The US Olympic Swim "Team"

 Is swimming a team sport?

I have debated the answer to this question with several people.  There are various ways to answer the question.  At its core, the answer is no.  Swimmers competing in a pool swim in their own lane, with no assistance from any teammates, staring at the black line at the bottom of the pool, or at some rafter in the ceiling during backstroke (unless you are outside where the sun will be in your eyes no matter what the weather, what direction you are going and what time it is), all by themselves.  When your arms feel like they weigh 100 pounds on the last 50 of the 200 fly, or your lungs feel like they are on fire off that last turn in the 200 back, or you have to swim the last 100 yards of the 400 IM, your teammates can't help.  There is no help defense, no one blocking for you, no substitutes in the middle of the game, no one giving you a perfect pass for a tap in goal.  It is you.  In your lane. All alone.

If you watched the Olympic Trials every day, you would argue the answer is yes.  NBC has shown several scenes of swimmers being embraced by hordes of teammates after earning their trip to Tokyo.  The Florida crowd practically attacked Caeleb Dressel.  We also saw scenes of Clair Curzan and Tori Huske being embraced by teammates.  After going 1-2 in the 200 IM Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh celebrated together, college teammates joining each other in a trip to the Olympics.  And Annie Lazor practically drowned Lilly Kin, her training partner, after they went 1-2 in the 200 Breast.

In a little over 24 hours, the US Olympic Swim team will be final.  Up to 12 of them will be relay only swimmers.  They will have a teammate with them, not while in the water, but in each of their races.  When it comes to relay teammates, the best example is Jason Lezak.  Michael Phelps needed many teammates to win his 8 gold medals in 2008 (he was in three relays, so three teammates each), but Lezak pulled a super-human feat to keep the quest for 8 golds alive in the 400 Free Relay. 

Relays are fantastic, and swimmers, like Lezak, often find that they are able to accomplish something in a relay that they could not do just for themselves.  The relay is a team event, but does that make swimming a team sport?  I would still argue no.

It is not the relay, it is not the celebration, it is not the race.  It's the work.  Swimming is hard.  Yes, all sports and all exercise are, or can be, hard.  But swimming is lonely.  You don't breathe, or at least you don't breathe as much as you want.  Practice is often at un-Godly hours of the day.  there is that black line at the bottom of the pool.  Your teammates are the ones who get up at the same time as you.  They are the ones getting in cold water with you.  They are the ones pushing you to work harder during those long practices.  They laugh and cry with you.  Sometimes, they are the ones who go to breakfast, or for a longer practice brunch, or for those really long practices lunch, with you.  That is where the team is in the sport of swimming.  They can't help you in the competition, but they are invaluable in the preparation.

Predictions results:

Men's 800 Freestyle - Bobby Fink, Ross Dant - so close!
Men's 200 Breast - Nic Fink, Will Licon - This one out of two is a real trend.
Women's 200 Fly - Hali Flickinger, Regan Smith - nailed it.
Men's 100 Free - Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple - nailed it.

These I did (see below), but didn't publish:

Women's 200 Breast - Lilly King, Annie Lazor - right 2, wrong order.
Men's 200 IM - Chase Kalisz - Michael Andrew - there was a trend developing last night
Women's 100 Free - Abbey Weitzel, Olivia Smoliga - so close.

Predictions:

Men's 100 Fly - Caeleb Dressel, Tom Shields
Women's 200 Back - Regan Smith, Phoebe Bacon (a battle a year in the making)
Women's 800 Freestyle - Katie Ledecky, Erica Sullivan

What to Watch for:

1.  Who gets more Olympic spots - Michael Andrew or Caeleb Dressel?
2.  Does Simone Manuel have one last Olympic bid in her?  (If not this year, she could be back in 2024.)
3.  Could we really get more absurdly close races?
4.  How will the number caps (26 total men and women, 12 relay only swimmers) play themselves out?
5.  What happened yesterday?

I'll answer #5.  Remember that glowing discussion of summer swim a few days ago.  Last night we were enjoying a summer swim social event.  An ice cream social.  Lots of swimming children, eating ice cream and playing.  Teammates, ages 6-18.  At one point, the Wife turned to me and beamed, "I love summer swim."  Then Eldest broke his finger.  Summer...you never know what to expect.

She's a Little Cocky Isn't She

"She's a little cocky, isn't she," Middle asked the other night while watching Lilly King.  I wasn't sure how to respond.  The proper father, adult, mature human being wanted to say, "Yes," because truer words have rarely been spoken.  The thirteen year old that still lives inside me and comes out from time to time wanted to respond "DUH!  Have you been watching the last four years?"

I love Lilly King.  She is brash.  She speaks her mind.  She is fun.  And she backs it up with great swimming.  it is hard not to love Lilly king.  Unless, of course, you are not American.  If you are not American, I imagine you hate Lilly King.  If Lilly King was not American, she would be the most hated person in American swimming.  Chad LeClos won a gold medal in 2012 in the 200 Fly, was a little cocky about it, and shadow boxed in the ready room in an effort to psych out Michael Phelps.  America HATED him.  America still hates him.  if Lilly King shadow boxed in front of Yulia Efimova in the ready room, she would become the most favorite meme in America.  We would love it.  All she did was wag a finger and America went crazy.  We love the cocky, brash American.  But we hate the same person living in a  different country.

In 2000, American Gary Hall Jr. made an off-hand remark that the U.S. was going to smash the Australians like a guitar in the Men's 4x100 relay.  The Australians?  We love the Australians.  Have you ever met an Australian you didn't like?  In 2008, may family went on a trip to France.  Eldest was 4.  Middle was just shy of 2.  We had the standard sherpa look going on the plane.  An Australian took the car seat and a bag from us, despite our objections; carried them on the plane; went 20 rows past his seat; helped us get our stuff together; and then had to stand there for 10 minutes until the crowd in the aisle eased up enough to get back to the front of the plane where his seat was.  Later on that trip, while waiting 2 hours to go up the Eiffel Tower, a small group of Aussies entertained our two boys while we waited.  They didn't have to.  Their just great people.  We love Aussies.

 Back to 2000 and that 4x100 Relay.  Well, we didn't smash the Australians.  In fact, we lost that relay for the first time ever in the Olympics.  A cocky, brash, bald Australian named Michael Klim made an air guitar motion just to rub it in the face of the Americans.  I hate Michael Klim.  He is everything I hate.  He is brash.  He speaks his mind.  He is fun.  He backed it up with great swimming.  He...sounds a bit like Lilly King.  In fact, if he was American, I bet I'd love Michael Klim.  Hmmm....He's also Australian.  I love Australians.  I'm...a...bit...confused...

I...got it.  I know.  Americans would never do anything like that.  Sure we like the cocky, brash breaststroker, but she wagged her finger at another athlete who had tested positive for a banned substance.  It's all good.  Justified.  I feel better about myself.  Whew!  For a moment, I thought I was I was a hypocrite.

The American would never do anything like that in a relay.  In 2004, we lost the 4x100 relay again.  In 2008, Alain Bernard, the world record holder in the 100 free at the time and the anchor of the French relay said, "The Americans...we're going to smash them.  that's what we came here for."  In the greatest swimming race ever, Jason Lezak caught Alain Bernard in the anchor leg to win and Michael Pheos and Garrett Weber-Gale reacted by...screaming like mad men.  There was no air guitar, but maybe it was a touch over  the top.  God, I love that race.  I have watched it at least 30 times and about half the time I pause it, just to see the look of  shock on the French swimmers as hey try to figure out how they lost that race.  i may go watch it right now, just to get ready for tonight's finals.  I have not seen the Peacock Documentary, The Greatest Race, yet, but I will remedy that oversight shortly after the trials end.

OK, so I am a hypocrite.  I loved seeing the French get their comeuppance in 2008, but hated the Australians for doing it to us in 2000.  I love Lilly King and can't stand Chad LeClos.  I said, "yes she is" to Middle's question, but wanted to say, "DUH!"  I love the brash cocky American and am offended when someone outside the US does the same thing.  She may be cocky.  She is probably obnoxious.  Hell, she admitted to trying to psych out a 17 year old from Alaska in the ready room before the 100 Breast.  From Alaska?  Who has anything against anyone from Alaska?  That's like hating an Australian.  But she is our cocky, brash, obnoxious swimmer.  So we love her.

Predictions Results:

Women's 200 Free - Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden - missed by .01, but very happy for Schmitty and I am pretty good at getting the winner and missing second
Men's 200 Fly - Luca Urlando, Zach Harting - Huh?  The rare picking the winner to get 2nd
Women's 200 Medley - Alex Walsh, Kate Douglass - Nailed it
Women's 1500 - Katie Ledecky, Ashley Twichell - Again, got the winner.

Predictions:

Men's 800 Freestyle - Bobby Fink, Ross Dant
Men's 200 Breast - Nic Fink, Will Licon
Women's 200 Fly - Hali Flickinger, Regan Smith
Men's 100 Free - Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple

What to Watch for:

1.  Do the veterans win the day or the youngsters, especially in the Women's 100 free?
2.  Do we start to get some doubles to make that 26 swimmer limit a little less relevant (Hello Ryan Murphy)?
3.  Is Melanie Margalis the greatest person alive?
4.  Does Lochte have one final miracle in him?

The Agony of Defeat

 After each race in the Olympic Trials, the television zooms in on the winner.  The emotion of that moment an be one of the greatest parts of watching this spectacle of sports.  Whether the winner reacts with shock, excitement, or tears, as Regan Smith did last night, watching the moment someone realizes a life long dream is one of the great joys of sport.  The swimming trials are a unique experience as we all become voyeurs into one of the most emotional moments these young, or in the case of some of them (I'm looking at and cheering for you, Nathan Adrian), not so young athletes' lives.  I know after each race I get a little jolt of joy seeing the winner celebrate in whatever way they choose.

After most of the races in the Olympic Trials, the television zooms in on the swimmer who finished second.  The emotion of that moment is also one of the greatest parts of watching this particular spectacle of sports.  The second place finisher almost always reacts with a level of excitement consistent with the accomplishment of likely reaching your life long goal, while also realizing how close you were to third place.  Again, we all get the voyeuristic treat of watching one of the most emotional moments of these young, or not so young, athletes' lives.  I know after each race I get a little jolt of joy seeing the second place finisher celebrate in whatever way they choose.

After some of the races in the Olympic Trials, the television zooms in on the swimmer who finished third (or any other place that is not first or second).  The emotion of that moment can be the worst part of watching this particular spectacle of sport.  The third place finisher almost always reacts with a level of grace and joy for their fellow athletes that is beyond remarkable for someone who just realized their life long goal is not happening.  In these moments, we are forced to experience the real pain of Olympic trials.  A small part of the little boy swimmer in me dies every time I see an athlete have to put on a brave face, successfully or not, when their dreams just came to an end.

I experienced this last night, when Olivia Smoliga, who I have been cheering for for the last four years, just missed making the 100 Backstroke.  It was even worse on Monday when the camera showed Kelsi Dahlia in tears, walking down a flight of stairs, shortly after finishing fourth in the 100 fly.  I was more than impressed with Melanie Margalis showing more excitement for Emma Weyant and Haley Flickinger than they showed for themselves after Margalis finished third, by 0.12 of a second.  Melanie Margalis is either the greatest person alive or one of the greatest actors.

It is often said that the US Olympic Trials is the most stressful swim meet in the world.  The third place finisher in the Olympics gets a medal and watches their country's flag go up.  The fourth place finisher gets to walk in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and know that they were an Olympian for their entire lives.  They may even get one of those Olympic Ring tattoos.  (I really, really want one of those tattoos, but that was not in the cards for my life.)  Everyone else at the Olympics is an Olympian.  Third place at U.S. Trials gets you ignored, or you get to act excited as others get the dreams you have, or your pain is shown on live TV, for everyone to see.  And most people getting third or fourth or even fifth at U.S. Trials would be legitimate medal contenders at the Olympics.

I rooted for Olivia Smoliga.  I literally yelled at the TV during the race.  I was not rooting for Kelsi Dahlia.  I wanted the local northern Virginia girl, Torri Huske and my new favorite swimmer, Claire Curzan, to get their dreams.  I wasn't rooting against Dahlia, just for the other two.  And Kate Douglas.  I wanted three people to win that race.  But only two could get there.  I am crushed for Dahlia, and Douglas, and Smoliga, and Kathleen Baker, and dozens of other swimmers who had a legitimate hope that they would make it to Tokyo, and hundreds of others who made a trials cut, but never really had a chance to go top two, and thousands of others who just wanted to make a trials cut, and hundreds of thousands of others who never even came close.

Predictions Results:

Men's 200 Free - Kieran Smith, Zach Apple - got the first one, a little off on the second
Women's 100 Back - Regan Smith, Olivia Smoliga - Nope and that hurt a little
Men's 100 Back - Ryan Murphy, Shaine Casas - I am sensing a trend, got the first one, missed the second
Women's 100 Breaststroke - Lilly King, Lydia Jacoby - at last.  Nailed it

 Predictions:

Women's 200 Free - Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden
Men's 200 Fly - Luca Urlando, Zach Harting
Women's 200 Medley - Alex Walsh, Kate Douglass
Women's 1500 - Katie Ledecky, Ashley Twichell

What to Watch For:

I have a familial obligation so running out of time.  Only one thing.  Will the UVA girls turn me into a prognosticating genius?

Yes, I am Going to Do This Three Days in a Row

 If you asked me five minutes ago, I would have told you it wasn't going to happen.  I have a cold (just a cold, really); I am exhausted, I got in the pool for the first time in a week just a few hours ago, and I don't have anything to give.  However, with 19 minutes to go until the Finals and Semis tonight start, I am watching Katie Ledecky swim the 1500, just a short time after swimming the 200 Free.  If you asked me to swim a 1500 right now I would likely whack you over the head with a cucumber.  (Don't ask, a cucumber just seemed like something accessible that would get the point across, but not do real damage.)  I understand Katie Ledecky is not really human, but a 200/1500 combo is particularly ridiculous.  If she can do that today, I can at least get in a paragraph or two.  Of course, an emergency call from the vet put a pretty big wrench in that plan.

For today, let me just say this is a really hard sport.  I am a little under the weather at this point, I put in one hour in the pool, and I am wrecked.  If you are a swimmer, you already have a healthy respect for what these athletes are doing at Olympic Trials. If you aren't, go jump in a pool and try to do a 400 IM.  If you live, you'll understand.

So, now I am going to relax, recover and enjoy.  I hope you do the same, and tomorrow I'll be back with more.

Predictions results:

Women's 100 Fly - Notwithstanding my whole commentary above, I am sticking with the teenagers, Tori Huske, Claire Curzan - Nailed it. 
Men's 100 Breast - Michael Andrew, Nic Fink - SO CLOSE.  .07 seconds separated 1st from 3rd.
Women's 400 Free - Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden - Nailed it.

Predictions:

Men's 200 Free - Kieran Smith, Zach Apple
Women's 100 Back - Regan Smith, Olivia Smoliga
Men's 100 Back - Ryan Murphy, Shaine Casas
Women's 100 Breaststroke - Lilly King, Lydia Jacoby

What to look forward to:

A better effort from me tomorrow.

What a Difference a Year Makes

 Oh what a night!

In their wildest dreams, USA Swimming could not have asked for a more exciting first night of the Swimming Olympic Trials.  I took "knock me out" cold medicine when it was all over and it still took me an hour to fall asleep.

Before we get to the meet, let's consider the last year.  Tonight is the finals of the Women's 100 Fly.  The Women's 100 Fly is a going to be a battle.  The top two seeds are teenagers.  The third seed, Kelsi Dahlia, has been the dominant U.S. flyer for the past four years.  If you asked me two weeks ago who I thought would be most hurt by the year delay of the Tokyo Olympics, I would have said Kelsi Dahlia.  (And seriously, why didn't you ask me that?)  In early 2020, she was still the dominant U.S. flyer.  One year later, an 18 year old named Tori Huske (from Arlington, VA - go VA) and a 16 year old named Claire Curzan have had the chance to emerge as not just a threat to Kelsi Dahlia, but arguably the favorites to make it to Tokyo.  Kelsi Dahlia has gone from the favorite to win Olympic trials, a probable medalist in the 100 Fly and a potential gold medalist in the 400 medley relay, to looking up at two teenagers.  What a difference a year makes.

Everyone knows what the last year has brought.  Anyone who pays attention to the world of swimming has heard the stories of searching for an open pool, swimming in open water, trying to find a backyard pool, or buying an endless pool last spring/summer, just to get in the water.  Endless pools were virtually impossible to find last year.   (Perhaps I shouldn't use the word virtually - it has a whole different meaning now.)

Aside from the breaks in training, the extra year has given a new, young group of swimmers one more year to grow, mature and train to make their Olympic dreams come true this year, rather than waiting for 2024.  At the top of that list is Claire Curzan, who is a legitimate contender to make the Olympics in several events.  It is possible Curzan could go on to a career that rivals those of some of the best swimmers in U.S. history and the delay from 2020 to 2021 could give her 1-5 more medal chances than she likely would have had.  Tori Huske is another who likely would not have been ready to compete for an Olympic spot a year ago.  Alex Walsh, Kate Douglass, Rhyan White, Emma Weyant (who qualified last night), Carson Foster (who just missed last night), and Jake Magahey (who also didn't make it last night) are others who likely have a much better chance in 2021 than in 2020.

Dahlia was my pick for swimmer hurt the most by the delay.  This has more to do with the rise in her competition than any drop in her performance.  However, we all know Father Time is the only undefeated person in sports.  Eventually, he always wins.  It is difficult to say who may have been impacted by the extra year of mileage on their bodies.  Did Anthony Ervin lose anything more by turning 40?  It is arguable Nathan Adrian benefited, by having more time to recover from and train after being treated for testicular cancer.   Ryan Lochte may also have benefited from an extra year to train after his various debacles.

Of course, my pick for person hurt the most by the delay looked FANTASTIC yesterday, so I am not looking real good right now.  And how I look is the most important factor in all this.  Perhaps I should have gone with Zane Grothe, the best U.S. 400 freestyler the past 4 years who failed to make the final.  I may still be right, but as we have already learned, nothing is certain in the most stress filled swim meet in the world.

Speaking of...back to yesterday.  From two incredible races in the 400 IMs to Kieran Smith's pressure filled 400 Free (needing not just to finish in the top 2, but also to make the Olympic Qualifying time), to two American Records, Day 1 was worth the wait.  The award for best sport goes to Melanie Margalis who finished a 400 IM, missed an Olympic spot by .12 seconds and reacted by laughing and giving the two women who beat her big congratulatory hugs.  The Women's 400 IM was also the best race, but just barely over the Men's 400 IM, both coming down to the last 10 meters to determine who will finish top 2.  Tonight promises to be even better.

Predictions results:

Men's 400 IM - Chase Kalisz, Carson Foster - So close.  I thought Foster had 2nd, but Jay Litherland had an incredible finish to sneak into second place (or blast into second place)
Men's 400 Free - Kieran Smith, Jake Mitchell - Nailed it.  To be fair, I would have picked Grothe second if he made finals and would have picked Jake Magahey if he had made finals.  Smith was my pick for 1st all along.
Women's 400 IM - Melanie Margalis, Hali Flickinger - as the three swimmers raced the last 50 meters, I changed my thoughts on how they would finish about 9 times.  Just simply a great race to watch (but really, really painful to swim).  I correctly predicted Flickinger 2nd, so, half credit.

Predictions:

Women's 100 Fly - Notwithstading my whole commentary above, I am sticking with the teenagers, Tori Huske, Claire Curzan
Men's 100 Breast - Michael Andrew, Nic Fink
Women's 400 Free - Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden

What to look forward to:

1.  What happens in the bloodbath that is the Women's 100 Fly?
2.  What happens in the semifinals of the bloodbath that is the Women's 100 Back?
3.   How does Katie Ledecky respond to Ariarne Titmus putting up a 400 Free time less than half a second off the world record?
4.  What does Michael Andrew do for an encore?
5.  Is 2016 Ryan Murphy back?
6.  Will I actually go three days in a row?

At Last

Today, after five long years, we will have an official US Olympic swimmer, in the pool.  In fact, we will have three.  Tonight is the finals of the Men's 400 IM, the Men's 400 Free and the Women's 400 IM.  Although realistically the top two finishers in each of these three events will qualify for the Olympics, technically, only the winners will officially be Olympians tonight.  This is because the U.S. is only permitted to take 26 men and 26 women to swim in the pool in the Olympics.  There are fourteen men's events and fourteen women's events.  If two different swimmers qualify for each of those 28 spots, we have too may swimmers.  This has never happened and likely won't happen this year.  But if you are watching tonight, and why wouldn't you be watching tonight, this is why the winner will be the only swimmer who technically makes the Olympics tonight. 

We have to point out that tonight is the qualification for pool swimmers.  The qualification for open water swimmers has already happened.  Ashley Twichell, Haley Anderson and Jordan Wilimovsky have already qualified in open water.  All three will also be swimming in the pool this week.

I have been looking forward to today for more than a year.  I have really been looking forward to today for almost five years, but the last year has been brutal.  There is much to talk about, and we will do it over the next seven days.  However, as I thought about the Olympic Swimming trials, I realized that yesterday was a much more important day in the world of swimming.

Today, we get to see the fastest swimmers in the country compete for the greatest accomplishment a swimmer can achieve.  Yesterday, I got to see many children swim in a summer swim meet for the first time in two years.  It was only a team time trial, but it was special.  And it was not only me.  There were hundreds of similar meets conducted across northern Virginia, and I imagine, in many other places throughout the US.

Summer swimming is special.  I have discussed this before.  Many swimmers start their careers with a local summer swim team.  A rare few of these swimmers go on to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.  More of them, but still very few, will swim at Olympic Trials.  More will swim in college, but that is still rare.  Many will swim in high school.  Many will swim for a year round team.  Most will swim for their local summer team, and that is it.  That is what makes it special.

Summer swim is about fun and junk food and making friends and cheering and going out to lunch and community.  There is competition, sometimes fierce competition.  Sometimes there is unhealthy competition.   Mostly, though, there is fun.  There are donuts.  There are kids making friends and adults making friends.  I help run the summer team my kids swim for.  Every year I have a parents meeting and tell all the new parents that swimming is different from most youth sports.  Everyone is needed to do something, whether they are timing, officiating, writing ribbons, recording results, selling the junk food (and some good for you food), keeping the kids in line (or trying and failing) and many, many other things to make this the special sport it is.  It really does take a village.

A week and a half ago, the Olympic trials started with the beginning of Wave I.  Tonight we get the first official pool Olympians.  Yesterday, however, we got to experience the heart and soul of swimming.  As much as I have been looking forward to tonight, I realize yesterday was more important.  Several hundred swimmers get to chase their dreams at Olympic Trials.  Thousands upon thousands of kids got to experience the joys of swimming yesterday, whether they dream of being an Olympian, just want to compete, or just want to get a donut.  The pandemic took so much away from us over the past 16 months.  We are getting a lot back.  Tonight is a small step back to normalcy.   Yesterday was a giant leap in the same direction.

Predictions:

I cheated a little, because I did not do these predictions until I saw the results of this morning's preliminary heats, but here they are - 

Men's 400 IM - Chase Kalisz, Carson Foster
Men's 400 Free - Kieran Smith, Jake Mitchell
Women's 400 IM - Melanie Margalis, Hali Flickinger

What to look forward to:

1.  Do the teenagers continue their run to the Olympics in the 100 Fly?
2.  What does Katie Ledecky do in her first swim tomorrow?
3.  What does Caeleb Dressel do in his first swim (200 Free) tomorrow?
4.  This blog, actually having content on a regular basis.