Swimming World September 2021 Issue

+ How They Tr Trenton Julian

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SEPTEMBER 2021 • VOL 62 • NO 9 FEATURES

COACHING

2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES

038 | WHAT COACHES WISH PROSPECTS KNEW ABOUT RECRUITING

by John Lohn, Dan D’Addona, Matthew De George and David Rieder

010 | LIKE NO OTHER

There has never been an Olympics like the one held in Tokyo from July 23 through Aug. 8. Even the Games themselves were known as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games despite the fact that the actual event was held a year later! Yet, once the competition got started—at venues without any spectators—the XXXII Olympiad provided all of the anticipated emotions, surprises, goal fulfillments and more.

014 | MALE PERFORMANCE OF THE MEET: Caeleb Dressel (100 Fly) 014 | FEMALE PERFORMANCE OF THE MEET: Tatjana Schoenmaker (200 Breast) 015 | BEST WOMEN’S RELAY PERFORMANCE: Australia (400 Freestyle Relay) 016 | BEST MEN’S RELAY PERFORMANCE: USA (400 Medley Relay) 017 | BEST INDIVIDUAL RELAY PERFORMANCE: Adam Peaty (100 Breast/400 Medley Relay) 018 | BIGGEST UPSET/SURPRISE: Ahmed Hafnaoui (400 Free) & Lydia Jacoby (100 Breast) 019 | BREAKOUT PERFORMER: Bobby Finke (800 and 1500 Free) 020 | COUNTRY ON THE RISE: Italy 021 | RESILIENCE AWARD: Sarah Sjostrom (50 Free) 022 | OLYMPIC PHOTO GALLERY

by Michael J. Stott When it comes to college recruiting, swim coaches agree: they’re looking at much more than swimming times. They’re evaluating the whole package: academic, athletic, personal... and more!

041 | SPECIAL SETS: ERIN GEMMELL—OLYMPIC BLOODLINES

by Michael J. Stott Bruce Gemmell of Nation’s Capital Swim Club provides an interesting capsule of coaching for his 16-year-old daughter, Erin, as she prepared for her first U.S. Olympic Trials experience and earned a spot on the U.S. Junior team headed for the Berlin and Budapest World Cup stops in October.

043 | Q&A WITH COACH JEFF JULIAN

by Michael J. Stott

044 | HOW THEY TRAIN TRENTON JULIAN

by Michael J. Stott

ON THE COVER

As the United States topped the medal count in Tokyo—with 30 pieces of hardware (11 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze)—Caeleb Dressel was nothing short of phenomenal. At the XXXII Olympiad, he was the man who was expected to be the star of the Games—and he delivered on that promise: The 24-year-old from Florida collected five gold medals (three of them solo), set an individual world record in the 100 meter butterfly and joined his relay teammates for another in the 4x100 medley relay. (See our Olympics coverage, pages 10-26.)

[PHOTO BY ROB SCHUMACHER / USA Today Sports]

TRAINING 037 | DRYSIDE TRAINING: GOLD MEDAL WORKOUT (PART 2)

by J.R. Rosania

027 | RETURN TO NO. 1

by David Rieder After a two-season absence as Swimming World’s girls’ high school national champions, Carmel High School (Ind.) has returned to claim its seventh overall team title since 2011.

029 | SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE’S GIRLS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS MOCK HEAT SHEET

JUNIOR SWIMMER 047 | UP & COMERS: HENRY WEBB

by Shoshanna Rutemiller

by Bob Klapthor

COLUMNS

031 | MAKING HISTORY

008 | A VOICE FOR THE SPORT

by Dan D’Addona Carmel High School (Ind.) is the first school in 21 years to have both its girls’ and boys’ swimming teams win Swimming World’s national high school championships in the same year—a feat last accomplished by Bolles (Fla.) in 2000.

033 | SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE’S BOYS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS MOCK HEAT SHEET

040 | THE OFFICIAL WORD

041

046 | HASTY HIGH POINTERS 048 | GUTTERTALK 049 | PARTING SHOT

by Bob Klapthor

043 6

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SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE (ISSN 0039-7431). Note: permission to reprint articles or excerpts from contents is prohibited without permission from the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for errors in advertisements. Microfilm copies: available from University Microfilms, 313 N. First St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Swimming World Magazine is listed in the Physical Education Index. Printed in the U.S.A. © Sports Publications International September 2021.

VOICE FOR THE SPORT

THE ESSENCE OF SPORT

BY BRENT T. RUTEMILLER

H

as sport at the Olympic level lost its essence and morphed into an athlete becoming the symbol of a sport versus the participant in sport?

When that line is crossed, lessons no longer have meaning, and the athlete now represents more than her or himself. As a symbol, the athlete now represents agents, corporations, governing bodies, marketing firms and sponsors...AND all THEIR agendas. That is a dangerous place to be.

I always thought that the essence of sport is for us to find ourselves.

To learn how to perfect a skill. To learn how to exercise mind control.

To accept the ups and downs that mirror real life. To learn to overcome setbacks and to accept victory in a humble way.

I always thought that the essence of sport is to set goals and learn how to achieve them no matter how high or hard or how long it takes to accomplish.

I always thought that the essence of sport is to find your demon, confront it and defeat it. To learn how to overcome mental blocks and debilitating defeats. To teach us about ourselves and to carry those lessons into real life.

One of the greatest lessons that sport teaches us is how to learn to control our mind in the most pressure-packed moments and to learn from it. To take those lessons into real life so you can deal with real issues like divorce, family death, job loss, illness and financial disaster.

You don’t win in sport as much as you win in life.

But when the platform of Olympic sports is no longer a sport, but a profession or job, it loses its essence and moves onto an entirely different platform.

This is the precipice where we find ourselves today.

It is the sports’ governing bodies, staff and coaches that need to put safeguards in place to focus on the performance and not the outcome. To prevent mental health issues by presenting mental growth as a healthy result of participation and mindfulness.

We must not lose the essence of sport, and no athlete should ever become a symbol of the sport. That stops the learning progression and places an unfair burden on the individual and, thus, lays the groundwork for real mental health issues.

The essence of sport is to improve mental health—not to break it down. v

Brent T. Rutemiller Publisher of Swimming World Magazine CEO of International Swimming Hall of Fame “If you want to win, first help someone else win!”

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PUBLISHING, CIRCULATION AND ACCOUNTING

www.SwimmingWorldMagazine.com Publisher, CEO - Brent T. Rutemiller BrentR@SwimmingWorld.com Editor-in-Chief - John Lohn Lohn@SwimmingWorld.com Operations Manager - Laurie Marchwinski LaurieM@ishof.org Production Editor - Taylor Brien TaylorB@SwimmingWorld.com Circulation/Membership - Lauren Serowik Lauren@ishof.org Accounting - Marcia Meiners Marcia@ishof.org EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION, ADVERTISING, MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING OFFICE

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2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES

LIKE NO OTHER

There has never been an Olympics like the one held in Tokyo from July 23 through Aug. 8.

Even the Games themselves were known as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games despite the fact that the actual event was held a year later! Yet, once the competition got started—at venues without any spectators—the XXXII Olympiad provided all of the anticipated emotions, surprises, goal fulfillments and more.

[PHOTO COURTESY ROBERT HANASHIRO / USA Today Sports]

BY JOHN LOHN

TOKYO—It was all supposed to go down last summer, Tokyo the centerpiece of the sporting world. Champions crowned. Iconic performances recorded. Moments of redemption. Upsets. Tears of elation. Tears of heartache. There would be a little bit of everything, and something for all.

Of course, the original plan was shredded. The COVID-19 pandemic, in all its tragic fury, changed the world. Amid the loss of lives and shifting daily environments, the 32nd edition of the Olympic Games was postponed, and while that decision paled in comparison to the life-altering effects of the coronavirus, athletes saw their dreams put on hold.

If the yearlong delay felt like an eternity—to competitors, fans and media—what transpired in Tokyo proved worth the wait once the Games were held in the Japanese capital.

Let’s take a look, and appreciate, what the Tokyo Games delivered:

JOB DONE

As hyped as any Olympian in Tokyo, Caeleb Dressel couldn’t

avoid the comparisons. Due to his vast potential for an epic medal haul, Dressel was linked to United States icons Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi. All along, Dressel emphasized that he just wanted to do his thing—and be recognized for his ability.

Shouldn’t be a problem any longer.

As the United States topped the medal count in Tokyo, with 30 pieces of hardware and 11 gold medals, Dressel was nothing short of phenomenal. The 24-year-old from Florida collected five gold medals (three of them solo), set an individual world record and joined his relay teammates for another, and deftly managed the immense pressure that was placed on his shoulders even before the COVID delay.

Coming off a pair of World Championships (2017 and 2019) in which he starred for the Red, White and Blue, Dressel affirmed his status as the sport’s leading face at his second Games by negotiating a gauntlet of challenges—from the United States topping a stout field in the 400 freestyle relay (3:08.97) to beating a stacked British squad in the 400 medley relay, a world record of 3:26.78 getting the job done for Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew, Dressel and Zach

>> With Caeleb Dressel (five gold medals) and Katie Ledecky (four medals—two gold and two silver) as the linchpins, the United States had no difficulty finishing ahead of Australia in the medal count (30 to 20). Going to work without Phelps for the first time since the 1996 Games, this squad had a chance to build its own identity. Ultimately, this team upheld tradition.

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Apple. In between those relays, Dressel turned back Australian rival Kyle Chalmers in the 100 free (47.02 to 47.08), fended off Hungarian threat Kristof Milak in the 100 fly with a world record (49.45 to 49.68) and waltzed to gold in the 50 free (21.07).

“I tried to convince myself that Worlds was the same, and it’s the same competition, but it’s a lot different here,” Dressel said. “It’s a different kind of pressure, and I’m aware of that now and I can stop lying to myself. It means something different. It only happens every four years for a reason, and it’s 20-something seconds or 40-something seconds. You have to be so perfect in that moment, especially if you have another year, a five-year buildup—or a 24-year buildup, whatever you want to call it. There’s so much pressure on one moment.

Your whole life boils down to one moment that can take 20 or 40 seconds. How crazy is that?”

Katie Ledecky has a firm handle on the expectations that come along with the Olympic Games. A champion as a 15-year-old in 2012, >> An Olympic champion as a 15-year-old in 2012, Katie Ledecky then won three individual crowns she won three individual crowns in 2016. Her in 2016. In her third trip to the Games, the world’s best distance swimmer may not have been as dominant, but her resilience shined through, claiming gold medals in the 800 and 1500 freestyles third trip to the Games represented yet another plus silver in the 400 and 800 free relays. [ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars / USA Today Sports ] type of appearance. This time, Ledecky was not as dominant, but her resilience shined through.

Edged by Aussie Ariarne Titmus in her first final, the 400 freestyle OLYMPIC SWIMMING MEDAL STANDINGS (3:56.69 to 3:57.36), Ledecky was then fifth in the 200 free, an event COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL in which she was the defending champion. But Ledecky flashed her 1.

United States 11 10 9 30 distance greatness in her other two individual events, winning gold 2. Australia 9 3 8 20 in the inaugural 1500 freestyle for women (15:37.34), and then capturing a third straight gold in the 800 freestyle (8:12.57). The 3. Great Britain 4 3 1 8 trifecta enabled Ledecky to join Aussie Dawn Fraser (100 freestyle), 4. China 3 2 1 6 Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi (200 backstroke) and Phelps (100 5.

Canada 1 3 2 6 butterfly; 200 individual medley) as swimmers to three-peat.

6.

Italy 0 2 4 6 “I think I saw a statistic two years ago that said no one’s ever three-peated in that event, and that’s been in the back of my mind,” 7. Russian Olympic Comm.

2 2 1 5 Ledecky said. “You’re like, ‘Huh, I wonder if there’s a reason why 8. Japan 2 1 0 3 no one has ever three-peated.’ It’s tough. It’s tough to win one gold, 9T. Hungary 1 1 0 2 and to do it three times in a row in that event is really amazing.”

With Dressel and Ledecky as the linchpins, the United States had 9T. South Africa 1 1 0 2 no difficulty finishing ahead of Australia in the medal count (30 to 11T. Hong Kong 0 2 0 2 20). Going to work without Phelps for the first time since the 1996 11T. Netherlands 0 2 0 2 Games, this squad had a chance to build its own identity. It was a 13.

Ukraine 0 1 1 2 young team, which suggests continued excellence in the future. But in the present, there is uncertainty how youth and inexperience will 14T. Brazil 0 0 2 2 react. Ultimately, this team upheld tradition.

14T. Germany 0 0 2 2 In distance action, Bobby Finke doubled in the 800 and 1500 14T. Switzerland 0 0 2 2 freestyle (7:41.87 American record and 14:39.65), marking the first 17. Tunisia 1 0 0 1 time an American has won the longest pool event since Mike O’Brien in 1984. Both wins were perfectly calculated, Finke hanging with 18T. France 0 1 0 1 the leaders until he could unleash his unmatched finishing power.

18T. Sweden 0 1 0 1 And when no one could counter, Finke lived golden moments.

20T. Denmark 0 0 1 1 There was an upset gold medal from 17-year-old Alaskan Lydia Jacoby, who ascended the throne of the 100 breaststroke (1:04.95) 20T. Finland 0 0 1 1 from an unlikely setting. And there was Chase Kalisz grabbing gold Total 35 35 35 105 in the 400 individual medley (4:09.42), with training partner Jay * Chart reflects medals won in pool swimming only (not open water) Litherland picking up silver (4:10.28). More, Regan Smith (100 back, 200 fly), Hali Flickinger (200 fly, 400 IM), Murphy (100-200 back) and Lilly King (100-200 breast) each won two individual TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE OLYMPICS MEDAL STANDINGS medals.

FOR ALL OF THE AQUATIC SPORTS. Sure, there were a pair of ugly American relay results, as the NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT men’s 800 freestyle relay placed fourth and became the first U.S. CONTINUED ON 12 >>

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11

2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES CONTINUED FROM 11 hard work has been put into this.”

Titmus’ inaugural Olympiad marked the completion of a quest that first revealed itself on the international stage at the 2019 World Championships. There, Titmus clipped American distance ace Katie Ledecky in the 400 freestyle. But with Ledecky hampered by illness, there were still questions whether the Aussie could replicate the feat. Well, all doubt was erased when Titmus charged past Ledecky on the final lap of the 400 freestyle and then prevailed in the 200 freestyle. A silver medal was added in the 800 freestyle (8:13.83).

As for McKeown, she emerged with a backstroke sweep against some of the deepest fields of the week. She first dispatched Canadian Kylie Masse and American Regan Smith in the 100 backstroke and followed with a win over Masse in the 200 backstroke. A little less >> Australia acquitted itself superbly in Tokyo, totaling 20 medals, highlighted by nine gold. It was a than a year after the death of her father to charge paced by the female contingent, which managed 14 medals overall, led by Emma McKeon’s four brain cancer, McKeown saw her Olympic gold and three bronze. Her seven-medal haul made her just the second woman (all sports) in history vision completed. to reach that milestone at a single Games. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] “I am so stoked to win the double, and I had the belief,” said McKeown, who also relay to miss the podium in Olympic action, and the mixed medley was the leadoff leg on the winning 400 relay was fifth behind a suspect lineup. But overall, this version of medley relay. “I’d done the work, but I was nervous just the same.

Team USA achieved at a high clip—as is always expected.

I just went out and did my best, and another gold medal is just “We got a really, really strong showing with a little less brilliant.” experienced team than we’ve had at the Olympic Games in the While the women carried the Australian banner, Zac Stubbletypast,” said U.S. women’s head coach Greg Meehan.

Cook shined in the 200 breaststroke, as he secured gold in an Olympic record of 2:06.38. That title was the lone victory for the AUSSIE RESURGENCE Australian men, who pulled in six medals.

A glance at the medals table from the previous two Olympics (2012, 2016) revealed some serious difficulties for Australia. At CONTROVERSY REIGNS both Games, the tradition-rich country won just 10 medals. Those Every Olympiad features some sort of controversy, ranging from troubles were exacerbated by just three golds in 2016 and one title relay decisions to athlete animosity to rules violations. In Tokyo, in 2012. Simply, these types of performances were not acceptable the primary controversy emerged when American Ryan Murphy, for the Dolphins. the reigning champion in both backstroke events, expressed his Message received. concerns with a longtime issue in the sport: doping.

Led by Emma McKeon, Australia acquitted itself superbly Five years after his excellence at the Rio de Janeiro Games, in Tokyo, totaling 20 medals, highlighted by nine gold. It was a Murphy won a bronze medal in the 100 backstroke and a silver charge paced by the female contingent, which managed 14 medals medal in the 200 backstroke. Both events were won by Russia’s overall and rode solo gold-medal doubles by McKeon (50-100 free, Evgeny Rylov, and after the 200 backstroke, Murphy emphasized 24.05-51.96), Ariarne Titmus (200-400 free, 1:53.50-3:56.69) and that performance-enhancing drugs are prevalent.

Kaylee McKeown (100-200 back, 57.47-2:04.68).

“I’ve got about 15 thoughts,” Murphy said after the 200 McKeon ended her meet with seven medals (four gold, three backstroke. “Thirteen of them would get me into a lot of trouble. bronze), tying her with Russian gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya It is what it is. I try not to get caught up in that. It is a huge mental (two gold, five silver—1952 Helsinki) as the only two women to drain on me to go throughout the year that I’m swimming in a race reach that milestone at a single Games. McKeon’s sprint-freestyle that’s probably not clean, and that is what it is. sweep was complemented by bronze in the 100 butterfly and four “The people who know a lot more about the situation made the relay medals, two of which were gold. In the 400 freestyle relay, decision they did. It frustrates me, but I have to swim the field that’s McKeon turned in the fastest split of the field (51.35/3rd leg), as next to me.

I don’t have the bandwidth to train for the Olympics at Australia set a world record of 3:29.69. a very high level and try to lobby the people who are making the “It means a lot to me and to the team I have behind me,” decisions that they’re making the wrong decisions.”

McKeon said of her record-tying achievement. “They have put in Murphy’s comments were not so much directed at Rylov as just as much hard work. It’s overwhelming knowing how much they were about the presence of Russian athletes. Despite the revelation that Russia had operated a systematic-doping program, For extensive day-by-day reports, photos and complete results of the 2020 the International Olympic Committee ruled Russian athletes were Tokyo Olympic Games, check out Swimming World’s online coverage at eligible to compete in Tokyo. The only penalties levied were https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/meet/2020-tokyo-olympic-games insignificant, with the nation’s flag and anthem banned from medals ceremonies, and athletes competing under the Russian Olympic 12

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2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES Committee moniker. It all equated to a wrist slap.

Murphy was frustrated with the stance. For the American, his willingness to speak out was met with mixed reactions.

Some credited Murphy for being vocal, while others accused the American of sour grapes over his defeats to Rylov. If nothing else, Murphy generated discussion, including a statement by FINA that it was intent on ensuring a level playing field.

Of course, Russia was not pleased with the accusations and responded in grand fashion. Despite receiving a pass into the Games with minimal restrictions, the Russian Olympic Committee released a statement that was dripping in arrogance.

“How unnerving our victories are for some of our colleagues,” the statement said. “Yes, we are here at the Olympics. Whether someone likes it or not. The old barrel organ started the song about Russian doping again. English-language propaganda, oozing with verbal sweat in the Tokyo heat. Through the mouths of athletes offended by defeats. We will not console you. Forgive us those who are weaker. God is their judge. And for us—an assistant.”

A HOME HERO

Prior to the start of the Games, Japan had high hopes for a stellar showing on home soil. But not all plans go as scripted, and the host nation came up with only three podium finishes—two gold and a silver—as medal favorites Daiya Seto and Katsuhiro Matsumoto faltered.

Rescuing Japan from an abysmal display was Yui Ohashi. A medalist in the individual medley events at the past two World Championships, Ohashi was viewed as a leading medal contender in the 200 and 400 IM. When the week ended, she had gold in each discipline. Ohashi clocked 2:08.52 in the shorter distance and went 4:32.08 over the longer distance.

By doubling in the medley events, Ohashi extended an Olympic streak. Starting with the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the same woman has swept the 200 IM and 400 IM at seven straight Games.

“It seems like a dream. It doesn’t feel real,” Ohashi said after completing the double. “I swam the last part of the race thinking, win or lose, I want to be able to say I have no regrets. I caused many people a lot of trouble to get this far, but I hope I was able to repay them a little bit by this win.”

THE BRITISH ARE COMING

If Australia was awarded the gold medal for a boost over past performances, Great Britain earned the silver medal in that category. The British contingent tallied eight medals, including four gold, and ended a measure of futility that was more than 100 years old.

As expected, Adam Peaty was the go-to guy for Great Britain.

Not only did Peaty repeat as the gold medalist in the 100 breaststroke (57.37), but he also handled the breaststroke leg (56.78) on Great Britain’s triumphant and world record-setting mixed medley relay (3:37.58). Peaty was joined by Kathleen Dawson, James Guy and Anna Hopkin in claiming the first gold medal in the inaugural Olympic event.

But there was much more from the Brits, as Tom Dean and Duncan Scott put together a gold-silver effort in the 200 freestyle (1:44.22 to 1:44.26), and then joined Guy and Matt Richards for a win in the 800 freestyle relay (6:58.58, a European record). When that quartet prevailed, it marked Great Britain’s first Olympic relay gold since 1912. Adding to the success was another Scott silver medal, this time in the 200 individual medley, and Luke Greenbank taking bronze in the 200 backstroke.

Capping the competition was a silver medal in the 400 medley relay (3:27.51), where Peaty clocked the fastest breaststroke split of all-time (56.53) and lifted his team to a European record. Three

WORLD RECORDS SET AT 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS EVENT

TIME

NAME

COUNTRY

DATE

WOMEN 200 Breaststroke

2:18.95

Tatjana Schoenmaker

South Africa

7-30

400 Freestyle Relay

3:29.69

Bronte Campbell (53.01) Meg Harris (53.09) Emma McKeon (51.35) Cate Cambpell (52.24)

Australia

7-25

800 Freestyle Realy

7:40.33

Yang Junxuan (1:54.37) Tang Muhan (1:55.00) Zhang Yufei (1:55.66) Li Bingjie (1:55.30)

China

7-29

100 Butterfly

49.45

Caeleb Dressel

USA

7-31

400 Medley Relay

3:26.78

Ryan Murphy (52.31) Michael Andrew (58.49) Caeleb Dressel (49.03) Zach Apple (46.95)

USA

8-1

3:37.58

Kathleen Dawson (58.80) Adam Peaty (56.78) James Guy (50.00) Anna Hopkin (52.00)

Great Britain

7-31

MEN

MIXED 400 Medley Relay

years out from the Paris Games, Great Britain has generated momentum on the world scene.

“In one word, it’s inspiring to be part of a team that is always looking for the one percent, always looking for more,” Peaty said.

“We came together as a team and hopefully now this is a catalyst, not only for this Games, but through to the next Games and the one after that. There’s no point in British swimming being in such a great position if we’re not going to inspire the next team to do it.

It’s absolutely incredible.”

NOT FORGOTTEN

The butterfly races produced champions from four countries, Caeleb Dressel joined by Maggie MacNeil (Canada) in the 100 distance and Hungary’s Kristof Milak and China’s Zhang Yufei besting the competition in the 200 fly.

MacNeil was a prominent figure in Canada’s six-medal haul— all by women. In addition to winning the 100 fly in 55.59, MacNeil was a member of Canada’s medal-claiming 400 medley relay (bronze) and 400 freestyle relay (silver). Both relays also featured Penny Oleksiak, who added a bronze medal in the 200 freestyle, while Kylie Masse led off the medley relay and was the silver medalist in both backstrokes.

Milak was the male champion of the 200 fly, his time of 1:51.25 good for an Olympic record. It wasn’t the world record Milak wanted, as a suit tear before the race disrupted the 21-yearold’s preparation. The same could not be said of Zhang, who blew away the field in the women’s 200 fly, going an Olympic record of 2:03.86 and coming back later in the session to power China to a gold medal and world record in the 800 freestyle relay (7:40.33).

Zhang wasn’t made aware of her inclusion on the relay until just before the race, but clearly wasn’t disturbed by her added duties.

In other notable action, China’s Wang Shun was superb in the men’s 200 individual medley, posting an Asian record of 1:55.00.

The time made Wang the third-fastest performer in history, trailing only American legends Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey earned her country’s first Olympic medals in the sport with silver efforts in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle.

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2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES

CONTINUED FROM 13

<< In the history of the men’s 100 meter butterfly, the 50-second barrier has been cracked on only 10 occasions. Seven of those performances belong to American Caeleb Dressel, including his most recent 49.45 world record in Tokyo. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

the most-hyped athlete of the Games. The pressure of that position is not easily managed, but Dressel found a way to compartmentalize each event and do what was necessary to win. In the 100 fly, that meant fending off Milak, the Olympic champion in the 200 fly who would surely charge down the last lap.

Dressel applied pressure from the start, going out in 23.00 to establish a .65-second lead on Milak. On the homecoming lap, Dressel remained poised and dug deep for a closing split of 26.45, one of the fastest ever, and the world record. Dressel sliced 5-hundredths off his previous global standard, which was set at the 2019 World Championships. Making the swim even more impressive was the fact that Dressel had a mediocre turn and finish, suggesting something in the 49-low realm was doable.

As dominant as Dressel has been in the 100 butterfly, the presence of Milak necessitated an aggressive front half from the U.S. star. Indeed, Dressel adopted that gameplan superbly, but he deserves plaudits, too, for the way he finished. With Milak registering the fastest back half in the history of the event, a split of 26.01, Dressel had no room to fade—even in the slightest.

“He’s going to put me out of a job one day, so I’m just trying to hang on as long as I can,” Dressel said of Milak. “Kristof executed perfectly. We both swam exactly the race we needed to. It was extremely close. It took a world record to win the Olympic final. I don’t think it happens that often in the Olympics. To have two of the fastest times in history, it’s amazing.”

Dressel’s world record was the opener of a three-swim evening on Day 7 that also saw him contest the semifinals of the 50 freestyle and the final of the mixed medley relay. Triples are rarely contested in a single session, especially at the international level. But they have become commonplace for the 24-year-old, who has previously handled that daunting schedule at the World Championships.

Dressel has been untouchable in the 100 butterfly for the past four years. His résumé includes world titles from 2017 and 2019 and a Pan Pacific crown from 2018. Capturing Olympic gold simply completed Dressel’s championship set, the world record adding a bit of flair. — John Lohn F E M A L E P E R F O R M A N CE O F T HE M E E T:

TATJANA SCH OENMAK ER (2 0 0 BRE A S T) MALE PERFORMAN CE O F T H E M EET:

CAELEB DRESSEL (100 FLY)

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here was no shortage of premium swims from the Tokyo Games. From Adam Peaty (100 breaststroke) to Kristof Milak (200 butterfly) to Bobby Finke (distance freestyle) to Wang Shun (200 individual medley), several individual efforts deserved consideration for Male Performance of the Meet. But only one was the fastest in history, and it was produced by the man who was expected to be the star of Games—and delivered on that promise.

In the history of the 100 meter butterfly, the 50-second barrier has been cracked on only 10 occasions. Seven of those performances belong to American Caeleb Dressel, headlined by the 49.45 showstopper he popped to mine gold in Tokyo over Milak, the Hungarian star who went 49.68 for the No. 4 mark of all-time and a European record.

On the way to his second Olympiad, Dressel was—arguably—

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t didn’t seem like a challenge when Tatjana Schoenmaker said it, but the South African swimmer spent the rest of the week trying to prove herself wrong.

Schoenmaker had just garnered a silver medal in the women’s 100 meter breaststroke on Tuesday, the third finals session of the Tokyo Olympics. After an Olympic and African record of 1:04.82 in the heats a day-and-a-half earlier, Schoenmaker didn’t betray a hint of disappointment in being overtaken by American Lydia Jacoby for gold in the shorter breaststroke race, which isn’t her specialty. Instead, Schoenmaker was ecstatic in garnering the first swimming medal for a South African woman in 21 years since Penny Heyns added a bronze medal in the 100 breast at the Sydney Games to her breaststroke gold-medal sweep in 1996!

“I couldn’t be any more happy,” Schoenmaker enthused at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

She worked to disprove that as the week wore on.

Schoenmaker’s win in the 200 breast three days later wasn’t just another installment of joyous history for her and her country.

>> Tatjana Schoenmaker was ecstatic in garnering the first swimming medal for a South African woman in 21 years when she finished second in the 100 breaststroke. And the South African’s win in the 200 breast three days later wasn’t just another installment of joyous history for her and her country. It marked the first and only women’s individual world record of the Games, a milestone that brought tears to Schoenmaker’s eyes anew. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

with the 100 as her less favored event. Her ability to attack that swim with early speed to complement her tried-and-true back-half endurance boded well.

It cushioned any blow of Jacoby surging past her in the 100 breast final, though with Schoenmaker maintaining that merely making a final was her goal all along, there wasn’t much to cushion.

The 200 was hers from start to finish. She set an Olympic record in prelims at 2:19.16, dashing Rebecca Soni’s mark from London.

She was first in the semis and matched the early speed of King in the final, overtaking her on the third 50. When Schoenmaker hit the wall, she glanced at the board to see a margin of victory of nearly a second over King and a world record of 2:18.95.

From the party hosted by her parents in the wee hours of the Johannesburg morning in South Africa to the celebration unfolding over the lane line in Tokyo, Schoenmaker’s joy matched the moment.

“It was exciting because it was such a good race,” Schoenmaker said. “It was also amazing that all the girls could celebrate each others’ victories. We all came together in the middle, and I really hope it stays like that and goes on to other strokes, because it’s so amazing to celebrate with each other and leave the competition in the pool...and after the race is done, to just be with each other and have fun.” — Matthew De George B E S T WO M E N ’ S R E L AY P E R F O R M A N CE :

It marked the first and only women’s individual world record of the Games, a milestone that brought tears to Schoenmaker’s eyes anew.

And with her compatriot, Kaylene Corbett, and the other two occupants of the podium—silver medalist Lilly King and bronze medalist Annie Lazor, both of the United States—Schoenmaker delivered not just an unforgettable swim, but one of the indelible images of the Games: the four women embracing in shared jubilation in the pool.

“I would’ve never even thought, because it’s my first Olympics, that for me to get a lane in the final, then everyone stands a chance,” Schoenmaker said. “That’s the thing I’ve always been after. This has exceeded all my expectations, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Schoenmaker’s expectations were relatively modest entering the Games. Though the 24-year-old entered as the fifth seed in the 100 and tops in the 200, she was able to ease into the Games,

AUSTRALIA (400 FREESTYLE RELAY)

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mma McKeon wasn’t yet a seven-time medalist. The Australians hadn’t yet mowed through the women’s field at the Tokyo Olympics at a dominant clip. The years of Olympic performances that ranged from incomplete to outright disappointing wasn’t yet banished into the dustbin of history.

But in the first finals session of the Games, the pathway to Australian dominance was already clear. As the two-time reigning champion in the women’s 400 freestyle relay, the Australians wouldn’t take anyone by surprise. The Aussies held the top seed, the Olympic record from 2016, world record from 2018 and the nearest buzz of that mark from the 2019 World Championships.

With no wobble in the heats, it was going to take a monumental charge from the field to keep the gold streak from reaching three.

What the Australians produced in the final managed to somehow

>> Australia’s world-record time of 3:29.69 bested the field by a clear three seconds. In a race where nations tried desperately to cobble together splits under 54 seconds, the Aussies came within a tenth of having all four under 53. (Pictured, from left: Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon & Cate Campbell.) [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] CONTINUED ON 16>> SEPTEMBER 2021

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still exceed the lofty aspirations.

Save for the fast opening leg by Sarah Sjostrom (before the Swedes faded to sixth), the Aussies led all the way. As the race for silver materialized behind them, the Australians nearly had time to hop out of the pool, towel off and take in the spectacle.

Bronte Campbell led it off, with the next 100 belonging to Meg Harris. Then came the big guns. McKeon’s split, the early indicator of her fantastic Games, was a dazzling 51.35. Only three women in the race came within a second of that time—and one was teammate Cate Campbell, who brought it home in 52.24!

The final time of 3:29.69 dashed the world record. It bested the field by a clear three seconds. In a race where nations tried desperately to cobble together splits under 54 seconds, the Aussies came within a tenth of having all four under 53. >> The United States had never lost the men’s 400 medley relay at an Olympics, but in Tokyo, they barely “It’s very special to be part of this made finals, qualifying seventh. With Great Britain considered a slight favorite, (from left) Ryan Murphy, relay. It always is,” Bronte Campbell said.

Michael Andrew, Caeleb Dressel and Zach Apple not only won the race for the Americans, but set a world “The competition in Australia is fierce record from Lane 1. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] for this relay, and that’s what makes us so competitive on the international stage.

Murphy told Dressel to put the race behind him. They had more It’s more than us competing against each other for the spots on the work to do in the next day’s men’s 400 medley relay. “That’s how relay because we really are an extended team, and we support each we work here,” Dressel said. “We knew we had a shot at doing other. That is why we have managed to have such a strong team something special tomorrow, so Murph was already refocusing.” for so long.”

It was an opportunity the Americans barely earned after The Aussie’s world record proved vanishingly rare. Only two qualifying seventh for the men’s medley relay final, leaving them individuals—Caeleb Dressel in the men’s 100 fly and Tatjana in Lane 1, far away from their top competition. Great Britain was Schoenmaker in the women’s 200 breast—set world records. Only considered a slight favorite, with two-time Olympic champion four of the seven relays, including a mixed medley in its infancy, and world record holder Adam Peaty swimming breaststroke. The featured rewritten records.

Brits also had Duncan Scott anchoring, and at the 2019 World The Australians would crack on from the stellar start. From Championships, Scott had split 46.14 on the last 100 to pass the Ariarne Titmus in the mid-distance freestyle to Kaylee McKeown Americans and steal away gold. in backstroke to McKeon in one of the most impressive all-purpose After strategic decisions had twice cost the Americans a medal in sprint performances ever, the gold from the 400 free relay appeared relays, one more decision remained for the men’s medley. Michael to be the one that opened the floodgates.

Andrew, who set the American record in the 100 breaststroke at “We push each other and challenge each other, but we do that in U.S. Olympic Trials, but who finished fourth in the event earlier a really supportive way,” Cate Campbell said. “There is no malice in the Olympics, had been struggling. In the 200 IM final just two and no animosity toward one another, and I think that has just days before the medley relay, he ended up fifth, two seconds off his spoken volumes. This is the third Olympics in a row that Australia best time from six weeks earlier. Also, he would have to swim the has won this event, and that in itself really needs to be celebrated. To medley relay just an hour after the 50 freestyle final. do that for 13 years in a row is incredible.” — Matthew De George Would the American coaches consider a lineup switch?

No, they would not. U.S. men’s coach Dave Durden and national team managing director Lindsay Mintenko stuck with Murphy on B EST MEN ’S RELAY PER FO R M ANC E : back, Andrew on breast, Dressel on fly and Apple on free.

The stakes were high. The Americans had never lost the men’s 400 medley relay at an Olympics. The event was on the Olympic schedule for the 16th time, and the U.S. had won 14 of the previous t was a week that had produced the two worst finishes for the 15 gold medals, missing only in 1980 when the U.S. boycotted the United States in Olympic history. First, the U.S. men’s 800 Moscow Games. freestyle relay team faded to fourth after leading much of the race’s But in 2021, as in all those previous Olympics, the relay turned first half. The strategic decision to swim Zach Apple on the third out perfectly. leg backfired as Apple tightened up and slowed considerably on Murphy led off in 52.31, the top split in the field—and more than his last length. A few days after that, the U.S. team in the mixed 1.3 seconds faster than Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank. Murphy 400 medley relay finished fifth. The Americans had bucked had been disappointing with his 52.92 split on the 2019 medley conventional wisdom by placing male swimmers on the backstroke relay that ended up with silver, but he did his job this time. Andrew and freestyle legs, and that left Caeleb Dressel to dive in eighth surrendered the lead to Peaty and to Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, with an eight-second margin to try to overcome...which he could but his 58.49 split was enough to give Dressel a chance. Dressel not.

As Dressel was climbing out of the water, backstroker Ryan immediately passed Britain’s James Guy and opened up a lead of

US A (400 MEDLEY RELAY)

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6-tenths for Apple as he tried to hold off Scott.

Days before Apple faded in the 800 free relay, he had excelled as the anchor swimmer on the U.S. men’s 400 free relay, splitting 46.69 to expand a tiny lead and secure a gold medal. This time, Apple split a phenomenal 46.95 to expand the lead on Scott and win gold. The final time was 3:26.78, smashing the world record set by a U.S. team during the supersuit-era 2009 World Championships.

Once again, the Americans had delivered a signature medley relay performance to close the swimming portion of the Summer Olympics.

“It’s hard to mess that up when you have two world record holders and the fastest American breaststroker ever in front of you.

I had an easy job there,” Apple said. “It’s such an honor to represent the USA, especially in relays, and to come home with gold and a world record is the icing on top.” — David Rieder BEST IN DIVIDUAL RELAY P ER FO R M ANC E :

ADAM PEATY

(100 BREA ST/4 0 0 M EDL EY REL AY )

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o one can touch him. In an individual race, the competition is battling for the silver medal, such is the chasm created by Great Britain’s Adam Peaty in the 100 meter breaststroke. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, that domination yielded Peaty a second consecutive gold medal in his showcase event. But his talent also had a significant impact in relay action.

In Peaty, Great Britain’s medley relays—male and mixed— have a game-changing athlete. Sure, many countries can cite someone who gives them an edge in a specific stroke, but Peaty brings an otherworldly advantage. As Great Britain secured a silver medal and set a European record in the 400 meter medley relay (3:27.51), Peaty dropped the fastest breaststroke split in history, a time of 56.53.

The effort is Swimming World’s selection for “Best Individual Relay Performance” of the Games. Although the United States won gold in the event, clocking a world record of 3:26.78, it was Peaty who kept Great Britain in contention. He was 1.58 seconds faster than the 58.11 split of Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, who was secondquickest in the field. Over Michael Andrew of the U.S., Peaty held

a 1.96-second edge.

Without Peaty, Great Britain would have almost certainly finished off the podium. Having that kind of influence on a relay is rarely seen, and obviously provides the British coaching staff a level of comfort. In the mixed medley relay, which Great Britain won in world-record time, Peaty was timed in 56.78 (second fastest all-time), and again shifted the dynamic of the race.

Through his performances, Peaty has shown his teammates what is achievable, and has sparked British swimming into a new era. Expectations have been elevated, with the focus now shifting to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

“We’ve got champions who believe we can win,” Peaty said.

“We have champions who believe we can get world records. If you’ve got more belief, you can build everything around that.”

The runnerup to Peaty for “Individual Relay Performance” of the Games was American Caeleb Dressel and his split of 49.03 on the butterfly leg (also history’s fastest) in the next 100 meters of the same race. Dressel was more than a second faster that the opposition on his leg and answered Peaty’s breaststroke with the dominant contribution the United States needed.

There were several other contenders with exceptionally fast relay splits, including a push from Peaty’s countryman Duncan Scott. As Great Britain just missed the world record in the 800 freestyle relay, but routed the field, Scott anchored the Brits in 1:43.35. The swim was more than a second quicker than anyone else in the field and helped Great Britain to a European record of 6:58.58.

On the women’s side, consideration was given to the performances of Australian Emma McKeon in the 400 freestyle relay and the United States’ Katie Ledecky in the 800 freestyle relay. As Australia stormed to a world record of 3:29.69, McKeon delivered a third-leg split of 51.35, an outing that guaranteed her nation’s victory and enabled Cate Campbell to take a 52.24 coronation lap on the anchor leg. Meanwhile, Ledecky anchored her relay in 1:53.76, a swim that nearly rallied Team USA to the gold medal. Ultimately, it was China registering a world record of 7:40.33, with the U.S. also under the former global standard (Australia’s 7:41.50 in 2019) in 7:40.73. — John Lohn

>> Breaststroker Adamy Peaty gives Great Britain a game-changing, otherworldly advantage in the medley relays. In Tokyo, he recorded history’s fastest breaststroke split (56.53) en route to a silver medal and European record in the 400 medley relay...and the second fastest split (56.78) in the Brits’ world recordsetting mixed medley relay. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] CONTINUED ON 18 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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BIGGES T UPS ET/S URP R I SE :

AH MED HAFNAOUI (400 FREE) & LYDIA JACOBY (100 BREAST)

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t happens every Olympiad, a traditional development that is awaited. We just don’t know where it will come from. A distance event? From a stroke discipline? Male? Female? The beautiful part of the scenario is its guessing-game nature. Who will provide the surprise performance of the Games?

Tokyo supplied a pair.

Prior to the start of the Olympic Games, few experts—if any—had Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui and American Lydia Jacoby standing on the top step of the podium at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Yet, that is where they stood after their prime events, Hafnaoui the champion of the men’s 400 meter freestyle and Jacoby the gold medalist in the women’s 100 breaststroke.

When the final of the 400 freestyle was called to the starting blocks, little attention was paid to Hafnaoui. He had narrowly advanced to the championship race, occupying Lane 8. But as the cliché goes, he had a lane and a chance, and the 18-year-old took advantage of his opportunity.

Lurking in second place from the 150-meter mark through the last turn, Hafnaoui overhauled frontrunner Jack McLoughlin of Australia down the last lap and prevailed in 3:43.36, the Aussie earning silver in 3:43.52.

Hafnaoui became just the second Tunisian to capture Olympic gold in the sport, joining Ous Mellouli, who was the 2008 titlist in the 1500 freestyle and 2012 champion in the 10K open-water event. It was a startling triumph, but could be just the beginning of a superb international career.

“I cannot believe it,” Hafnaoui said. “It was a dream, and it has come true. It was great, it was my best race. I was in tears (on the podium) because I saw the flag of my country and I heard the anthem in the background. It was great. I’m so proud. I dedicate it

>> American Lydia Jacoby, 17, going into her senior year at Seward High School in Alaska, came from behind in the 100 breast to overtake world record holder Lilly King and eventual 200 breast world record holder Tatjana Schoenmaker.

Afterward, Jacoby said, “Coming from a small club—in a state with such a small population—really shows everyone that you can do it no matter where you’re from.” [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

>> Swimming in Lane 8 of the men’s 400 freestyle on the first day of finals in the meet’s second event, 18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui became just the second Tunisian to capture Olympic gold in swimming, joining Ous Mellouli, the 2008 titlist in the 1500 and 2012 champion in the 10K marathon. [ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ]

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to all the Tunisian people.” *** While Hafnaoui was an off-the-radar medalist, Jacoby headed into the 100 breaststroke as an upstart. Following a superb performance at the United States Olympic Trials, the 17-year-old was considered a medal contender, but not so much for gold. The heavy favorite for the top spot was defending champion and world record holder Lilly King.

Ultimately, it was Jacoby who flourished in the most-pressurized moment of her career. Third at the midway point behind South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker and King, Jacoby surged on the last lap, especially in the final 15 meters, and got to the wall in 1:04.95. Schoenmaker followed in 1:05.22, with King claiming bronze at 1:05.54.

A native of Seward, Alaska, Jacoby supplied her state with a rare Summer Games medal and provided proof that, >> It has been a long time since a U.S. men’s swimmer has won a distance race in the Olympics—not since regardless of history, much can be Mike O’Brien won the 1500 in 1984. But Finke dominated both the inaugural 800 and 1500—highlighted by accomplished with a chance. Going into her his fast finishes—earning him the distinction as the breakout performer of the Olympic Games. [ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ] senior year at Seward High School, Jacoby has committed to the University of Texas and has given the United States, along with neck,” Finke said. “I knew from my 800 I had the ability to switch King, a potent combination internationally gears for the final 50. So I was trying to keep it clean as possible in in the 100 breaststroke. the last 300 to hold on and just build off it at the end.”

“I was definitely racing for a medal. I knew I had it in me,” Jacoby Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri, the reigning gold medalist and only said. “I wasn’t really expecting a gold medal, so when I looked up holdover finalist from the Rio Olympics, took the edge through the and saw the scoreboard, it was insane. A lot of big-name swimmers first 300.

He would eventually fade to fourth. Wellbrock took the come from big, powerhouse clubs. Coming from a small club—in a lead at 400 meters, with Romanchuk just behind. Meanwhile, Finke state with such a small population—really shows everyone that you waited for the time to make his move. can do it no matter where you’re from.” — John Lohn As he did in the 800, the 21-year-old University of Florida senior cranked out a stunning final 50 split in the mile that was more than a second faster than the field and 61-hundredths faster than his 26.39 final split in the 800. Romanchuk earned the silver medal BREA KOUT PERF ORME R : (14:40.66), while Wellbrock, who led for more than 1,000 meters of the race, took bronze (14:40.91). Paltrinieri landed off the medal stand by four seconds.

Finke swam so fast, he even surprised himself.

“For myself, I didn’t know I had these swims in me,” Finke said. obby Finke raced to the wall. Putting together a sprinter’s final “So I’ve just gained a lot of confidence with Coach (Anthony) Nesty 50, he surged ahead of the field and made history. With a time being here. Even during the training trip, I was having some of the of 7:41.87, the U.S. swimmer became the first man ever to win best practices of my life, so it gave me a huge confidence boost Olympic gold in the 800 meter freestyle, an event added this year at coming here.” the Tokyo Olympic Games. It was a stunning turn of events in the Finke was aware that it had been a long time since an American final 50 of the distance race. male had won an Olympic gold medal in the 1500: “It was something Even more stunning was what he did a few days later. Finke put I was aware of,” Finke said. “Going into Trials, I didn’t really know together another strong turn heading into the final 50 of the 1500 how long it was, but we’ve got a lot of silver medals and bronze and passed three swimmers during the final length of the race to medals, so I’m glad to be able to pull it off with gold.” claim his second Olympic gold. It has been a long time since a U.S. U.S. men’s coach Dave Durden has been around for a lot of men’s swimmer has won a distance race in the Olympics—not since swimmers who aimed for gold, but didn’t quite get there. Meanwhile, Mike O’Brien won the 1500 in 1984. But Finke dominated both the Katie Ledecky has dominated the distance events on the women’s 800 and 1500—highlighted by his fast finishes—earning him the side. That has been something the men have tried to replicate, and distinction as the breakout performer of the Olympic Games. now they finally have.

While some predicted Finke to medal, most did not predict gold, “Hell yeah, absolutely that is a tremendous amount of pride especially in both events. But he put the exclamation point on his— that we have—not only in winning the 800, but coming back and and the USA’s—performance in Tokyo on the final day of the meet winning the mile,” Durden said. “We’re trying to keep up with the with a quick 25.78 split to win that epic mile in 14:39.65.

Katie Ledeckys of the world, so it’s nice to have Bobby Finke step “I saw all three of us (Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk, Germany’s Florian Wellbrock and Finke) were kind of neck-andup and do that in the 800 and the mile.” — Dan D’Addona

BOBBY FINKE (800 AND 1500 FREE)

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COUN TRY ON TH E RI SE :

I TA LY

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or years, Federica Pellegrini has been the standard-bearer for Italian swimming. Pellegrini, the Olympic gold medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 2008 Olympics, had experienced a late20s career revival by winning world titles in the event in 2017 and 2019. But at her fifth Olympics, she would be 31 years old.

For Italy’s men, Gregorio Paltrinieri was the 2016 gold medalist in the 1500 free (and the second-fastest man in history in the event) along with being the 2019 world champion in the 800 free.

Gabriele Detti had been a consistent international presence for years in the longer freestyles, winning two bronze medals at the 2016 Olympics.

As it turned out, Paltrinieri did earn a pair of medals in Tokyo (silver in the 800 free and bronze in the 10K), but it was a group of younger swimmers who propelled Italy to one of its best-ever performances in the pool at an Olympics.

After Italy had three finalists on Day 1 in Tokyo (Alberto Razzetti in the men’s 400 IM, Detti in the men’s 400 free and Ilaria Cusinato in the women’s 400 IM), Day 2 brought two medals: 21-year-old Nicolo Martinenghi won bronze in the men’s 100 breaststroke (58.33), and in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, the team of Alessandro Miressi, Thomas Ceccon, Lorenzo Zazzeri and Manuel Frigo secured a shocking silver medal (3:10.11, a national record). No one had the Italians pegged as a medal contender, but they touched second behind only the United States.

On Day 3, Ceccon, 20, swam to fourth in the men’s 100 back final, his time of 52.30 just a tenth behind world record holder Ryan Murphy for the bronze medal, and Martina Carrarro was seventh in the women’s 100 breast. The day after that, Pellegrini was in the pool for the women’s 200 freestyle final, and after she finished seventh, 19-year-old Federico Burdisso grabbed bronze in the men’s 200 fly (1:54.45). His Italian compatriots swam to fourth place in the men’s 800 freestyle relay.

Day 5 saw Miressi finish sixth in the men’s 100 free final and Paltrinieri earn his first medal of the Olympics in the 800 freestyle (7:42.11). Paltrinieri had been dealing with mononucleosis since

mid-June, so he arrived in Tokyo not at full strength, and he barely qualified for the first-ever Olympic 800 free final in the eighth position. But the 26-year-old showed guts and heart, taking the race out hard and swimming ahead of the field. His rivals caught up, but Paltrinieri finished with a hard-fought silver medal.

Italy would reach the podium three more times over the course of the week.

Simona Quadarella had arrived in Tokyo as the reigning world champion in the 1500 (a race swum with world record holder Katie Ledecky absent), but she faded badly in that race and ended up fifth, 11 seconds out of the medal chase. But she would get back up to race the 800 free on the second-to-last day in the pool, and ended up securing a bronze medal behind Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus in 8:18.35.

On the last day of racing in the pool, Zazzeri was seventh in a fast 50 free final, and Paltrinieri’s defense of his Olympic gold medal in the 1500 free left him fourth. But then, Italy’s group of Ceccon, Martinenghi, Burdisso and Miressi won bronze in the men’s 400 medley relay (3:29.17), holding off the Russian Olympic Committee by 5-hundredths. This was another relay medal that few had predicted, and prior to 2021, Italy’s men had won just one Olympic relay medal ever—a bronze in the 800 freestyle relay in 2004. But in 2021, the country put two relays on the podium and finished fourth in the men’s 800 free relay and mixed 400 medley relay.

Last of all, after Paltrinieri’s rough 1500 free, he rebounded to earn a bronze medal in the 10K open water event. “It means a lot because this is my first Olympics in open water, and I’ve been putting myself in a position mentally to try and focus on the open water more and more in these last two, three, four years. That was the goal, to come here and get on the podium,” Paltrinieri said.

That brought Italy’s medal total for the week to seven (six in pool swimming—two silver and four bronze), and that was without any contributions to the medal count from Benedetta Pilato, the 16-year-old who broke the world record in the women’s 50 breaststroke earlier this year. And other than Paltrinieri, the core of the men’s team—Miressi, Ceccon, Martinenghi, Burdisso, Razzetti—is all 22 or younger.

So the future is bright for the women and men from Italy. — David Rieder

Alessandro Miressi, Thomas Ceccon, Lorenzo Zazzeri and Manuel Frigo clocked a national record 3:10.11 for a silver medal in the men’s 400 freestyle relay. [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

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R E SILIEN CE AWARD:

SARAH SJOSTROM (50 FREE)

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n early February, Sarah Sjostrom’s preparation for her fourth Olympic Games was derailed when she slipped on ice and fractured her elbow. She immediately underwent surgery and had screws and a metal plate inserted, but Sjostrom was expected to be out of the pool for months as she tried to make a full recovery. Once she returned to the pool, Sjostrom had mere months to go before the Tokyo Games.

Sjostrom won her first three Olympic medals at the 2016 Olympics (gold in the 100 fly, silver in the 200 free and bronze in the 100 free), and she has earned eight World Championship gold medals across a decade-long span (2009 to 2019) in the 50 free, 50 fly and 100 fly. She has had most of the success over her career in fly, but given the circumstances of her injury, she suggested that she may concentrate on sprint freestyle for Tokyo and possibly even eschew the opportunity to defend her 100 fly Olympic title from 2016.

Sjostrom’s 2021 racing schedule prior to the Games was incredibly light: the Mare Nostrum meet in Canet in early June followed by the Sette Colli meet in Rome a few months later. It turns out that was enough, and Sjostrom decided to enter all three of her signature events at the Olympics, the 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and 50 freestyle. She held the world record in all three races, although no one was expecting her to be at that level so close to her injury.

Indeed, when Sjostrom showed up in Tokyo, she was not perfect, but for a swimmer who just spent months rehabbing an injury, she acquitted herself nicely.

Sjostrom opened the Games with the >> Despite fracturing her right elbow in February and undergoing surgery to have screws and a metal plate inserted, Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was not only able to compete five months later at the Tokyo 100 fly, the race about which she had been Olympics, but also claim a silver medal in the 50 meter freestyle on the final day of competition. so unsure, and while she was behind in her [ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ] heat at the start, she came back with the closing speed that has been her signature days of the Olympics and her final race, the 50 freestyle. She since she broke her first world record at age qualified fourth after prelims and third after the semifinals, and then, 15, to touch out American teenager Torri Huske. Sjostrom’s time in in the final, she secured a silver medal. Her time was 24.07, nowhere that race was 56.18, and she looked completely shocked and thrilled close to her world record of 23.73, but that did not matter one bit as she glanced at the scoreboard. to Sjostrom. After three Olympic medals at the 2016 Rio Games, “Today I felt extremely strong, and it was my best time in like Sjostrom added a fourth, the least likely of any medal she has won four years,” she said. “Obviously, that’s a big surprise after the in a lengthy international career. preparations I’ve had the last six months.”

“This is one of my biggest achievements in my career. I’ve been During the first morning of finals, Sjostrom led off Sweden’s 400 winning a lot of medals and breaking a lot of world records, but this freestyle relay in 52.62, breaking the Olympic record at the time. has been the toughest challenge so far,” Sjostrom said. “We didn’t She did not manage to improve on her 100 fly prelims time, and she know if I would make it all the way to the podium—we were just ended up finishing seventh in the final, but it was the freestyle events like, ‘Maybe a final if I can.’ It has been a really hard journey, but it that Sjostrom had been targeting. A few days later, the 27-year-old has definitely made me even tougher as an athlete.”

Swede qualified for the 100 free final and finished fifth in what was For that stunning performance, Sjostrom was undoubtedly the the fastest field in history in that race.

Still, Sjostrom was without a medal heading into the last two most resilient swimmer in the pool in Tokyo. — David Rieder CONTINUED ON 22 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

21

[ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars / USA Today Sports ]

Chase Kalisz, USA (1 Gold: 400 IM)

Wang Shun, China (1 Gold: 200 IM)

22

SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

Evgeny Rylov, Russian Olympic Committee (2 Gold: 100-200 Back)

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Florian Wellbrock, Germany ( 1 Gold: Men’s 10K Marathon )

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

[ Photo Courtesy: Kareem Elgazzar / USA Today Sports ]

2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES PHOTO GALLERY: GOLDEN MOMENTS

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Katie Ledecky, USA (2 Gold: 200-400 Free)

Emma McKeon, Australia (4 Gold: 50-100 Free, 400 MR, 400 FR-WR) CONTINUED ON 24 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES PHOTO GALLERY: GOLDEN MOMENTS

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Yui Ohashi, Japan (2 Gold: 200-400 IM)

Adam Peaty, Great Britain (2 Gold: 100 Breast, Mixed 400 MR-WR)

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2 Gold: 200-400 Free)

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ]

Lydia Jacoby, USA (left) (1 Gold: 100 Breast)

[ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars / USA Today Sports ]

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ]

CONTINUED FROM 23

[ Photo Courtesy: Grace Hollars / USA Today Sports ] [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Caeleb Dressel, USA (5 Gold: 50-100 Free, 100 Fly-WR, 400 MR-WR, 400 FR)

Tatjana Schoenmaker, South Africa (Center) (1 Gold: 200 Breast-WR) with (from left) Lilly King, Annie Lazor & Kaylene Corbett

Serbia player Nikola Jaksic (left) ( Team Serbia Men's Gold in Water Polo )

Kaylee McKeown, Australia (3 Gold: 100-200 Back, 400 MR)

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports ] [ Photo Courtesy: Andrew Nelles / USA Today Sports ] [ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Kristof Milak, Hungary (1 Gold: 200 Fly)

Shi Tingmao, China (2 Gold: 3M Springboard, 3M Synchro) CONTINUED ON 26 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES PHOTO GALLERY: GOLDEN MOMENTS

Svetlana Kolesnichenko and Svetlana Romashina Russian Olympic Committee (2 gold: Duet, Team)

Team USA Women's Water Polo (Women's Team Gold)

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil (1 Gold: Women’s 10K Marathon)

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

Zhang Yufei, China (2 Gold: 200 Fly, 800 FR-WR)

[ Photo Courtesy: Kareem Elgazzar / USA Today Sports ]

Xie Siyi, China (2 Gold: 3M Springboard, 3M Synchro)

[ Photo Courtesy: Robert Deutsch / USA Today Sports ]

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

[ Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ]

CONTINUED FROM 25

GIRLS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

RETURN TO

NO. 1

After a two-season absence as Swimming World’s girls’ high school national champions, Carmel High School (Ind.) has returned to claim its seventh overall team title since 2011.

T

he Carmel girls’ swim team is one of the country’s most tradition-rich programs. So many accomplished swimmers have passed through the school, and in February, the team captured its 35th consecutive Indiana high school state championship.

Additionally, they are Swimming World’s overall high school national champions for the seventh time. Previously, the Greyhounds won the honor in 2011 and then five years straight from 2013 to 2017. Carmel has also been named the national public school champion in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, 2010 and 2019.

With Carmel’s boys being named men’s overall team of the year for the second time, 2021 marks the first year that both Carmel teams are national champions. They’re only the third school to do so since the magazine first recognized an overall national high school champion for both boys and girls in 1987. The other two schools with that distinction are Peddie (1990 and 1991) and Bolles (1998 and 2000).

A SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS But even though his girls’ team has achieved significant success for so long, this squad stood out to Carmel head coach Chris Plumb because of its sense of resilience and togetherness through one of the most unorthodox swim seasons ever.

BY DAVID RIEDER | PHOTOS BY PETER H. BICK

During the months preceding the high school state meet, the swimmers and coaches were concerned the meet would never happen because of COVID-19 restrictions. Even when the meet eventually did happen, the typically raucous crowd was absent, leaving the swimmers to perform in front of an empty, cavernous IUPUI Natatorium. But they managed to push through those concerns thanks to an exceptional sense of togetherness.

“There were really no egos on this team,” Plumb said. “They loved each other. They cared for each other. They were just a united team. I don’t really know how to say it. They really enjoyed each other’s company, and they really got behind each other, and it’s fun to be a part of.”

Plumb credited assistant coach Rhiannon Sheets for putting together the activities that prioritized team bonding. “From being a former Carmel swimmer herself, she kind of understands all those things,” Plumb said. Among the activities the Carmel staff employed to bring their team together: a lip-sync contest, karaoke and charades. The coaches would ask the swimmers to share their two most important values. And every week, the team would hold a winners’ circle, where each member of the group would share positive feedback about a teammate.

“I just try to get them to a place where they all have to put

>> PICTURED ABOVE: Carmel High School celebrates its 35th straight Indiana high school state championship in February.

CONTINUED ON 28 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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GIRLS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS / Continued from 27

too. It was weird because your training went down, but you spend a little bit more time creating these bonds outside of the pool on Zoom.”

The pandemic limited in-person events such as team dinners, but the newfound excursion into the virtual world allowed Plumb to bring back accomplished alumni such as Amy Bilquist, Claire Adams, Veronica Burchill and 2021 Olympic Trials finalist Kelly Pash to speak with the team, to share their experiences and lend their insights into how to handle challenges in the sport.

TIME FOR FAST SWIMMING Whatever Plumb & Co. tried, it worked, as the team performed brilliantly at the state meet. Carmel scored 479 points, more than double the total of second-place Fishers (200). Carmel won all three relays handily, and junior Gretchen Lueking won the 200 >> Carmel’s 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays each recorded the country’s second-fastest yard freestyle in 1:45.48, the third-fastest marks (1:40.38, 1:31.21), while the quartet of (from left) Gretchen Lueking, Berit Berglund, performance in the nation. Sophomore Meghan Christman and Madelyn Christman swam a 3:18.84 in the 400 freestyle relay for Berit Berglund topped the 100 backstroke in the country’s fastest time by nearly two seconds.

52.09, also the country’s third-fastest time.

Plumb called junior MacKenna Lieske’s narrow victory in the 100 breaststroke by themselves out there in front of each other and make themselves 4-hundredths of a second his biggest surprise of the meet. vulnerable,” Plumb said. “I think this team was willing to share “I think (we showed) just the overall depth in the way our team their vulnerability with each other. We did a lot of stuff on Zoom, swam from top to bottom. We certainly have our stars. But (junior) Hayley Reed was third in the 100 fly. That’s a huge swim for her.

She’s come so far. Just those swims were the fun part about the meet,” Plumb said.

SUITMATE": Keeping swimmers happy since '83 “Obviously, Berit Berglund’s 100 back, I knew she could do it, but to see her go 52.1—and is that the No. 1 time in the country?”

When Plumb learned that Berglund had ended up third, he said, “Two girls ahead. OK, let’s go. We’ve got motivation for next year.”

In the national rankings, Carmel scored 166 points, well ahead of second-place Neuqua Valley (Naperville, Ill.) at 134, and the Greyhounds were propelled by Lueking, Berglund and the Christman sisters. Lueking also posted the 11th-fastest time in the country in the 100 freestyle (49.46), while senior Madelyn Christman was 14th nationally in the 200 IM (1:59.27) and 11th in the 100 back (53.22).

Sophomore Meghan Christman finished eighth in the country in the 50 freestyle (22.59).

Carmel’s 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays each recorded the country’s second-fastest marks (1:40.38, 1:31.21), while the quartet of Lueking, Berglund, Meghan Christman and Madelyn Christman swam a 3:18.84 in the 400 freestyle relay for the country’s fastest time by nearly two seconds.

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LOOKING AHEAD And while Carmel was the national champion this year, they might be preparing for another run atop the national rankings with rising ninth-grader Alex Shackell preparing to join the high school team. Shackell is already almost fast enough to rank among the top 16 in the country in the 100 butterfly, and her improvement curve since her last short course race has been stunning.

After barely qualifying for Wave I Olympic Trials in the 100 meter fly, Shackell dropped more than a second at the Speedo Summer Championships in Greensboro to win the event in 59.61.

“She’s an up-and-comer, no question,” Plumb said. “She’s got an ability to race and compete, and she’s just consistently trying to get better and learn.” v

SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE’S GIRLS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOLLOWING IS A MOCK HEAT SHEET OF THE GIRLS’ MYTHICAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, BASED ON THE TOP TIMES SWUM DURING THE 202021 HIGH SCHOOL SEASON.

EVENT #1 200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Bayley Stewart, Zoe Bartel, Coleen Gillilan, Kylee Alons

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Harpeth Hall—Nashville, Tn. (2-9-18) 1:38.77

Alex Walsh, Ella Nelson, Alex Massey, Gretchen Walsh

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Mason—Mason, Oh............................................1:41.67

LANE 2

Fairview—Boulder, Co........................................1:41.54

LANE 3

Westminster Schools—Atlanta, Ga.....................1:40.65

LANE 4

Brookfield East—Brookfield, Wi..........................1:38.36

LANE 5

Carmel—Carmel, In............................................1:40.38

LANE 6

Fossil Ridge—Fort Collins, Co..............................1:40.88

LANE 7

New Albany—New Albany, Oh...........................1:41.56

LANE 8

Neuqua Valley—Naperville, Il.............................1:42.43

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Chaparral—Scottsdale, Az..................................1:42.74

LANE 2

Santa Margarita—RS Margarita, Ca....................1:42.57

LANE 3

Franklin Comm.—Franklin, In............................1:42.52

LANE 4

Baylor—Chattanooga, Tn...................................1:42.49

LANE 5

Dublin Coffman—Dublin, Oh..............................1:42.51

LANE 6

Homestead—Fort Wayne, In..............................1:42.54

LANE 7

Upper Arlington—Upper Arlington, Oh..............1:42.57

LANE 8

Hamilton Southeastern—Fishers, In...................1:42.74

EVENT #2 200 YARD FREESTYLE

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Dagny Knutson—Minot, N.D. (11-14-08) 1:42.81

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Katie Ledecky—Stone Ridge, Md. (2-7-15) 1:41.55

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Hayden Miller, Jr.—Cypress Creek, Tx..................1:46.37

LANE 2

Cavan Gormsen, So.—Sacred Heart, NY...............1:46.18

LANE 3

Gretchen Lueking, Jr.—Carmel, In......................1:45.48

LANE 4

Justina Kozan, Jr.—Santa Margarita, Ca..............1:44.40

LANE 5

Blair Stoneburg, Jr.—Jensen Beach, Fl................1:44.63

LANE 6

Kristina Paegle, Jr.—Bloomington South, In.......1:45.96

LANE 7

Micayla Cronk, Sr.—Flagler Palm Coast, Fl..........1:46.23

LANE 8

Rachel Stege, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il...................1:46.40

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Aurora Roghair, Sr.—Iowa City West, Ia..............1:47.30

LANE 2

Katherine Helms, Jr.—South County, Va..............1:47.24

LANE 3

Mary Cate Pruitt, Sr.—St. Joseph, In...................1:47.04

LANE 4

Morgan Razewski, Jr.—William A. Hough, NC.....1:46.74

LANE 5

Malia Rausch, Sr.—Lake Travis, Tx.......................1:46.82

LANE 6

Ashley Strouse, Sr.—Chaparral, Az......................1:47.15

LANE 7

Kirsti McEnroe, Jr.—Spartanburg, SC..................1:47.26

LANE 8

Macky Hodges, So.—Santa Margarita, Ca...........1:47.30

NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL RECORD NATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL RECORD PRELIM TIME RELAY SPLIT TIME

KEY

Note: National high school rules state that swimmers can swim a maximum of four events (including relays) with no more than two individual events.

TIMES COMPILED BY BOB KLAPTHOR

Fossil Ridge—Ft. Collins, Co. (2-10-18) 1:38.13

* = ** = p = r =

EVENT #3 200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Dagny Knutson—Minot, N.D. (11-13-09) 1:53.82p

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Ella Eastin—Crean Lutheran, Ca. (5-16-15) 1:53.90

EVENT #5 100 YARD BUTTERFLY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Torri Huske—Yorktown, Va. (2-22-20) 50.69

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Claire Curzan—Cardinal Gibbons, N.C. (2-7-20) 50.35

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 1

Ella Bathurst, Sr.—H.B. Plant, Fl.........................1:58.24

LANE 1

Scarlet Martin, Jr.—Iowa City West, Ia...................53.01

LANE 2

Letitia Sim, Sr.—Spanish Fort, Al........................1:57.72

LANE 2

Lucy Bell, Jr.—Fossil Ridge, Co...............................52.50

LANE 3

Kiley Wilhelm, So.—Myers Park, NC....................1:56.89

LANE 3

Mia Kragh, Sr.—Torrey Pines, Ca............................52.22

LANE 4

Torri Huske, Sr.—Yorktown, Va. (2-25-21).........1:53.73*

LANE 4

Torri Huske, Sr.—Yorktown, Va. (2-25-21)............49.95*

LANE 5

Brooke Zettel, Sr.—Apex Friendship, NC..............1:56.71

LANE 5

Claire Curzan, Jr.—Card. Gibbons, NC (2-13/2-20-21)..50.35

LANE 6

Devon Kitchel, Jr.—Zionsville, In........................1:57.69

LANE 6

Tess Howley, So.—Sacred Heart, NY.......................52.33

LANE 7

Martina Peroni, Jr.—Olentangy, Oh....................1:57.77

LANE 7

Devon Kitchel, Jr.—Zionsville, In...........................52.93

LANE 8

Justina Kozan, Jr.—Santa Margarita, Ca..............1:58.32

LANE 8

McKenna Stone, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il..................53.04

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 1

Annika McEnroe, Sr.—Spartanburg, SC...............1:59.29

LANE 1

Olivia Peoples, Sr.—Allen Nease, Fl........................53.41

LANE 2

Anabel Crush, Sr.—Sacred Heart, Ky....................1:59.26

LANE 2

Olivia Della Torre, Jr.—Oconee City, Ga...................53.35

LANE 3

Ellie Waldrep, Sr.—Baylor, Tn..............................1:58.73

LANE 3

Gigi Johnson, Jr.—Westminster, Ga.......................53.13

LANE 4

Gigi Johnson, Jr.—Westminster, Ga....................1:58.41

LANE 4

Annika McEnroe, Sr.—Spartanburg, SC..................53.06

LANE 5

Grace Sheble, Sr.—James River, Va......................1:58.49

LANE 5

Corbyn Cormack, Sr.—Southlake Carroll, Tx...........53.13

LANE 6

Julia Podkoscielny, So.—Pine Crest, Fl.................1:59.14

LANE 6

Mackenzie McConagha, Sr.—Briar Woods, Va........53.34

LANE 7

Madelyn Christman, Sr.—Carmel, In...................1:59.27

LANE 7

Sara Stoller, Sr.—Clay, Fl........................................53.35

LANE 8

Corbyn Cormack, Sr.—Southlake Carroll, Tx........1:59.50

LANE 8

Avery Bargeron, Sr.—Lovett School, Ga.................53.63

EVENT #4 50 YARD FREESTYLE

EVENT #6 100 YARD FREESTYLE

Abbey Weitzeil—Saugus, Ca. (5-16-15) 21.64

Abbey Weitzeil—Saugus, Ca. (5-16-15) 47.09r

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Gretchen Walsh—Harpeth Hall, Tn. (2-7-20) 21.59

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Gretchen Walsh—Harpeth Hall, Tn. (2-8-20) 46.98

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 1

Camille Spink, So.—Battlefield, Va........................22.55

LANE 1

Camille Spink, So.—Battlefield, Va........................48.93

LANE 2

Erika Pelaez, Fr.—So. Florida HAE, Fl......................22.52

LANE 2

Micayla Cronk, Sr.—Flagler Palm Coast, Fl.............48.78

LANE 3

Lexie Mulvihill, Sr.—Steinbrenner, Fl.....................22.22

LANE 3

Kristina Paegle, Jr.—Bloomington South, In..........48.78

LANE 4

Gretchen Walsh, Sr.—Harpeth Hall, Tn...................21.61

LANE 4

Gretchen Walsh, Sr.—Harpeth Hall, Tn...................47.55

LANE 5

Anna Shaw, Sr.—Heritage, Co................................22.22

LANE 5

Anna Shaw, Sr.—Heritage, Co................................48.24

LANE 6

Teresa Ivan, Sr.—Ardrey Kell, NC............................22.46

LANE 6

Lexie Mulvihill, Sr.—Steinbrenner, Fl.....................48.78

LANE 7

Alexis Duchsherer, Sr.—Century, ND.......................22.54

LANE 7

Ella Welch, Jr.—Assumption, Ky.............................48.85

LANE 8

Meghan Christman, So.—Carmel, In......................22.59

LANE 8

Teresa Ivan, Sr.—Ardrey Kell, NC............................49.25

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 1

Alexis Fulton, So.—Downington East, Pa...............22.72

LANE 1

Tatum Wall, Jr.—Independence, Va........................49.58

LANE 2

Lilian Christianson, Fr.—Penn, In...........................22.66

LANE 2

Lucy Bell, Jr.—Fossil Ridge, Co...............................49.48

LANE 3

KyAnh Truong, Sr.—Austin Westwood, Tx..............22.63

LANE 3

Gretchen Lueking, Jr.—Carmel, In.........................49.46

LANE 4

Abby Wanezek, Jr.—Brookfield East, Wi.................22.63

LANE 4

Abby Wanezek, Jr.—Brookfield East, Wi.................49.33

LANE 5

Ella Welch, Sr.—Assumption, Ky............................22.63

LANE 5

Katie Crom, Jr.—Tesoro, Ca....................................49.41

LANE 6

Kailyn Winter, Sr.—Soquel, Ca...............................22.65

LANE 6

Erika Pelaez, Fr.—So. Florida HAE, Fl......................49.47

LANE 7

Molly Yetter, Sr.—St. Charles East, Il.......................22.68

LANE 7

Katherine Helms, Jr.—South County, Va.................49.55

LANE 8

Megan Ciezczak, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il..................22.75

LANE 8

Cory Shanks, Sr.—Clear Creek, Tx...........................49.59 CONTINUED ON 30 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK]

GIRLS' HEAT SHEET / Continued from 29

>> TORRI HUSKE, Yorktown, Va.

EVENT #7 500 YARD FREESTYLE

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Dagny Knutson—Minot, N.D. (11-14-08) 4:34.78

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Katie Ledecky—Stone Ridge, Md. (2-6-15) 4:26.58p

EVENT #9 100 YARD BACKSTROKE

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Olivia Smoliga—Glenbrook So., Ill. (11-17-12) 51.43

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Phoebe Bacon—Stone Ridge, Md. (2-8-20) 50.89

EVENT #11 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL Carmel—Carmel, Ind. (2-14-15) 3:15.38

Veronica Burchill, Claire Adams, Kendall Smith, Amy Bilquist

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Santa Margarita—R.S. Margarita, Ca. (5-13-17) 3:18.26 Samantha Shelton, Mackenzie Degn, Anicka Delgado, Ella Ristic

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Westminster Schools—Atlanta, Ga.....................3:24.45

LANE 2

Iowa City West—Iowa City, Ia.............................3:23.73

LANE 3

Neuqua Valley—Naperville,Il..............................3:20.65

LANE 4

Carmel—Carmel, In............................................3:18.84

LANE 5

Santa Margarita—RS Margarita, Ca....................3:20.49

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 1

Aurora Roghair, Sr.—Iowa City West, Ia..............4:45.78

LANE 1

Ella Bathurst, Sr.—H.B. Plant, Fl............................52.77

LANE 2

Abigail McColloh, Sr.—Parkview, Ga...................4:44.96

LANE 6

Brookfield East—Brookfield, Wi..........................3:20.92

LANE 2

Maggie Wanezek, Fr.—Brookfield East, Wi.............52.47

LANE 3

Cavan Gormsen, So.—Sacred Heart, NY...............4:40.75

LANE 7

New Albany—New Albany, Oh...........................3:24.35

LANE 3

Berit Berglund, So.—Carmel, In.............................52.09

LANE 4

Blair Stoneburg, Jr.—Jensen Beach, Fl................4:38.90

LANE 8

Oviedo—Oviedo, Fl.............................................3:24.50

LANE 4

Claire Curzan, Jr.—Card. Gibbons, NC.....................51.57

LANE 5

Rachel Stege, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il...................4:40.03

LANE 5

Ellie Waldrep, Sr.—Baylor, Tn.................................51.75

LANE 6

Malia Rausch, Sr.—Lake Travis, Tx.......................4:43.76

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 6

Reilly Tiltmann, Sr.—Brookfield East, Wi................52.14

LANE 7

Mary Cate Pruitt, Sr.—St. Joseph, In...................4:45.73

LANE 1

Winter Park—Winter Park, Fl..............................3:25.48

LANE 7

Anabel Crush, Sr.—Sacred Heart, Ky.......................52.66

LANE 8

Samantha Tadder, Sr.—First Colonial, Va.............4:45.99

LANE 2

Fossil Ridge—Fort Collins, Co..............................3:25.12

LANE 8

Mya Dewitt, Jr.—Fort Wayne Carroll, In.................52.85

LANE 3

Harvard-Westlake—Los Angeles, Ca...................3:24.81

LANE 4

Zionsville—Zionsville, In....................................3:24.60

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 1

Macky Hodges, So.—Santa Margarita, Ca...........4:47.56

LANE 5

Saint Andrew’s—Boca Raton, Fl.........................3:24.76

LANE 1

Julia Podkoscielny, So.—Pine Crest, Fl....................53.76

LANE 2

Addison Sauickie, Fr.—Riverview, Fl...................4:47.23

LANE 6

Sacred Heart—Louisville, Ky...............................3:24.96

LANE 2

Levenia Sim, Fr.—Spanish Fort, Al.........................53.42

LANE 3

Michaela Mattes, So.—Card. Mooney, Fl.............4:46.54

LANE 7

Broughton—Raleigh, NC....................................3:25.22

LANE 3

Madelyn Christman, Sr.—Carmel, In......................53.22

LANE 4

Ashley Strouse, Sr.—Chaparral, Az......................4:46.20

LANE 8

St. Joseph—South Bend, In................................3:25.77

LANE 4

Kennedy Noble, Jr.—Millennium, Az.....................52.95

LANE 5

Olivia McMurray, Sr.—Fort Myers, Fl...................4:46.44

LANE 5

Mackenzie McConagha, Sr.—Briar Woods, Va.......53.21

LANE 6

Meghan Lynch, Sr.—Greenwich, Ct.....................4:46.76

LANE 6

Emma Karam, Jr.—Galena, Nv...............................53.34

LANE 7

Jessi Wigham, So.—Waukee, Ia..........................4:47.43

LANE 7

Kiley Wilhelm, So.—Myers Park, NC......................53.48

LANE 8

Jordan Agliano, Jr.—Lake Nona, Fl......................4:47.73

LANE 8

Rebekah Hamilton, Sr.—Westminster Christian, Al.....53.84

EVENT #8 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY

EVENT #10 100 YARD BREASTSTROKE

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Carmel—Carmel, Ind. (2-14-15) 1:30.72

Veronica Burchill, Claire Adams, Kendall Smith, Trude Rothrock

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Baylor—Chattanooga, Tn. (2-11-12) 1:31.18

Kristen Vredeveld, Ashley Yearwood, Kimberlee John-Williams, Bria Deveaux

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Kaitlyn Dobler, Aloha, Ore. (2-22-20) 58.35

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Alex Walsh—Harpeth Hall, Tn. (2-10-18) 58.88

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Elizabeth Andrews, Sr.—Dublin Coffman, Oh......1:00.84

LANE 2

Ana Izabella Adame, Sr.—Valencia, Ca................1:00.43

LANE 3

Lydia Jacoby, Jr.—Seward, Ak.............................1:00.16 Emma Weber, Jr.—Regis Jesuit, Co........................59.93

LANE 1

Santa Margarita—RS Margarita, Ca....................1:33.66

LANE 2

C.T. Johnson—San Antonio, Tx............................1:33.30

LANE 4

LANE 3

Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl......................................1:33.01

LANE 5

Letitia Sim, Sr.—Spanish Fort, Al.......................1:00.11

LANE 4

Neuqua Valley—Naperville, Il.............................1:31.02

LANE 6

Kaylee Hamblin, Sr.—Parkwood, NC...................1:00.35

LANE 5

Carmel—Carmel, In............................................1:31.21

LANE 7

Samantha Tadder, Sr.—First Colonial, Va.............1:00.53

LANE 6

Soquel—Soquel, Ca............................................1:33.21

LANE 8

Lucy Thomas, So.—Brookfield East, Wi...............1:00.87

LANE 7

Upper Arlington—Upper Arlington, Oh..............1:33.31

LANE 8

Fairview—Boulder, Co........................................1:33.80

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Marcela Scaramuzza, Jr.—Windermere, Fl..........1:01.41

LANE 2

Mackenzie Miller, Jr.—Clovis East, Ca..................1:01.39

LANE 3

Skyler Smith, Sr.—Valley Christian, Ca................1:01.19

LANE 1

Hamilton Southeastern—Fishers, In...................1:34.34

LANE 2

Sacred Heart—Louisville, Ky...............................1:34.24

LANE 4

Emily Lundgren, Jr.—Eastlake, Ca.......................1:00.96

LANE 3

Hershey—Hershey, Pa........................................1:34.16

LANE 5

Grace Rainey, So.—William A. Hough, NC...........1:01.05

Saint Andrew’s—Boca Raton, Fl.........................1:34.10

LANE 6

Jessey Li, Jr.—Cincinnati Hills, Oh.......................1:01.31

Broughton—Raleigh, NC....................................1:34.16

LANE 7

Paige Striley, Jr.—Lakota West, Oh......................1:01.40

LANE 6

St. Charles East—St. Charles, Il...........................1:34.20

LANE 8

Kaelyn Gridley, Jr.—New Trier, Il.........................1:01.45

LANE 7

Westwood—Austin, Tx.......................................1:34.30

LANE 8

Iowa City West—Iowa City, Ia.............................1:34.34

LANE 4 LANE 5

Yorktown—Arlington, Va....................................1:34.34

30

SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

McKenzie Siroki, So.—Livonia Stevenson, Mi......1:01.45

TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW NISCA’S 2020-21 ALL-AMERICA LISTS. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT

Upper Arlington—Upper Arlington, Oh ........3:25.77 v

TEAM STANDINGS: THE TOP 10 COMBINED 1.

Carmel, Ind................................166.0 2.

Neuqua Valley, Ill.......................134.0 3.

Brookfield East, Wis..................126.3 4.

Santa Margarita Catholic, Calif....99.5 5.

The Westminster Schools, Ga.....71.5 6.

Fossil Ridge, Colo........................56.0 7.

Iowa City West, Iowa...................55.5 8.

New Albany, Ohio.......................52.0 9.

Fairview, Colo..............................50.0 10.

Zionsville, Ind..............................46.0 PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1.

Carmel, Ind................................166.0 2.

Neuqua Valley, Ill.......................134.0 3.

Brookfield East, Wis..................126.3 4.

Fossil Ridge, Colo........................56.0 5.

Iowa City West, Iowa...................55.5 6.

New Albany, Ohio.......................52.0 7.

Fairview, Colo..............................50.0 8.

Zionsville, Ind..............................46.0 9.

Yorktown, Va...............................42.0 10.

Jensen Beach, Fla........................37.0 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS 1.

Santa Margarita Catholic, Calif....99.5 2.

The Westminster Schools, Ga.....71.5 3.

Sacred Heart Academy, N.Y..........45.0 4.

Baylor School, Tenn.....................41.0 5.

Harpeth Hall, Tenn.......................40.0 6.

Cardinal Gibbons, N.C.................37.0 7.

Sacred Heart Academy, Ky...........35.0 8T. Bolles School, Fla........................32.0 8T. Saint Andrew’s School, Fla..........32.0 10.

Assumption, Ky............................20.3

BOYS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

MAKING HISTORY

Carmel High School (Ind.) is the first school in 21 years to have both its girls’ and boys’ swimming teams win Swimming World’s national high school championships in the same year—a feat last accomplished

by Bolles (Fla.) in 2000.

T

he Carmel High School girls’ swim team has been a dominant force for decades, winning 35 straight Indiana state team titles and earning national prominence by claiming seven of the last 11 Swimming World national high school championships, including this year.

Don’t look now, but here come the Carmel boys!

Coach Chris Plumb’s boys’ team was crowned state champions this year for the seventh straight time and 10th in the last 11 years.

That streak, coupled with former Carmel stars Drew Kibler and Jake Mitchell making the U.S. Olympic team, has made 2021 a banner year for the Greyhounds.

By also being named Swimming World’s high school champions this year, they’ve now started a little streak of their own on the national level, claiming two team titles in a row (2019 and 2021, with a champion not being named in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Just four years ago, Carmel earned the distinction as the top boys’ public school in the country...and 2004 marked the first and only time that they had previously been named national champs.

TRUE DEFINITION OF TEAM “It’s certainly always been the goal to be able to say both (are elite programs),” Plumb said. “When I first started, everybody

BY DAN D'ADDONA | PHOTOS BY PETER H. BICK

would be like, ‘Hey, your girls’ team’s great. Your girls’ team.

Your girls’ team.’ People would say, ‘He can only coach girls.’ And then our boys became really good, and they kind of overshadowed our girls.

“To have them both become (national champions) in the same year has always been the goal. It’s an amazing achievement. I just think it speaks to the balance, the ability of the team to support each other, for the girls to support the boys and the boys to support the girls. Really, I think it defines the true definition of what TEAM is.”

CARMEL DEPTH The Carmel depth led to some dominant relays, which proved to be the major reason why Carmel was able to score a 22-point victory, 129 to 107, over runner-up Bolles (Fla.), the top independent school in the country.

Carmel’s relays finished first, second and fourth for 104 points—just three points fewer than Bolles’ overall total!

Griffin Hadley, Kayden Lancaster, Carter Lancaster and Gus Rothrock combined for the country’s fastest time in the 400 yard freestyle relay (2:58.70), while Ryan Malicki replaced Carter Lancaster to put together a 1:22.02 200 free relay that ranked fourth. Their 200 medley relay—No. 2 in the nation at 1:29.60, a

>> PICTURED ABOVE: After Carmel High School (Ind.) captured the team trophy at the Indiana State High School Championships in February, their times also proved to be fast enough to be named Swimming World’s 2020-21 boys’ national high school champions. Of their 129 total points, 104 of them came from their three relays.

CONTINUED ON 32 >>

SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

31

BOYS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS / Continued from 31

>> (From left) Carmel’s Gus Rothrock, Carter Lancaster, Kayden Lancaster and Griffin Hadley turned in the fastest time this past season in the 400 yard freestyle relay with a 2:58.70.

>> Junior Ryan Malicki was Carmel’s top individual scorer, placing fifth in the 100 yard breaststroke (53.45). He also swam on the Greyhounds’ 200 medley relay, which ranked second in the country, and the team’s fourthplace 200 freestyle relay.

second behind Cherry Creek (Colo.) at 1:28.61—consisted of Carter Lancaster, Malicki, Christopher Holmes and William Kok. Of their seven point scorers (four who are underclassmen), three also scored individually: seniors Hadley (13th, 200 free, 1:36.64) and Rothrock (10th, 200 IM, 1:46.78) plus Malicki, a junior (5th, 100 breast, 53.45).

“Ryan Malicki’s 100 breaststroke was a huge win for the team,” Plumb said. “(Placing fifth in the country) was great—that was our best swim right there.”

Plumb also cited sophomore Sean Sullivan as a “really pleasant surprise this past year. He went 48.96 in the 100 back”—which placed third at states and just missed by about a half-second to rank among the nation’s top 16.

“The total depth of the boys’ team is really impressive.

(At states), we had everybody swimming, with everyone in finals almost. Just the way we swam from top to bottom was really impressive,” Plumb said.

A LINK TO THE PAST “I think what we’re seeing with the boys is there’s buy-in across the board. They’ve bought into the program. They’ve bought into what we’re doing. The days of Drew Kibler— Charles Vaughn even—really helped create a culture, and our kids completely bought into the program and what they are.

“And I still think we’re seeing their leadership and their willingness to go above and beyond high school, taking those international things to that next level. Those guys helped create that culture that exists today on the boys’ side, and I think we’re seeing that this past season.” v

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32

SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE’S BOYS’ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOLLOWING IS A MOCK HEAT SHEET OF THE BOYS’ MYTHICAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, BASED ON THE TOP TIMES SWUM DURING THE 202021 HIGH SCHOOL SEASON.

EVENT #1 200 YARD MEDLEY RELAY

EVENT #3

Baylor—Chattanooga, Tenn. (2-14-14) 1:27.74 Luke Kaliszak, Dustin Tynes, Sam McHugh, Christian Selby CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Penn—Mishawaka, In........................................1:30.48

LANE 2

Saline—Saline, Mi..............................................1:30.35

LANE 3

Zionsville—Zionsville, In....................................1:29.64

LANE 4

Cherry Creek—Greenwood Village, Co...........................1:28.61

LANE 5

Carmel—Carmel, In.............................................1:29.60

LANE 6

Woodlands—Woodlands, Tx...............................1:30.08

LANE 7

Heritage—Littleton, Co......................................1:30.42

LANE 8

St. Xavier—Louisville, Ky.....................................1:30.51

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Eden Prairie—Eden Prairie, Mn...........................1:31.36

LANE 2

Mason—Mason, Oh............................................1:31.17

LANE 3

Southwest—Lincoln, Neb...................................1:31.10

LANE 4

Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl.......................................1:30.72

LANE 5

McCallie—Chattanooga, Tn................................1:30.78

LANE 6

Columbine—Littleton, Co...................................1:31.17

LANE 7

Franklin Comm.—Franklin, In.............................1:31.20

LANE 8

Kingwood—Houston, Tx.....................................1:31.42

KEY

EVENT #5 100 YARD BUTTERFLY

200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL RECORD NATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL RECORD PRELIM TIME RELAY SPLIT TIME

Note: National high school rules state that swimmers can swim a maximum of four events (including relays) with no more than two individual events.

TIMES COMPILED BY BOB KLAPTHOR

Carmel—Carmel, Ind. (2-23-18) 1:28.00p Wyatt Davis, Stefano Batista, Drew Kibler, Andrew Couchon

* = ** = p = r =

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

David Nolan—Hershey, Pa. (3-18-11) 1:41.39

Luca Urlando—C.K. McClatchy, Calif. (5-3-19) 45.88p

Reece Whitley, Sr.—Wm. Penn, Pa. (2-16-18) 1:43.55

Joseph Schooling—Bolles, Fla. (11-8-13) 45.52

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 1

Tona Zinn, Jr.—Laguna Hills, Ca..........................1:46.47

LANE 1

Alex McMahon, Sr.—Heritage, Co..........................47.68

LANE 2

Mason Laur, Sr.—Barron Collier, Fl......................1:46.43

LANE 2

Emilio Perez, Sr.—Greenfield, Wi...........................47.27

LANE 3

Henry Bethel, Sr.—Dalton, Ga............................1:45.54

LANE 3

Brady Samuels, Sr.—Delta, In................................46.78

Max Iida, Sr.—Glenbrook So., Il..........................1:44.86

LANE 4

Aiden Hayes, Sr.—Norman North, Ok. (2-25-21)....45.47*

Will Modglin, So.—Zionsville, In.........................1:45.14

LANE 5

Scotty Buff, So., Toledo St. Francis, Oh.....................46.59

Baylor Nelson, Jr.—Community School, NC.........1:46.07

LANE 6

Tiago Pereira, Sr.—St. Andrew’s School, Fl.............47.22

LANE 7

Jacques Rathie, Sr.—E. Douglas White Cath., La... 1:46.45

LANE 7

William Hayon, Jr.—Sheboygan North, Wi.............47.56

LANE 8

Cade Oliver, Sr.—Franklin Comm., In...................1:46.48

LANE 8

Garret Green, Sr.—Kingwood, Tx............................47.80

LANE 4 LANE 5 LANE 6

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL

Humberto Najera, So.—Santa Margarita, Ca.......1:47.26

LANE 1

Charlie Krone, Jr.—Zionsville, In............................48.09

Kabbara Munzer, Sr.—Cypress Woods, Tx............1:47.13

LANE 2

Tate Bacon, Jr.—Wake Forest, NC...........................48.05

LANE 3

Joshua Zuchowski, Jr.—King’s Academy, Fl.........1:46.85

LANE 3

Miguel Sierra, Sr.—Cutler Bay, Fl...........................47.93

LANE 4

Tyler Hong, Sr.—St. Ignatius, Oh.........................1:46.54

LANE 4

Martin Espernberger, Jr.—Bolles, Fl.......................47.82

LANE 5

Gus Rothrock, Sr.—Carmel, In.............................1:46.78

LANE 5

Carl Bloebaum, Jr.—Mason, Oh.............................47.89

LANE 6

Cameron Luarde, Sr.—Homestead, In.................1:46.92

LANE 6

Gibson Holmes, So.—Indian Hills, Oh.....................47.97

Kyle Ponsler, Jr.—Fishers, In...............................1:47.18

LANE 7

Alec Filipovic, Jr.—St. Charles East, Il......................48.07

Hayden Zheng, Sr.—St. Louis Park, Mn...............1:47.36

LANE 8

Max Ratzlaff, Sr.—Franklin Comm., In....................48.09

LANE 1 LANE 2

LANE 7 LANE 8

Upper St. Clair—Upper St. Clair, Pa............................1:31.42

EVENT #6 100 YARD FREESTYLE

EVENT #4 50 YARD FREESTYLE

EVENT #2 200 YARD FREESTYLE

Aiden Hayes—Norman North, Okla. (2-25-21) 19.20

Carson Foster—Sycamore, Ohio (2-23-19) 1:32.99

David Curtiss—Pennington School, N.J. (2-14-20) 19.42

Trey Freeman—Baylor, Tenn. (2-9-18) 1:33.06

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1 Connor Boyle, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il......................19.80

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 2

Seth Reno, Sr.—Clear Falls, Tx................................19.78

LANE 2

Dawson Joyce, Jr.—Seminole, Fl...........................43.59

LANE 1

Max Ratzlaff, Sr.—Franklin Comm., In.................1:36.43

LANE 3

Jack Aikins, Sr.—West Forsyth, Ga.........................19.68

LANE 3

Christopher Guiliano, Sr.—Daniel Boone Area, Pa.....43.40

LANE 2

Matt Driscoll, Sr.—Los Gators, Ca........................1:36.11

LANE 4

David Curtiss, Sr.—Pennington School, NJ (3-6-21) ...19.11**

LANE 4

Aiden Hayes, Sr.—Norman North, Ok....................43.00

LANE 3

Andres Dupont Cabrera, Jr.—Bolles, Fl................1:35.60

LANE 5

Brady Samuels, Sr.—Delta, In................................19.59

LANE 5

Jack Aikins, Sr.—West Forsyth, Ga.........................43.29

LANE 4

Luke Hobson, Sr.—Reno, Nv................................1:35.09

LANE 6

Anthony Grimm, Sr.—Oakton, Va..........................19.69

LANE 6

Alex McMahon, Sr.—Heritage, Co.........................43.48

LANE 5

Sebastian Sergile, Jr.—Centennial, Ga................1:35.36

LANE 7

Dawson Joyce, Jr.—Seminole, Fl. ..........................19.79

LANE 7

Connor Boyle, Sr.—Neuqua Valley, Il......................43.68

LANE 6

Rex Maurer, So.—Loyola, Ca...............................1:35.91

LANE 8

Emilio Perez, Sr.—Greenfield, Wi...........................19.81

LANE 8

David Curtiss, Sr.—Pennington School, NJ.............44.06

LANE 7

Quinton Cynor, Sr.—Woodstock No., Il ................1:36.40

LANE 8

Trent Frandson, Sr.—Ankeny, Ia..........................1:36.46

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1 Ian Shahan, Sr.—Belle Vernon Area, Pa.................20.00

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 2

Bryce Ortanes, Sr.—Cherry Creek, Co......................19.96

LANE 1

Jackson Huckaby, Sr.—Kingsburg, Ca..................1:37.10

LANE 3

Hayes Beamon, Sr.—Mt. Vernon School, Ga...........19.93

LANE 2

Griffin Hadley, Sr.—Carmel, In............................1:36.64

LANE 4

Charlie Crosby, Jr.—Breck School, Mn....................19.87

LANE 3

Anders Aistars, Jr.—Tesoro, Ca............................1:36.55

LANE 5

Benjamin Wiegand, Sr.—Sun Prairie, Wi................19.92

LANE 4

Michael Cotter, Jr.—GreenHope, NC....................1:36.49

LANE 6

Drew Salls, Jr.—Sandalwood, Fl. ..........................19.94

LANE 5

Christopher Guiliano, Sr.—Daniel Boone Area, Pa....1:36.53

LANE 7

Colby Hatton, Jr.—Buchanan, Ca...........................19.96

LANE 6

Zachary Kohm, Sr.—LaSalle College Prep, Pa......1:36.63

LANE 8

Tiago Pereira, Sr.—St. Andrews School, Fl..............20.03

LANE 7

Keegan Street, Sr.—Hamilton Southeastern, In..1:36.72

LANE 8

Roman Valdez, Jr.—Dalton, Ga...........................1:37.13

David Nolan—Hershey, Pa. (3-19-11) 42.34r

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Jack Conger—Good Counsel, Md. (2-9-13) 42.81r

LANE 1

Ethan Martin, Sr.—Centergrove, In....................... 44.02

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Seth Reno, Sr.—Clear Falls, Tx................................44.21

LANE 2

Colby Hatton, Jr.—Buchanan, Ca..........................44.20

LANE 3

Andres Dupon Cabrera, Jr.—Bolles, Fl....................44.09

LANE 4

Trent Frandson, Sr.—Ankeny, Ia............................44.07

LANE 5

Benjamin Wiegand, Sr.—Sun Prairie, Wi................44.08

LANE 6

Will Whitington, Sr.—Stillwater Area, Mn.............44.14

LANE 7

Sam Hoover, Sr.—Chapel Hill, NC...........................44.20

LANE 8

Sonny Wang, So.—Austin Westwood, Tx................44.28

CONTINUED ON 34 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

33

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK]

BOYS' HEAT SHEET / Continued from 33

>> AIDEN HAYES, Norman North, Okla.

EVENT #11 400 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

North Allegheny—Wexford, Pa. (3-15-18) 2:53.81 Mason Gonzalez, Andrew Zhang, Jack Wright, Rick Mihm

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl. (11-10-12) 2:54.43

Ryan Murphy, Santo Condorelli, Josh Booth, Joseph Schooling

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

EVENT #9 100 YARD BACKSTROKE

LANE 1

Cypress Woods—Cypress, Tx................................3:01.64

LANE 2

Columbine—Littleton, Co...................................3:00.40

LANE 3

Zionsville—Zionsville, In.................................... 2:59.41

David Nolan—Hershey, Pa. (3-19-11) 45.49

LANE 4

Carmel—Carmel, In............................................2:58.70

LANE 5

Loyola—Los Angeles, Ca.....................................2:59.40

LANE 6

Kingwood—Houston, Tx.....................................3:00.34

EVENT #7 500 YARD FREESTYLE

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Jake Mitchell—Carmel, Ind. (2-29-20) 4:14.68

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Grant Shoults—Santa Margarita, Ca. (5-14-16) 4:12.87

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Ryan Murphy—Bolles, Fl. (11-10-12) 45.34p

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

LANE 7

Heritage—Littleton, Co.......................................3:01.03

LANE 1

Matt Fallon, Sr.—Pingry School, NJ.....................4:22.71

LANE 1

Nate Stoffle, Sr.—Brookwood, Ga..........................47.65

LANE 8

Woodlands—Woodlands, Tx...............................3:02.66

LANE 2

Jackson Carlile, Sr.—Fishers, In..........................4:22.31

LANE 2

Tyler Hulet, Sr.—Woodlands, Tx.............................47.47

LANE 3

Lance Norris, Jr.—Nash Central, NC.....................4:20.83

LANE 3

Jonathan Marhsall, So.—Firestone, Oh..................47.41

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 4

Rex Maurer, So.—Loyola, Ca...............................4:19.57

LANE 4

Will Modglin, So.—Zionsville, In............................46.60

LANE 1

Huntington Beach—Huntington Beach, Ca.........3:03.19

LANE 5

Daniel Matheson, Sr.—Sunrise Mtn., Az..............4:20.64

LANE 5

Sam Powe, Jr.—McCallie School, Tn.......................47.17

LANE 2

Harvard-Westlake—Los Angeles, Ca...................3:03.07

LANE 6

Liam Custer, Jr.—Riverview, Fl............................4:21.41

LANE 6

Joshua Zuchowski, Jr.—King’s Academy, Fl............47.45

LANE 3

LaSalle College Prep—Wyndmoor, Pa.................3:02.87

LANE 7

Matt Driscoll, Sr.—Los Gatos, Ca..........................4:22.49

LANE 7

Scotty Buff, So.—Toledo St. Francis, Oh..................47.48

LANE 4

Chanhassen—Chanhassen, Mn.......................... 3:02.72

LANE 8

Connor Hunt, Sr.—Ridgefield, Ct.........................4:22.90

LANE 8

Charlie Crosby, Jr.—Breck School, Mn....................47.68

LANE 5

Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl.......................................3:02.73

LANE 6

Beavercreek—Beavercreek, Oh...........................3:02.94

CONSOLATION FINAL

CONSOLATION FINAL

LANE 7

West Forsyth—Cumming, Ga..............................3:03.13

LANE 1

Levi Sandige, Jr.—Richardson, Tx........................4:25.76

LANE 1

Stephen Conrad, Jr.—St. Paul’s Episcopal, Al..........48.24

LANE 8

Carroll—Southlake, Tx...................................3:03.28 v

LANE 2

Eli Shoyat, Sr.—Beechwood, Ky...........................4:24.39

LANE 2

Tyler Hong, Sr.—St. Ignatius, Oh............................48.21

LANE 3

Matthew Chai, Jr.—Diamond Bar, Ca...................4:23.39

LANE 3

Chase Mueller, So.—Columbine, Co........................48.01

LANE 4

Sebastian Sergile, Jr.—Centennial, Ga.................4:23.30

LANE 4

Cade Oliver, Sr.—Franklin Comm., In......................47.69

LANE 5

Kyle Ponsler, Jr.—Fishers, In...............................4:23.37

LANE 5

Ronald Dalmacio, Harvard-Westlake, Ca..................47.88

LANE 6

Zachary Kohm, Sr.—LaSalle College Prep, Pa......4:23.72

LANE 6

Will Barker, Sr.—Croatan, NC.................................48.18

LANE 7

Trey Dickey, Sr.—Plano East, Tx...........................4:25.70

LANE 7

Kyle Brill, Sr.—Hart, Ca..........................................48.22

LANE 8

Mitchell Schott, Jr.—Culver Academies, In..........4:25.79

LANE 8

Garrett Boone, Sr.—South Mecklenburg, NC..........48.28

EVENT #10 100 YARD BREASTSTROKE

EVENT #8 200 YARD FREESTYLE RELAY

NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

North Allegheny—Wexford, Pa. (3-14-18) 1:19.60 Jack Wright, Joel Songer, Rick Mihm, Mason Gonzalez

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl. (11-10-12) 1:19.27

Ryan Murphy, Joseph Schooling, Emiro Goossen, Santo Condorelli

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Loyola—Los Angeles, Ca.....................................1:22.46

LANE 2

Cherry Creek—Greenwood Village, Co.................1:22.05

LANE 3

Bolles—Jacksonville, Fl.......................................1:21.96

LANE 4

Penn—Mishawaka, In........................................1:21.29

LANE 5

Upper Arlington—Upper Arlington, Oh...............1:21.76

LANE 6

Carmel—Carmel, In............................................1:22.02

LANE 7

Cypress Woods—Cypress, Tx................................1:22.09

LANE 8

South—Glenbrook, Il..........................................1:22.51

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

Columbine—Littleton, Co...................................1:23.15

LANE 2

Brunswick School—Greenwich, Ct......................1:23.12

LANE 3

St. Xavier—Cincinnati, Oh...................................1:22.61

LANE 4

Chanhassen—Chanhassen, Mn...........................1:22.54

LANE 5

West Forsyth—Cumming, Ga..............................1:22.56

LANE 6

Sun Prairie—Sun Prairie, Wi...............................1:22.69

LANE 7

Cedar Falls—Cedar Falls, Ia.................................1:23.14

LANE 8

Neuqua Valley—Naperville, Il.............................1:23.15

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NATIONAL RECORD: PUBLIC SCHOOL

Max McHugh, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (2-16-18) 51.62

NATIONAL RECORD: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Reece Whitley, William Penn, Pa. (2-17-18) 51.16

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL LANE 1

Will Heck, So.—Bolles, Fl.......................................53.73

LANE 2

Ryan Malicki, Jr.—Carmel, In.................................53.45

LANE 3

Matt Segal, Sr.—Ann Arbor Pioneer, Mi.................53.26

LANE 4

Josh Matheny, Sr.—Upper St. Clair, Pa....................51.84

LANE 5

Henry Bethel, Sr.—Dalton, Ga................................52.96

LANE 6

Max Iida, Sr.—Glenbrook South, Il.........................53.29

LANE 7

Tona Zinn, Jr.—Laguna Hills, Ca.............................53.66

LANE 8

Anthony Grimm, Sr.—Oakton, Va...........................53.84

CONSOLATION FINAL LANE 1

James Pan, Jr.—Breck School, Mn .........................54.16

LANE 2

Hank Rivers, Jr.—Long Beach Wilson, Ca................54.13

LANE 3

Daniel Worth, Sr.—Lee’s Summit North, Mo...........54.10

LANE 4

Jack Kelly, Sr.—Fordham Prep, NY..........................53.98

LANE 5

Hayden Zheng, Sr.—St. Louis Park, Mn...................54.08

LANE 6

Aiden Tierney, Sr.—Mt. Vernon, In.........................54.11

LANE 7

Chris O’Grady, Sr.—La Canada, Ca..........................54.14

LANE 8

Jacques Rathie, Sr.— E. Douglas White Cath., La....54.40

TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW NISCA’S 2020-21 ALL-AMERICA LISTS. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT

TEAM STANDINGS: THE TOP 10 COMBINED 1.

Carmel, Ind................................129.0 2.

Bolles School, Fla.......................107.0 3.

Zionsville, Ind............................102.5 4.

Loyola, Calif..................................93.0 5.

Heritage, Colo..............................79.0 6.

Cherry Creek, Colo.......................71.5 7.

Woodlands, Texas........................66.0 8.

Penn, Ind.....................................64.0 9.

Glenbrook South, Ill......................57.0 10.

Cypress Woods, Texas...................54.0 PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1.

Carmel, Ind................................129.0 2.

Zionsville, Ind............................102.5 3.

Heritage, Colo..............................79.0 4.

Cherry Creek, Colo.......................71.5 5.

Woodlands, Texas........................66.0 6.

Penn, Ind.....................................64.0 7.

Glenbrook South, Ill......................57.0 8.

Cypress Woods, Texas...................54.0 9.

West Forsyth, Ga.........................53.0 10.

Columbine, Colo..........................46.0 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS 1.

Bolles School, Fla.......................107.0 2.

Loyola, Calif..................................93.0 3T. McCallie School, Tenn...................31.0 3T. Pennington School, N.J.................31.0 5.

Toledo St. Francis, Ohio.................30.0 6T. Breck School, Minn.......................22.0 6T. LaSalle College Prep, Pa................22.0 6T. Louisville St. Xavier, Ky..................22.0 9.

The King’s Academy, Fla................21.0 10.

Saint Andrew’s, Fla.......................16.0

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TRAINING

DRYSIDE TRAINING

THE GOLD MEDAL WORKOUT (Part 2)

BY J.R. ROSANIA • DEMONSTRATED BY NORIKO INADA • PHOTOS BY EMMI BRYTOWSKI

2

L

ast month (SW August 2021), we discussed training outside of the pool with exercises to enhance strength, power and stamina, resulting in faster swimming. We watched in awe this summer as Olympic swimmers performed and produced amazing results in Tokyo. Most, if not all, of the swimmers nowadays use resistance dryland training to strengthen muscle groups that are so overused. The following exercises not only enhance strength and athletic ability, but they also provide balance between overused and non-used muscle groups.

Here are another five exercises to add to your Gold Medal workout that will strengthen and balance the muscles involved in your strokes and events.

Maintain the format of performing these exercises two to three times a week, completing three sets of eight to 12 repetitions per exercise.

Resistance should be at 90% of max ability, meaning the third set in the last few reps should be difficult, but not impossible. As is customary, discontinue this program seven to 10 days prior to a major competition.

Have fun, and enjoy your Gold Medal workout. v

3

1) DUMBBELL KICKBACKS

With a dumbbell in each hand and elbows by your side, bend over so that your upper body is parallel with the floor. Extend one arm back until it is fully straight. Return to your starting position, and alternate arms.

2) FRONT LAT PULLDOWN

In a seated position using a cable or stroke tubes, pull the bar or handles down to the front of your body and stop at your chest. Return the bar to its starting position, making sure you fully extend your arms before repeating repetitions.

3) STRAIGHT-ARM PULLDOWN

While standing and holding onto a straight bar or tubes, move the bar/tubes in a downward motion toward your hips. Return to your starting position by letting your arms up slowly, and repeat.

4) STABILITY BALL LEG CURLS

4

Lying on your back, put your feet on top of a stability ball. Lift your hips off the floor about six inches, bend your knees, and roll the ball toward your glutes with the heels of your feet. Roll the ball back to your starting position, keeping your hips elevated, until your legs are straight. Repeat.

5) STANDING TUBE ROW

While standing and holding stretch cords or surgical tubing at arm’s length, pull the cords/tubing toward you until your arms are bent and your hands are by your chest.

Allow your arms to return slowly to the starting position, and repeat.

1

5

MEET THE TRAINER J.R. Rosania, B.S., exercise science, is one of the nation’s top performance enhancement coaches. He is the owner and CEO of Healthplex, LLC, in Phoenix.

Check out Rosania’s website at www.jrhealthplex.net.

MEET THE ATHLETE Noriko Inada, 43, swam for Japan at the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. She now swims Masters for Phoenix Swim Club, and owns Masters world records in the women’s 25-29, 30-34, 3539 and 40-44 age groups.

NOTICE All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants.

SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

37

COACHING

WHAT COACHES WISH PROSPECTS KNEW

ABOUT RECRUITING When it comes to college recruiting, swim coaches agree: they’re looking at much more than swimming times. They’re evaluating the whole package: academic, athletic, personal...and more!

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

FACT: “Recruiting is still a very inexact science,” says Princeton University head coach Matt Crispino. “There is no formula we can apply that’s going to guarantee the people we are pursuing are what we are actually going to get. There are going to be surprises, people who exceed expectations and those who fall short.”

Complicating this uneven terrain is the recruiting landscape itself. “The process has sped up over the last few years,” says North Carolina State head coach Braden Holloway, “and it sped up more during COVID-19. With the inability to go and see schools, engage in events, etc., many made earlier decisions, figuring restraints would not be lifted in time for them to make a full decision after visits.”

TIMING Southern Methodist head coach Greg Rhodenbaugh agrees.

“The process is starting earlier, and it was hard enough before. It is especially hard for late-developing guys not ready to maximize their athletic scholarship award. Many are younger, less experienced and going to get a lot faster by the end of their junior year.”

Exacerbating the NCAA’s earlier recruiting time frame is the creation of the transfer portal making it easier for athletes to find other schools. “More people will be transferring because they are not finding the best place for themselves until the second time around,” he says.

While he urges prospects to start researching schools by their junior year, he sees nothing wrong with delaying decisions until late junior or early senior year. “The really good ones are going to be under a lot of pressure to decide well before they even shave by the end of junior year. With all the pressure to commit early, the truth is, they don’t have to say ‘yes’ within a 24- or 48-hour deadline.

Recruits actually have all the power and hold all the cards,” he says.

“If a team wants an individual, they will hold a spot and money for them. That’s the dirty little secret. In fact, I’m starting to hold back money for late-developing high school seniors or people who are going to be in the transfer portal.”

As for Princeton, Crispino says, “We are still engaging rising juniors by June 15, but are really not in position to make an offer until we have seen a good chunk of junior-year academics.”

RESOURCES FOR RECRUITS “Educating prospects about the process needs to come from many areas: high school/club coaches, college coaches, parents and the prospects themselves,” says Holloway. “Ground rules, basic 38

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“(We like prospects who know what they want to accomplish in the long run), not specifically, but in general. If kids have a real sense of what they want to do, it is very helpful because we can give them the right information. If academics and life direction are not important, that’s important for us to know.

We don’t want to sell excellence in life if they are only looking for excellence in swimming.” —Mike Bottom, University of Michigan, with former Wolverine swimmer (2006-10) and 2008 Israeli Olympian, Alan Mandel

timetables and the NCAA guidelines are accessible for all to view.

The more familiar a prospect is before college contact, the better.

However, the timetable for each school and its goals of putting together its classes likely differs a lot—i.e., roster spots, financial availability, official visiting periods, class goals in regard to needs and areas of focus. This is where the college coaches can guide the prospects as it relates to their school,” he says.

“Part of our responsibility,” notes Texas women’s head coach Carol Capitani, “is to educate prospects because the rules are constantly changing—i.e., NIL, cost of attendance, etc. There are always different things coming up, and the rules are a bit of a moving target, especially in the last year-plus with COVID-19.”

Then there’s the Ivy League, which has its own set of expectations and requirements that coaches must meet regarding incoming class academic indices. “With a 5% acceptance rate, I don’t think every recruit understands how picky we have to be. The hard part is finding the ‘right’ guys,” says Crispino. “We aren’t different from anyone else in the country. We want fast swimmers and good students.

Finding people who fit into our vision here is as important as times and grades,” he says.

LONG-TERM GOALS University of Michigan’s Mike Bottom likes prospects who know what they want to accomplish in the long run, “not specifically, but in general. We are a great academic school, and that’s something we pound the table about as well as pushing people into the workforce.

If kids have a real sense of what they want to do, it is very helpful because we can give them the right information.

“If academics and life direction are not important, that’s important for us to know. We don’t want to sell excellence in life if

STEP ONE “It starts with communication. If we can’t communicate in the beginning, I’m going to have a hard time coaching them,” says Capitani. “I want to know them as a person. I know their times.

Tell me what you care about. Tell me something hard you’ve been through.”

She’s not alone. “As one goes through the process, consistent, genuine, transparent, honest communication is the thing that can make it or break it for me,” says Crispino. “Share with me what you are all about as a human being. Someone who communicates well, clearly, honestly, consistently is going to have a much better chance ending up at Princeton than someone who is inconsistent or not forthcoming,” he says.

“Sometimes it is hard with adolescent boys to reveal their personalities to a middle-aged guy like me. That’s one reason we try to have them engage with our team. That way they can show their personality and what matters to them. We do seek substantive feedback from our team. If there is something really meaningful revealed during the course of the visit, we really want to know that and will factor that in.

“I want someone to really articulate for me why Princeton is something they are considering and how it aligns with their personal, academic and athletic goals. We are looking for swimmers who are very, very hungry to be elite and not just content to say, ‘I swam in the Ivy League or at some Division I mid-major.’

“We want people whose aspirations are national and international.

If someone is not talking to us about that, they are probably not going to end up at Princeton. We need to feel they are going to be

“For most 15-16-year-olds, this is probably the most important decision they are going to make. And it’s going to affect the trajectory of the rest of their lives professionally and athletically. You really can’t invest too much into the process. Those most organized, engaged and most excited about the process are the ones I am going to call back.”

—Matt Crispino, Princeton

[PHOTO BY TEXAS ATHLETICS]

A TWO-WAY STREET “I wish recruits knew the importance of being prepared, organized and engaged in the process,” shares Crispino. “When we are making hundreds of phone calls, it is important to stand out, so when someone is well prepared, engaged and asking the right questions, they can leapfrog on our list past someone who is not as well prepared or doesn’t show the engagement we are expecting.

“For most 15-16-year-olds, this is probably the most important decision they are going to make. And it’s going to affect the trajectory of the rest of their lives professionally and athletically.

You really can’t invest too much into the process. Those most organized, engaged and most excited about the process are the ones I am going to call back. I’m less likely to call back those who aren’t engaged, haven’t done their homework and are just hoping their swimming is going to do all the talking.”

[PHOTO BY PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS]

they are only looking for excellence in swimming. If that’s all they want, they are not going to be happy here,” he says.

Capitani likes clarity: “I wish prospects were clearer about what they are looking for up front—i.e., a scholarship or an opportunity— because there’s a big difference between ‘I need x-amount’ versus an ‘opportunity.’ With this understanding, we start on the same playing field and can move through the process with the same goals in mind.

A scholarship can depend upon what a school is looking for, where the holes are and what kind of kid thrives in that environment.

“The difference between needs and wants is very different, too.

Kids need to have a very honest talk with their parents about what they want. The more honest both can be about their needs versus wants and expectations, the better.

“While some parents think college is their 529 plan, the payback for all those years of club swimming expenses and the 4:30 a.m. drive to practices,” Capitani says, some “just want an opportunity for their kids.”

She does, however, caution prospects and parents in assuming academic scholarships are equally distributed everywhere. “They are not. Academic scholarships are different for every school.”

“It starts with communication. If we can’t communicate in the beginning, I’m going to have a hard time coaching them. I want to know them as a person. I know their times. Tell me what you care about. Tell me something hard you’ve been through.” —Carol Capitani, women’s head coach, Texas just as hungry in Year 3 or 4 as when they were in Year 3 and 4 in high school when they were trying to get into Princeton. I want people who want to compete at the national and international level and people who believe they can do that,” he says.

And what coach doesn’t want that? v 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.

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TAKEAWAYS FROM THE TWO-TIERED TRIALS FOR TOKYO

T

he primary goal of splitting the recent U.S. Olympic Trials into two waves was to keep swimmers safe while providing the best competitive opportunity to select the athletes that would represent the USA in Tokyo.

Despite the challenges presented by COVID, both meets were successfully completed. The venue was set up with more open space and fewer high-touch areas, especially in the athletes’ lounge.

Everyone involved with the event—including all volunteers, staff, officials, coaches and athletes—had to have a negative COVID test result within three to six days of his/her first official activity. Once on site, another COVID negative test was required before one could enter registration and pick up credentials. If people were present longer than three days, they had to be retested before they could continue to enter the facility. Even the basket handlers were tested repeatedly. Every time someone entered the facility, temperature checks were given as well as COVID testing status checked.

Despite the restrictions and the modified setup, the number of athletes competing this year compared favorably with historical data for the U.S. Olympic Trials. The total number of athletes was 1,250 between the two waves, with Wave I being a slightly larger meet with 676 athletes compared to 574 who competed in Wave II. The number of swimmers who competed at the 2008 Trials—1,202—was slightly less than this year’s numbers. The 2012 Trials had the largest number in recent history with 1,792 athletes, while 2016 was close behind with 1,685.

There were 50 athletes from Wave I who earned the right to advance to Wave II by finishing in the top two of their event in Wave I. Of those 50, 42 actually stayed and competed in Wave II. At least two athletes from Wave I were able to advance as far as the semifinals of Wave II. There were many positive takeaways from the two-tiered structure of Trials. One of the biggest was that younger swimmers were able to earn a second swim with all the pomp and attention an event at this level brings—a formal ready room, walkout through the tunnel, a TV camera tracking swimmers to the blocks, a “clean deck” and much more. That experience is invaluable in preparing swimmers for Trials in three short years when there may be more on the line than an invitation to Wave II. The location for the 2024 U.S. Trials will be announced at the USA Swimming Annual Business Meeting, Sept. 23-25.v 40

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EXCELLENCE AWARD

KRISSY GLASS Krissy Glass of Arkansas Swimming is a professional on and off the deck. She is willing to take control of the meet, assign officials to positions and/or perform any role on deck all the time. She is well-versed in the rules and is an excellent mentor for apprentice officials.

She worked all 14 sessions of Arkansas Swimming’s TYR prelim/finals meet in December without having one of her own children swimming in the meet. She is always smiling and is a true gem to work with on deck. Krissy is also a member of the Arkansas Officials committee. Her experience and knowledge are appreciated and valued within our state. She also attended the 2019 USA Swimming Referee meeting in Florida. She brought back valuable information that has allowed all of the Arkansas officials to learn more and become more knowledgeable. Krissy is appreciated and well-respected at every meet she attends.

She always volunteers her time to officiate rather than “take a day off” and sit in the stands.

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE HASTY EXCELLENCE AWARD

Hastyawards.com | 800.448.7714

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK]

SPECIAL SETS

ERIN GEMMELL: OLYMPIC BLOODLINES Bruce Gemmell of Nation’s Capital Swim Club provides an interesting capsule of coaching for his 16-year-old daughter, Erin, as she prepared for her first U.S. Olympic Trials experience and earned a spot on the U.S. Junior team headed for the Berlin and Budapest World Cup stops in October.

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

I

first saw Erin Gemmell in March 2018 when she blitzed the field, setting meet records for the 50 and 100 yard freestyles (23.86, 51.99) at a middle school championship meet. That August, she won the 200 meter free at junior nationals (2:00.74) and finaled in the 50 (8th-26.14) and 100 (6th-56.72/56.62 prelims).

A year later, at age 14, she lowered her middle school time in the 100 to 50.93 and clocked 1:48.13 in the 200 yard free. At Junior Worlds, she earned two gold medals as a member of the prelim-andfinal 800 free relay quartets plus the prelims-only 400 free relay, which her father and primary coach, Bruce Gemmell, of Nation’s Capital Swim Club, labeled, “A good experience.”

To infinity and beyond? For sure, she is following a trail blazed by her Olympic team brother, Andrew. Also, both her mom (Barbara Harris) and dad were two-time U.S. Olympic Trials qualifiers.

And Bruce has remained in Olympic conversation, among other reasons, for being one of the architects of Katie Ledecky’s otherworldly career.

TRAINING INTERRUPTED For the most part, COVID-19 wiped out most 2020 long course season training. “The resumption of COVID 2020-21 organized workouts was primarily done short course meters outdoors through the winter due to pool access,” says Coach Gemmell. “We had a few long course workouts leading up to Trials, but not many. Any of those Erin did were primarily focused on race pace and ‘feel’ for her 200 and 400 free events. Training was eight practices per week, two of which were 90 minutes. Almost all dryland strength/conditioning was done virtually by Zoom up until about March,” he says.

A WORK IN PROGRESS The regimen worked as Gemmell became the first female swimmer to qualify for U.S. Olympic Trials in the 50-100-200-400800-1500 free and 200 IM. At Wave II Trials, the 16-year-old posted times for the 50 through 800 of 25.81 (tie for 33rd), 56.20 (39th), 1:58.67 (9th), 4:11.57 (11th) and 8:50.05 (31st). Her reward: a spot on the U.S. Junior team headed for the Berlin and Budapest World

Cup stops in October.

Going forward, autumn/winter training will be aimed at U.S. World Championship Trials in April 2022. “In our evergreen world, USAS has since announced the December U.S. Open will be swum long course. We will attend that as ‘prep’ for April Trials along with a Pro Series Meet or two in January-February-March,” he says.

REPRESENTATIVE TRAINING SETS Following are a variety of sets that dad proposed (and daughter liked) to prepare her for her run at 2021 Olympic Trials.

• 2 -3 rounds of 12 x 50 LC 1-6 @ :50 (hold 30.5...hand touch) 7-12 @ 1:00 (hold 29.5...again hand touch) 3 x 100 @ 1:40 + 2 x 50 @ 1:00 (easy between rounds) “The 3 x 100 @ 1:40 + 2 x 50 @ 1:00 adds up to 7:00 recovery.

We might mix it up a little, but there’s six to seven minutes easy swimming between rounds,” says the coach.

For variation, Erin also swam: • 4 @ :50 (hold 30.5) + 4 @ 1:00 (hold 29.5) + 4 @ 1:10 (hold sub29.0).

“Erin could do all rounds like this or just the last round,” says Gemmell.

CHALLENGE SETS “According to Erin, we did not do enough sets where she had to get a certain number of ‘points’ to finish the set. Here are some short-course-meters examples,” says Gemmell.

18 points required to get out: • 2x {9 x 50 @ :40 0 pts. {4 x 100 @ 1:15

0 pts. (Really pre-set/set-up)

• 3 x 200 @ 2:30

(sub-2:15 = 3 pts.)

• 6 x 100 @ 1:20

(sub-1:04 = 2 pts.)

• 9 x 50 @ :50

(sub-:30 = 1 pt.)

CONTINUED ON 42 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

SWIMMINGWORLD.COM

41

SPECIAL SETS / Continued from 41

“As I recall, Erin did the first 3 x 200 under 2:15 for nine points and 3 x 100 for six more points. She took 1 x 100 ‘off’—still had to swim it, but swam easy—and then did next 2 x 100 for four more points, bringing her total to 19 points (no 50s for her that day).”

Another SCM points Erin did (only six points needed to get out) was: • 2 x 300 @ 3:45 cruise (not easy, but not hard) = 0 pts.

• 4 x 200 @ 2:30 cruise (not easy, but not hard) = 0 pts. + :15 rest • 4 x 200 @ 2:45 (sub-2:14 = 1 point) + :15 rest • 2 x 200 @ 2:45 (sub-2:11 = 1 point) • 6 x 100 @ 1:20 (sub-1:03 = 1 point) • 6 x 50 @ :45 (sub-:30 = 1 point) DONE, BUT NOT A FAVORITE • 4 rounds of 4 x 300 SCM (extra :20 rest between rounds) Must descend 300s 1-4 each time: Round 1 @ 4:10 Round 2 @ 4:00 Round 3 @ 3:50 Round 4 @ 3:40 “The premise is that if you don’t descend 1-4, you ‘get to’ repeat that interval,” says Coach Gemmell. “Erin doesn’t like descending, and she’s not very good at it—yet...but I promise you she’s not going to repeat any interval.” (Note: The swimmer completed the 16 x 300s. The hold times are lost to prosperity.)

A junior at Stone Ridge School in Bethesda, Md., Gemmell ranks

[PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK]

***

“The resumption of COVID 2020-21 organized workouts was primarily done SCM outdoors through the winter due to pool access,” says Coach Bruce Gemmell. The few long course workouts that Erin did leading up to Trials were “focused on race pace and ‘feel’ for her 200 and 400 free events.” as the No. 1 female Class of 2023 recruit in Maryland and third in the nation by collegeswimming.com (Swimcloud). v 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.

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COACHING

JULIAN

Q&A [PHOTO BY BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB]

JEFF

The words PROCESS, TEAM and HOPE are driving forces in the life of head coach Jeff Julian, who has survived multiple bouts with cancer to endure and inspire his Rose Bowl Aquatics community.

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

Q. SWIMMING WORLD: A swimming family and numerous coaches shaped your view of the sport. How so?

A. COACH JEFF JULIAN: My mom taught me to love swimming, and my coaches reinforced that belief. Almost every coach I ever had has influenced the coach I am today, especially Arcadia Riptides Ron Milich and Industry Hills’ Mike Gautreau.

My most formative influences always put TEAM at the center, especially USC’s Mark Schubert. The lessons I learned from my coaches will stick with me forever.

SW: Do you, Jeff Conwell, Ron Aitken and Joe Benjamin still convoke regularly?

JJ: Absolutely. Add in John Dussliere, Jon Carroll and Chris Culp. We chat more about life these days than just swimming.

Joe, Ron and I are in similar places in terms of teams (sizes, etc.), so it helps to talk about our experiences. It’s great to have a sounding board.

SW: A passion for the sport drove you back to a swimming career.

JJ: Yes. I didn’t realize what a passion it was until I couldn’t create it elsewhere.

With a torn shoulder at the end of my competitive career, I was just looking to get out of swimming. Then it became finding a “career.” None of the next three jobs created the fire in me that swimming did.

Amazingly, it was Kristine’s coaching start that brought me back into this incredible sport.

SW: You have struggled to appreciate success. How do you teach your swimmers to do it?

JJ: Simply, to enjoy the process and celebrate success. Everyone has a different definition of success. Love of the process is a lesson they can take into life. Results, good or bad, are just feedback from which to learn, go back and repeat. I love the different pieces that go into leading an athlete to reach those next steps.

Seeing the smiles on athletes’ faces when they touch the wall is one of my favorite

moments in coaching. At Rose Bowl, our process-based approach as a TEAM and teaching pride in individual effort/growth/ improvement rather than just results is a key to our athletes’ success.

SW: At Rose Bowl, there is a consistent drive to be better. How do you inculcate that into team culture?

JJ: Again, it’s about the process. Several years ago, I did a video on that very subject.

A fully formed process creates a plan, which creates a continuous feedback loop for the next steps. If process becomes the focus, then it’s really just a game against yourself to see just how far you can go. That way the only person you are competing against is your former self.

In my 18 years at Rose Bowl, we’ve followed a similar process as a TEAM. Often that means making changes to group structures while reaching for more.

As a coaching staff, we speak a lot about having jobs of passion. Our coaches have bought in. Culture takes years to build and only months of neglect to lose. In the end it’s about leadership focus. When two main staples of the program are TEAM and process, the chase to get better becomes much simpler.

SW: How have you helped your swimmers claim ownership of their training?

JJ: We stress that from the start, making sure even our youngest swimmers—not parents—are carrying their stuff. That way, swimmers learn what we expect and begin to understand that this is their sport. From there, we implement different steps, like the swimmer communicating with the coach.

In the water, my focus is to get them to understand the consequences of their actions against their end-of-season goals.

Ownership of actions and the impact on their results will forever be a process.

One recent positive for our TEAM is that swimmers are teaching ownership to their teammates.

Coach Jeff Julian Head Coach Rose Bowl Aquatics Pasadena, Calif.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

University of Southern California, B.S., exercise physiology, 1997; M.S., coaching and athletic administration, Concordia University Irvine, 2013 8x CSCAA All-American, Pac-10 and U.S. Open champion (200 fly, 1997), World University Games silver medalist (200 fly, 1997); USC team captain USA Swimming National Team member, 1995-98: National Junior Team member, 1993 Head coach, Rose Bowl Aquatics, 2004-present Head coach of ISL Cali Condors, 2021 Assistant coach, University of Southern California, 2016-18 USA Swimming National Team coach Member board of directors, Southern California Swimming Pacific Committee chairperson, 2006-present Pacific Committee Senior Coach of the Year Southern California Zone coach Board member, ASCA, 2019-present Level 5 ASCA coach Married to 10x CSCAA All-American from USC and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kristine Quance Julian

Julian’s personal and professional journey has been accompanied by several extended bouts with stage 4 lung cancer. He has overcome them through perseverance, faith in process, efforts of family, friends and his TEAMJeff organization.

SW: For you, TEAM is a 24-hour mantra, is it not?

JJ: Yes. In our first outdoor picnic since COVID-19, my talk was about TEAM. It’s always been my No. 1 goal for Rose Bowl, and it’s only strengthened through my own health journeys. In the water, we show TEAM through outstanding relay performance. We have won relays at Juniors with no finalists in individual events. Our swimmers appreciate that there CONTINUED ON 45 >> SEPTEMBER 2021

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[ PHOTO BY JACK SPITZER ]

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HOW THEY TRAIN

TRENTON JULIAN

BY MICHAEL J. STOTT

and coach, Jeff. Reserved, strongwilled and a fierce competitor, “It actually took him some time to put that all together in a positive form. He’s always done things on ‘Trenton time,’ and as parents, we knew enough not to force it and let it be all on him.

“Sure enough, things changed around eighth-to-ninth grade when he decided he wanted it. Since then he has just enjoyed the process,” says Jeff. A soccer ankle injury and a later shoulder injury derailed his progress for a time, but the selection of Cal, where the drive to excel is a cultural norm, was a perfect fit for his personality.

“In many ways, Trenton’s push through challenging times has served him well,” says his dad/coach. “Swimming can be a tough sport, and he’s no stranger to the downs along the way. Those setbacks have only made him stronger and more determined.”

PROGRESSION OF TIMES 200 FLY

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

PACE TRAINING SET

SCY

1:40.63

1:40.94

1:40.78

1:38.53

LC

1:56.20

1:56.09

1:57.10

1:54.71

Here is a typical pace training set leading into his 1:59 200 long course fly during his junior year in high school:

F

or a son of two U.S. national team members and a mother (Kristine Quance) who was an Olympic gold medalist and 1996 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, Trenton Julian has done a terrific job of authoring his own aquatic success.

A Cal-Berkeley super senior interdisciplinary studies major, Julian is a 13-time CSCAA All-American. At 2021 NCAAs, he garnered second in the 200 yard fly (1:38.85), third in the 200 free (1:31.55), fourth in the 500 free (4:09.78) and second as a member of Cal’s 800 free relay (1:31.41 leadoff).

Julian, a six-time Pac-12 Conference champion and a twotime national team member, then soldiered on to Omaha, where he registered the following results at the U.S. Wave II Olympic Trials: 100 meter fly (51.78, 4th-tie), 200 fly (1:56.35, 5th), 200 IM (2:04.49, 8th; 1:59.21 semifinals) and 200 free (1:47.50, 13th).

Then he closed out his summer with four individual firsts at the Speedo Summer Championships West. There he went 51.74 and 1:54.71 in the 100-200 meter fly, 1:47.83 in the 200 free and 1:57.86 in the 200 IM. His 51.25 fly leg on the 4x100 medley and 1:46.93 anchor on the 4x200 free relay (second in both) helped vault Rose Bowl to the men’s team title by 4.5 and 12 points, respectively, over California Aquatics and Irvine Novaquatics.

Julian’s early career was slowed by Trenton himself, says his dad 44

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• 4 x 200 swim/kick/drill/swim — • 12 x 50 on 1:15 (25 power catch drill/25 build swim) — 2 rounds: • 4 x 50 on 1:00 (goal 200 pace) • 100 on 2:00 (recovery) • 4 x 50 on :55 (goal 200 pace) • 100 on 2:00 (recovery) • 4 x 50 on :50 (goal 200 pace) • 100 on 2:00 (recovery) • 4 x 50 on :45 (goal 200 pace) • 300 on 6:00 (recovery) COACH JULIAN: “Trenton would start at 29s and finish the set holding 30s.”  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.

Q&A / Continued from 43

is something bigger than themselves and that it’s so much more fun that way.

foundation of your life?

JJ: The short answer is yes. I share my journey in hopes of helping others through what I term the “Process of Hope.” I believe Hope to be the foundation of everything we try to accomplish. Not everybody gets one’s hope tested like I did. My struggles only reinforced how strongly I believe we need to hold on to hope. In short, the process is Hopes – Dreams – Goals – Process – Results...and then reinsert where needed.

Most never need to reinsert at Hopes, but when you hear something like six-monthsto-a-year to live, that HOPE becomes a pretty valuable thing. It’s what picks you up in the toughest of times—not because anything is promised, but only because you continue to believe that tomorrow can be better. You need that HOPE to carry you through and move you forward.

SW: How does TEAM express itself in the Rose Bowl Aquatics Swim-a-thon?

JJ: The Swim-a-thon has become our best TEAM event of the year. It is a time when we bring everyone together. Families and swimmers celebrate being a part of an incredibly supportive organization. Culture is what your priorities are most of the time.

For me, TEAM has always been first and foremost, and that shows during the Swima-thon.

SW: How has your experience as an athlete and coach helped you overcome your serious health issues?

JJ: It’s helped a ton. I share with my athletes that “controlling the controllables” is a life skill. Having been diagnosed with cancer wasn’t controllable but doing all that we could to find the right doctor and the right treatment was. Seven visits later—the first time around—and I was on my way.

And while one may still feel “negative” or “frustrated” at first, the truth is that if you really allow yourself to focus on the controllable, then you are also working on a positive mindset. Nothing is a big deal unless we focus on it. Controlling the controllables allows you to get past the negative and focus on the potential.

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10

SW: You understand the concept of HOPE better than most. At this point, is it the

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20

SW: How has your successful recovery helped your son, Trenton, to overcome his injuries?

JJ: I think he’s seen on a very real level how a positive mindset, a commitment to do what it takes and the grit to fight through the tough times can do for someone. Sometimes, Kristine and I worry that he’s taken that drive a little too far, but as long as he is enjoying the process, I know he’s going to be good in the end.

Trenton had an ankle injury as he was trying to take the leap to senior swimming and a shoulder problem that kept him from the USA national junior team. Early in his journey, he learned how to control the controllables, overcome and thrive by improving elsewhere.

My health journey just reinforces a lot of what he has learned along the way.

SW: How would you advise a coach to find a balance in life?

JJ: The problem is definition of balance. No one can tell anyone what “balance” means because it’s all individual. That said, I hate the notion that if one of your swimmers is there, you need to be there. Your swimmers need to learn to function without a single coach needing to be there, on all levels. We will always need to work hard, but I suggest coaches establish levels they believe to be

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sustainable.

Taking care of oneself is actually what’s best for the swimmers as well—both in terms of the lessons we teach by example and by being in a better space individually.

Again, those levels are individual. A coach needs to learn what one needs and then make it a priority.

SW: Rose Bowl boys currently hold three 15-16 SCY NAG records in the 200, 400, 800 yard relays. Pretty special, isn’t it?

JJ: It’s very special. It’s pretty cool to think about all the swimmers that came before, and this group, through a heavily impacted time, came together to all make huge improvements in order to break those records. It was also a lot of fun to see them right back focused on the process and looking to reach for more.

SW: Mom, dad, son—three national team members in the same household. Ever talk about it?

JJ: We do from time to time, but not in the context of the titles. Since Trenton was in high school, we’ve always had some good dinner table conversations about swimming.

It’s similar now, just sharing different levels of things.

SW: If you had to redo your Championship Productions Butterfly Foundations video using only two family members, who would you pick?

JJ: Ha-ha, I love it. My sister had made a video of me winning Pac-10s in 1997 side by side with Trenton winning (Pac-12s) this past year. That’s been a popular one from what people tell me. I recently joked that I was once Jeff Julian, then I was Kristine’s husband, and now I’m Trenton’s dad. I am honored with all three roles. So I’d be crazy to not want to do a video with Trenton Julian and Kristine Quance Julian as my swimmers. 

Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer.

His critically acclaimed coming-ofage golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.

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JUNIOR SWIMMER

UP & COMERS AGE GROUP SWIMMER OF THE MONTH

BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER | PHOTO BY TERRI WEBB

H

enry Webb of the Aquajets Swim Team in Eden Prairie, Minn. is no stranger to the top of the podium. This past long course season, Webb, 14, placed second overall in the high-point standings at the Minnesota 14 & Under State Meet, July 22-25. At that meet, he and his Aquajet teammates set three Minnesota state records in the 200-400 medley (1:51.82, 4:01.99) and 200 freestyle (1:40.15) relays. He also turned in personal-best times in the 200 and 400 freestyles (1:59.79 and 4:13.21).

Then the following weekend, Webb and teammates Drew Ploof (54.41), Jiarui Xue (54.58) and Evan Witte (54.67) set a national age group record in the boys’ 13-14 400 meter freestyle relay, clocking 3:36.01 at the Minnesota Senior State Meet. Webb anchored the relay in an astoundingly fast 52.35 to better Irvine Novaquatics’ 3:37.47 NAG from 2019.

“Henry is an enjoyable swimmer to coach,” says his coach, Leah ForemanKeiser. “He is friendly and outgoing, and usually pretty relaxed. He doesn’t take himself super seriously or get himself too tied up in knots unnecessarily, but he loves challenges and competition. He usually has a big smile on his face, but knows when it’s time to get focused and push himself and his teammates.”

In early August, Webb represented Team Minnesota at the Central Zone Championship, where he won the 50, 100 and 200 meter freestyles (24.34pb, 54.01, 1:58.34pb), while also placing second in the 400 free (4:18.23).

Outside of the pool, the Breck School (Golden Valley, Minn.) freshman loves to golf and also enjoys math!

WHAT IS THE BEST THING YOU DO IN SWIMMING?

I love to race. I love when I get the opportunity to swim next to someone faster than me because I can rise to their level and swim better than I could have alone. My favorite races are the ones with strong competition.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST WORKOUTS/SETS YOU’VE DONE?

The toughest set I have ever done was fifty 50s on the :50. They were all-out, off the blocks. By the end of the set, getting out of the pool became one of the biggest challenges. On a set like that, moving around the deck the whole time, breathing in the pool got really hard, especially for me.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SWIMMING?

Swimming is a very grueling and repetitive sport, and every swimmer knows it.

Everyone gets in the pool knowing it is going to hurt, but they are all up for it. We all come together to individually push through the main set, while also being there to motivate each other and keep everyone accountable.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR?

I age-up this seasom out of age group swimming. This means the competition can be up to 18 years old a lot of the time, and I look forward to that competition. I will be going to my first national-level meets and can’t wait to experience that.

WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN SWIMMING...

AND WHY?

I look up to the upperclassmen on my high school team, especially the ones who are also on my club team. The high school season allows me to swim alongside them and grow really close to them.

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WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Outside of swimming, I really enjoy golfing with my brothers, spending time at the

lake, and hanging out with friends.

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GUTTERTALK

BY DAVID RIEDER WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM DAN D’ADDONA AND IAN HANSON

HOW DID THE LACK OF SPECTATORS IMPACT THE OLYMPICS?

RYAN MURPHY, USA 1 Gold (400 medley relay/WR) 1 Silver (200 back) 1 Bronze (100 back) [ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ]

I don’t think the lack of spectators impacted any performances, per se.

I think the racing was going to be a constant no matter who was or who wasn’t in the stands.

I do think it probably had an impact on the nerves that people were feeling beforehand. When you have a crowd in the stands, it definitely adds a little bit of adrenaline. Some people love that.

Some people don’t necessarily love it, so the nerves that people felt before a race were probably a little bit less as a result of having no fans in the crowd.

To be fair, most people haven’t really experienced a crowd in two years. In the U.S., we got to experience a partial crowd (at Olympic Trials), but I don’t think most people could really remember what it was like to have a crowd of over 15,000 people.

BRONTE CAMPBELL, AUS (Left, pictured with sister, Cate)

1 Gold (400 free relay/WR) [PHOTO BY DELLY CARR, SWIMMING AUSTRALIA]

It was definitely different at first. But with the music going and other swimmers in the stands, it very quickly felt normal. I don’t think it had an impact on performance, as there were some incredibly fast swims.

The only time it was really strange was during medal ceremonies and doing the victory lap around the pool. Then I normally look into the crowd and see the Australian flags. But after we’d waved to our teammates, there was no one left. So that was strange, but it made less difference than I thought it would.

ZACH APPLE, USA 2 Gold (400 medley relay/WR, 400 free relay) [ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ]

Obviously, it would have been nice to have spectators in the stands. This was one of the most impressive facilities for seating I’ve ever attended.

The energy was definitely not as high during walkouts and races.

That factored in with the morning finals, I think, and contributed to some of the finals being slightly slower than expected.

At the end of the day, though, you have to get up and race when it counts—and if you can’t do that at the Olympics, then this might not be for you.

TORRI HUSKE, USA 1 Silver (400 medley relay) [ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ] I’m someone who really likes the crowd, and I really like the loud energy, the loud noises, just because I feel like I feed off the energy. I do get nervous whenever I hear noise from the crowd, but I feel like at the same time, I’m able to channel that nervous energy into adrenaline. So I think that it really helps me. Certainly, it wasn’t detrimental to my swims, but I do in general prefer having a crowd.

Obviously, it’s more important to stay safe. It was a little bit weird, but at the same time, I was so used to not having any spectators at meets because we went to so many COVID meets.

Trials was the first meet I had in over a year where we had spectators, so if anything, that was the anomaly. It was a little bit weird, but it wasn’t really that weird because I’ve gotten used to it.

SWIM MART

䜀伀䰀䐀 䴀䔀䐀䄀䰀 倀䔀刀䘀伀刀䴀䄀一䌀䔀 匀吀䄀刀吀匀 圀䤀吀䠀 刀䔀匀䤀匀吀䄀一䌀䔀 吀刀䄀䤀一䤀一䜀

HALI FLICKINGER, USA 2 Bronze (200 fly, 400 IM) [ PHOTO BY PETER H. BICK ]

一娀䌀漀爀搀稀⸀挀漀洀 㠀 ⸀㠀㠀㘀⸀㘀㘀㈀㄀

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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Without spectators, it did feel a little empty, but one thing that wasn’t any different was Team USA’s ability to come together as a team and get behind each other more than ever.

PARTING SHOT

(From left) Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple and Michael Andrew give thanks to the city of Tokyo during the medals ceremony for the men's 400 medley relay during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. [ Photo by Rob Schumacher / USA Today Sports ] SEPTEMBER 2021

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