distances.

At the Chinese National Championships, I went very fast, so maybe that’s why the coaches asked me to join the relay.”

“We knew Zhang would be swimming in the relay, but the coach told us not to tell her – she was the last one to know,” Li said. “We were inspired by her 200 butterfly and we were excited, and it made us determined to do our best at the relay.

We were all in tears.”

Zhang perpetuated one of the most impressive yet under-the-radar streaks in women’s swimming, China winning its third women’s 200 fly title in the last four Games.

She joins Liu Zige in 2008 and Jiao Liuyang, who got silver in 2008, in 2012. Zhang added silver in the 100 fly. The 23-year-old’s performance in the 200 was utterly dominant, her picture-perfect stroke a thing of beauty.

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports ]

Yang also brought home the mixed medley relay for silver with Xu Jiayu, Yan Zibei and Zhang.

>> China’s world record-setting 800 freestyle relay

“When I joined my coach, yes my priority was the 200 (butterfly), said Zhang, who finished sixth in the event in Rio. “Even until now I can’t tell what the priority is, 100 or 200. My priority is butterfly, that is it. My coach doesn’t want me to focus on the distance, but the race itself.”

China put finalists in all but five women’s events. They got successful programs from both Li, who won bronze in the 400 free, and Zhang. Yang was fourth in the 200 free, beating Katie Ledecky and Federica Pellegrini. Wang Jianjiahe scored a fourth and a fifth in the women’s distance events.

The medal tally came with limited contributions from the men, Wang Shun’s gold in the 200 individual medley the only piece of hardware. (He won bronze in the event in Rio).

Xu, the two-time reigning men’s 100 back world champion, wasn’t a medal factor. And the obvious absence of Sun, whose six all-time medals is like a country unto himself, lowered the Chinese total. Ye, despite her turn in the spotlight at the 2012 Olympics, won silvers in the IMs at the 2019 World Championships but didn’t get to Tokyo.

The latest resurgence in Chinese swimming has had a technological assist. The South China Morning Post detailed how swimmers and other athletes (including the women’s quadruple sculls boat that won gold), have availed themselves of aerodynamics training with the China Aerospace Science

and Technology Corporation (CASC). The program exceeds simple wind-tunnel testing, with sensors used in missile development miniaturized to work on human bodies.

From SCMP: CASC said space scientists spent more than a year modifying the technology and reduced the weight of a high-precision gyroscope to just a few grams, so it could be worn comfortably by a swimmer on shoulders and other joint areas without hindering movement.

The athletes were then positioned in a wind tunnel and tracked as they “swam” against the wind.

The simulation allowed the scientists to calculate the precise drag produced by different movements, CASC said.

Wang, as one of the leaders on the Chinese delegation and a relative veteran at 27, alluded to a considerably less technological reason for the success.

“The key lies in unity,” he said. “We have one single target and objective to achieve. Under such a structure, we have a lot of motivation to achieve this.” ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports ]

>> Ashleigh Johnson

Behind Outstanding Ashleigh Johnson, U.S. Women’s Water Polo Claim Third Straight Gold

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

F

or the briefest of moments, the U.S. women’s water polo team looked vulnerable. In the gold medal game, against the heavy underdog Spain, the U.S. saw an early lead challenged by an even second quarter.

Then Ashleigh Johnson and company did what the U.S. does better than any water polo team in the world.

Johnson was a brick wall in an outstanding performance, and the U.S. used that platform to run away from Spain with five unanswered goals in the third quarter en route to a 14-5 win in the gold-medal match of the Tokyo Olympics.

It’s the team’s third straight gold medal, a streak that stretches back to London, again defeating Spain in the gold-medal match. The U.S. won silver in Beijing in 2008. It’s a third straight gold for Melissa Seidemann and Maggie Steffens.

Maddie Musselman, Rachel Fattal, Kaleigh Gilchrist, Johnson, Aria Fischer and Makenzie Fischer all have won their second consecutive gold.

“I have the chills right now. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet. I’m just proud of this moment. One thing we focused on through this whole tournament is just to enjoy the moment as much as possible and that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m

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just really happy,” Steffens said. “It wasn’t just one player.

It wasn’t two players. You look up on there and we had different people getting blocks, different people getting huge goals here, different people guarding and to see such a full team at the end of this just makes me feel really proud to be a part of it.”

The Spanish team would’ve sensed some opportunity in the U.S., with the Americans having dropped a group-stage game to Hungary to end a win streak dating back to the Beijing Olympics. But that vulnerability proved illusory, with a gold-medal score near that of the Rio triumph over Italy (125). The emotional celebration that followed illustrated that nothing was taken for granted, even from America’s golden generation of polo players.

“This moment is everything we’ve been working towards over the past five years, and especially over the past 14 months. It’s been an intense show of resiliency and teamwork and love and passion and I’m so proud of what my team showed today. I’m so proud of how we performed for each other today and for the people that we represent. I hope everyone was watching and I hope they find something in our performance today because we gave everything that we had,” Johnson said.

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports ]

“This one is special because it’s a whole different team. It’s with a whole different mindset. I’m not the same athlete that I was in 2016. I’ve grown so much. I got to know these girls so well and it just showed today in the water how much effort and work we put in over the past few years.

Saturday’s win appeared in doubt for a moment. The U.S. jumped out to a 4-1 lead after one quarter and a 6-1 lead in the middle of the second, but Spain clawed it back to just a 7-4 lead at halftime.

The U.S. responded by making sure Spain stayed stuck on four goals for just shy of 14 minutes. Johnson was simply outstanding, stopping all six action shots she faced in the third quarter as the U.S. ran away and hit. She allowed four goals on 15 shots on target before Amanda Long replaced her with 2:35 to play.

Spain scored just one goal on 16 action-shot opportunities.

The offense did its bit with customary balance. Musselman scored three times. Defensive-minded players Gilchrist and Alys Williams scored twice each, while Aria Fischer scored two goals to go with dogged work in drawing exclusions. The U.S. was 8-for-10 on extra-player opportunities.

Fattal scored with one second left in the first quarter to make it 4-1 U.S. Gilchrist tallied to make it 6-1 at 5:48 of the second, but Spain charged back, with Maria Garcia Godoy’s second goal of the half sending Spain into the break down just 7-4.

But the contact would be short lived. Williams and Aria Fischer scored on the first two possessions of the second half to make it 9-4. Stephanie Haralabidis buried a penalty shot to make it 11-4, and Aria Fischer ended all doubt by scoring with six seconds left in the quarter, a 5-0 margin that was too much for youthful but game Spain to overcome.

The American women have been the dominant team in this era of water polo. In addition to the three straight Olympic gold medals, the team has captured three straight world titles (2015, 2017 and 2019), three straight World Cup victories and seven straight wins in the FINA Water Polo World League. U.S. head coach Adam Krikorian credited that run of impressive results to the mental makeup of his veteran players.

“I don’t know. Other than (they’re) fierce, competitive athletes who are so hungry for more, no matter how much success they’ve had,” Krikorian said. “They’re unwavering in

their approach. Obviously, when you’ve had success before it gives you some confidence going into a game like this.

We’ve talked a lot about the fine line between confidence and complacency. But we’ve done a fantastic job of just staying focused through this process, and it’s amazing.”

The team’s offensive surge was predicated on the dominance of its goalkeeper. “When she is on, and you can tell early she was feeling it, and seeing the ball really well, we’re almost impossible to beat,” Krikorian said of Johnson.

Musselman added, “Her presence, you can feel it, even when you’re on offence. You hear her voice everywhere you are.

She’s a dominant force in there and you know that when she has the first quarter in her hands, the rest of the game is in her hands, too. That’s special to have someone back there with so much confidence. You don’t even have to turn around to know if she’s blocked it or not, you just know.”

Meanwhile, Spain earned a silver medal after an impressive 6-2 run in the Olympic tournament. Prior to Saturday’s loss to the Americans, Spain’s only defeat was a narrow 1413 setback to the Netherlands on July 28. But that was no consolation for the Spanish women after falling to the U.S. “Destroyed,” said Spain’s Anna Espar Llaquet. “I really wanted this gold and I can only say congratulations to the USA. They played an amazing game. I’m really proud of my team and what we have achieved and I’m only thinking of Paris (2024).”

Musselman and Steffens finished 18 goals each for the tournament, tied for second most, and she was named the Most Valuable Player of the Olympics. Makenzie Fischer added 14 goals. Johnson stopped 65 percent of her shots for the tournament (80 of 124), and for her efforts, she was named the tournament’s top goalkeeper. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[PHOTO BY FRANK MITCHELL]

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enjoys exceeding expectations. Our coaches will often challenge him at various workout stages to achieve an even higher gear. I like that Miles looks for areas in which to compete when training, whether it be the first 15 meters or to the finish.”

A consummate teammate, Simon often sets the tone of Howard practices. “He never complains when the set is difficult, and the team feeds off of his approach to training and the example he sets. He is super-encouraging and fun to train with. He could honestly share a lane with anyone of any ability in any pool,” says Askew.

As an HU swimmer, Askew has trained Miles primarily to compete in the 100 fly, 200 IM, 100-200 free and 100-200 back, and he has shown steady improvement as a result.

HOW THEY TRAIN

MILES SIMON

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

Free: 400 @ 8:00, 300 @ 8:00, 200 @ 8:00, 100 @ 8:00 (All MAX EFFORT, all off the block)

PROGRESSION OF TIMES SCY

SIMON SETS Following are two workouts Bison swimmers did as a way to chart team progress (with Miles Simon’s times shown for September and November).

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

400: September 3:57.05; November 4:00.92

100 FREE

47.86

47.54

46.58

45.59

300: September 2:54.35; November 2:58.42

100 BACK

53.23

52.32

49.97

50.12

200 BACK

1:59.15

1:55.98

1:51.91

—

200: September 1:51.53; November 1:50.44

—

53.95

51.68

—

100 IM

W

ith a return to normalcy, rising junior Miles Simon is looking forward to a breakout year. Fresh off a baptism in the 50 meter free at U.S. Olympic Trials with a 23.42 (tied for 61st out of 95 swimmers)—well off his 23.11 qualifying time—Simon is ready to improve upon his already impressive Bison résumé. Currently, the Atlanta product and Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Academic honoree owns top-10 times in seven Howard individual events, two of them firsts: 100 yard back (49.97) and 100 IM (51.68). He also shares firsts in four relays: 200-400 medley and 400-800 freestyle.

Says his coach, Nicholas Askew, “Miles has a very laid-back personality—never too high or too low. He is not easily rattled, nor will you see him just sitting idle. He is always working to improve himself or giving his time to help improve others. Miles is very driven and enjoys the challenge of progress. He understands the loads of work and sacrifice necessary to see improvement and is fueled by seeing progress from his efforts. He also pulls fulfillment from seeing others succeed.

“When training, Miles quickly grasps the intent behind sets and

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100: September 50.71; November 48.20 200 fly, back, breast, IM; 100 fly, back, 100 breast, IM—each off 8:00 (All MAX EFFORT, all off the block)

200 fly: September 2:06.22; November 2:08.53 200 back: September 2:06.19; November 2:03.30 200 breast: September 2:30.88; November 2:31.83 200 IM: September 2:05.43; November 2:02.51 100 fly: September 56.68; November 55.34 100 back: September 58.62; November 54.00 100 breast: September 1:14.07; November 1:11.54 100 IM: September 55.98; November 55.46 

Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.

PARTING SHOT

>> Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA) reacts after winning the women's 200m breaststroke final in a world record time of 2:18.95 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games. Schoenmaker eclipsed the previous WR time of 2:19.11 set by Rikke Møller Pedersen of Denmark in 2013. [ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars/USA Today Sports ] BIWEEKLY

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