For the second-straight day, a Texas post-graduate trainee came through big for the Americans with an unexpected silver medal. On Wednesday, that person was Michael McBroom in the men’s 800 meter freestyle. On Thursday, that person was Jimmy Feigen, who was a 47.82 in the men’s 100 freestyle to place 2nd: behind James Magnussen, and ahead of the United States’ best and reigning Olympic Champion Nathan Adrian.
We learned a lot of things in this swim. One is that the University of Texas, under the watchful eye of Eddie Reese, is still a top-flight post-graduate training program. In the one swim we’ve seen from Ricky Berens at this meet, plus the performances thus far from Feigen (400 free relay notwithstanding) and McBroom, the Texas Exes have been very, very good.
This program may not have quite the same sparkle and glitter as they did when Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol, and Ian Crocker, among others, were all there battling each other, but Texas is still putting swimmers onto the national stage, and onto podium once they got there.
The second is Feigen’s ability to recover from that 400 free relay. He received a lot of criticism for his anchor leg: this is no secret. Feigen, though, comes across as one of these guys who can forget mistakes, who can stay upbeat even in the face of adversity, and who can take every race without regard to what he just did. Immediately after that 400 free relay, he Tweeted simply “Sometimes you win the race and sometimes the race wins you. Proud of my team USA teammates today and looking forward to tomorrow #bettereachday”.
Then silence until after his job was done in the individual 100 free. That Tweet is sort of indicative of how Feigen seems to operate: he made his peace with the 400 free relay, and committed to be better the next time, and he was.
And finally, he hushed many naysayers who have been wondering when he would have his big breakthrough by beating the great Nathan Adrian, his American counterpart. The two were swimming nose-to-nose in this 100, in lanes 5 and 4. They’ve been in that position many times in college, and almost every time Adrian came out on top. Feigen didn’t win his first individual NCAA title until his senior year: the year after Adrian graduated.
So who gets the nod on the 400 medley relay in finals? The Americans don’t get a test this time around, they have to decide going in who will swim which round. In all likelihood, Adrian still gets the spot on the basis of his experience and consistency, but the fact that Feigen even made it a discussion, for the reasons listed above and others, says volumes about how impressive this swim was.
Other Day 5 Observations:
- The Americans are in great position to go 1-2 in the men’s 200 backstroke again, and that doesn’t even include the 1:55 that Ryan Murphy did at the U.S. Open last night.
- Ryan Lochte’s gold medal in the 200 IM was his first gold medal of this meet.
- The Americans didn’t have any finalists in the 200 breaststroke. That’s the first time that this has ever happened at the World Championships. In fact, until 2007, the Americans had never failed to medal in this event since it began in 1973. Now they will have gone medal-less in three of the last four.
- With Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin as their bookends, and neither’s improvement curve seeming to be slowing down, the American 800 free relay will be good for a very long time. If they can get a full-strength Allison Schmitt back any time soon, they could legitimately take down this World Record (and its a really fast one).
- Micah Lawrence was phenomenal and medal-worthy in the prelims of the women’s 200 breaststroke. In the semi-finals, she was very good as well, but not to that same level. She’s going to have to overcome Marina Garcia, with the Spanish crowd behind her, plus hold off the likes of Japan’s Rie Kaneto to get a medal. We’ve seen the 2:21 from her at this meet, now she just need to prove that she can get her head right to do that one more time in finals.
Records:
Missy Franklin, 17-18 National Age Group Record, 100 free, 53.36 (prelims)
Old Record: Missy Franklin, 53.43, 2013 USA Swimming National Championships
Off topic, but I’m watching some good grudge swims and others from US Open finals. 100 fly Shields come from behind 51.6, Phillips 51.7, McGill 52.0.
400 IM Sebastien Rouseau 4:11.11, Gunnar Bentz 4:5
4IM Celina Li 4:39.4
100 Fly: “Flea” 58.88
Tom Shields! Man, thats World Champs slot if he does it at trials.
Kudos to Feigen for winning the silver medal and totally surprising everyone. with that being said, i hope Feigen has learned from his relay mistake.
With that being said? It’s incredible how much criticism you “fans” put on someone. It’s laughable how much those who can’t do criticize those who can. You’re a joke.
Because the SwimSwam staff is so excellent, once the world champs are over and we go into a lull before collegiate dual meets start, I think it would be great to compare some of the long-standing coaches like Eddie, Salo, Roach, etc. on the diversity of their swimmers’ accomplishments: something like a tally of records (world and American) and podium places (Olympics and world championships). My (not unbiased) hypothesis is that you will be hard pressed to find a coach who has placed more swimmers across these categories in a wider array of events than Eddie.
Until the data comes, let the trash talking begin.
Always, I was confused but retreading your complaint I believe you meant Texas that CONGER will be attending, not Murphy. Unless Murphy switched?
Don’t forget the young talent coming out of Sergio’s camp at bolles schools sharks. Looking forward to the next big swim from dressel, any results for him at the us open?
Well I’ve apparently been put in my place. Thanks for the quick replies.
Between the post grads programs at Texas, Berkeley, SwimMAC and w/ Bowman, the US is in a great position. Add collegiate programs such as Georgia, Michigan, Texas A&M, Arizona and Florida…no wonder we are having the success that we’ve had. The US is extremely lucky to have the resources that exist along with the sprinkle of high preforming athletes that come from the club level (Missy and Ledecky). Overall, we have to count our blessings and appreciate the diversity in training options that’s offered. Thanks for the write-up, it was solid.
Does anyone else understand why Swimswam and other swimming websites consistenly ignore Jack Conger and heap praise on Ryan Murphy? Could just be my own selective reading but I find consistently that Conger is not mentioned in articles where he and Murphy have the same times. Case in point here. Murphy’s 200BK time from US Open is slower than Conger’s from WUG. Yet he gets the mention here, even though this article focuses heavily on Texas which Murphy will attend in the fall.
I know this article is about World Champs and not up and coming swimmers but still.
It’s 100% your selective reading.
Example:
http://swimswam.com/mens-recruiting-season-opens-top-10-in-the-class/
Murphy got a mention because his swim was last night. We’re not going to go back through and mention every great 200 backstroke by every junior swimmer ever. That’s outside of the scope of this article.
Braden, he does make a good point. Conger’s 1:55.4 was only 2 weeks ago. That’s not too far to look back.
Also, it (Conger’s 1:55) was mentioned on it’s own merit during that competition.
There is very rarely a mention of one without the other- with all the other backstroke talent in the NCAA (Teduits, Ryan, Pebley) I think this will resolve itself over time, as I don’t know that it’s a lock that Conger will even compete in the backstrokes at the NCAA level (he can score in so MANY events, it will depend on Texas’ needs, though on first glance, he may fill the 500/200/100 free role and try and alleviate some of Dax Hill’s points loss… Texas has a great frosh class returning and a great class coming in… loaded with flyers and backstrokers.)
I disagree completely, Conger and Murphy both get good coverage and plenty of attention. How much attention is “enough” for you?
And you are correct, this article is about world champs and the Texas post grads swims.
Because his name is Ryan & we already have too many passwords to remember. This one clicks for backstroke.
It might be like Jack Nichlaus whose 2nd wife was also named Claudia. As he said- I did not have to change the towel embroidery order. I am hoping he got new ones.
Wow. Texas produced the greatest American breaststroker, backstroker, and 2nd greatest Flyer in history. (My opinion of course)
I have to take exception; I still believe Crocker was the greatest 100 flyer!He was as close to a natural as I have seen.Someone who came out of a state with no long course pool and who never seemed as comfortable and confident in his talent as he should have been.
I would agree with just 100 flyer, but because Phelps was so good in the 200 (1:52:09 in textile) i have to go with him