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>> Caeleb Dressel & Kristof Milak
5 Lingering and Unanswered Questions Following the Olympic Games BY JOHN LOHN
T
he Olympic Games are now two weeks in the rearview mirror, the competition at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre providing plenty of highlights amid an extremely different competitive environment. The lack of spectators was an unfortunate aspect of the Games, but a necessary decision given the COVID-19 challenges facing Japan. The typical post-Olympics lull that we are currently experiencing in the sport will come to an end shortly, thanks to the start of the third season of the International Swimming League in Naples. As we turn our attention to the resumption of action in the pool, here are five questions to contemplate, the answers to be revealed in due time. 1. Will Ahmed Hafnaoui Bolster an American College Program? One of the surprise performances of the Tokyo Games was turned in by Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui, whose triumph from Lane One in the 400-meter freestyle brought energy to the first morning of finals. Hafnaoui became just the second Tunisian to capture Olympic gold in the pool, joining Ous Mellouli, the titlist in the 1500 freestyle at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Following his triumph, Hafnaoui suggested he will bring his distance-freestyle skills to the United States next year and join a collegiate program. Where will Hafnaoui land? That is the question that remains to be answered. What is known is this: Whichever school secures the services of the 18-year-old 8
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will significantly bolster its roster with an Olympic champion with a huge upside. 2. Will the European Women Bounce Back? Out of the 42 medals available in the individual women’s events in Tokyo, only four were claimed by European athletes – and none were gold. That was a major dropoff from the 17 medals won by European women at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 14 medals earned by Europeans at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In Tokyo, the Europeans’ four medals all came from freestyle events, which means the continent was shut out in the stroke disciplines. Credit must be given to Sarah Sjostrom, whose silver medal in the 50 freestyle was collected on the heels of the Swede suffering a fractured elbow during a fall that prompted surgery and intense rehab just to compete at the 2020 Games. Sure, cycles are a part of the sport, and all nations – and continents – go through ups and downs. Look at Australia. In Tokyo, it rebounded from a pair of sub-par Olympics to shine. Consequently, it is a matter of time until the European women rally. The question: How soon? 3. Can Kristof Milak Catch Caeleb Dressel in the 100 Butterfly? In the 200 butterfly, Hungarian Kristof Milak knows no peer.
