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[COVER PHOTO: CAELEB DRESSEL, PHOTO BY ROB SCHUMACHER/USA TODAY SPORTS]
In this issue of SW Biweekly, read about Caeleb Dressel’s performances in Tokyo. Team USA produced less gold medals than years past but still managed a grand medal haul; Team USA Captains Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel, Allison Schmidt, and Simone Manuel put on great displays of leadership, and whose influence will be remembered; U.S. Women’s team managed lots of medals, included three gold- their fewest ever, however still put on an incredibly strong performance; Ariarne Titmus dispatches Katie Ledecky to become the Aussie golden girl; Katie Ledecky wins gold in the inaugural women’s 1500 free, Erica Sullivan rallies for silver; Peaty, Greenbank, Guy and Scott express disappointment in second place, third overall, but still quest for improvement; The glory days of the Australian Swim Team returned for a gold medal rush, already planning an assault in Paris 2024; Caeleb Dressel seizes 100 free crown away from Kyle Chalmers; Katie Ledecky has no plans to retire, already looking at Paris 2024; and much, much more!
FEATURES 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 | 