2022 Short Course World Championships: Medal Table Duel Between U.S. And Australia

2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

With just one day of competition remaining at the 2022 Short Course World Championships, it all comes down to the top two nations of the United States and Australia in terms of the overall medal table lead.

The U.S. holds a total of 28 medals through five days of swimming, comprised of 13 golds, 10 silvers and 5 bronze medals. Australia is right behind, however, with a total of 23 medals, and 11 of theirs are gold.

Tonight the stars n’ stripes added one gold to their tally courtesy of Hali Flickinger‘s victory in the women’s 400m IM, while Australia snagged the women’s 4x50m medley relay top prize and Emma McKeon produced gold in the 50m free.

Italy remains a distant 3rd with 5 golds and 12 total medals, fueled by Gregorio Paltrinieri‘s 800m/1500m freestyle double in addition to Thomas Ceccon‘s 100m IM victory and two relay championships titles.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the U.S. seems primed to take home at least one medal in the women’s 100m fly, as Americans Torri Huske and Claire Curzan enter the final as the respective 1st and 5th seed. Lilly King set herself up with podium potential by snagging the 2nd seed in the women’s 50m breast while Nic Fink and Michael Andrew are both into the men’s 50m breast final for tomorrow.

Australia has contenders in each of the aforementioned events but also has powerhouse freestylers in Kyle Chalmers, Madi Wilson and Leah Neale who will take on the 200m distance heats tomorrow. Kaylee McKeown and Minna Atherton are also slated to race the 200m back for Australia.

The men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relays are also on the schedule for added medal potential.

 

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Swimmerj
1 year ago

Slay Hali

Sub13
Reply to  Swimmerj
1 year ago

So happy she got her first international level gold right around (what I assume is) near the end of her career

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

And she earned it – was so gutsy to blast out that fast and just never let anyone get a sniff. Super impressive and brave.

Joel Lin
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

It is cool to see her finally get a top podium in an individual event. Well deserved.

Drive
1 year ago

Notably, Italy could top the men’s medal table and be almost zero on the women side

Oceanian
1 year ago

US population is what (15 times?) that of Australia.

If she was a nation, Lani Pallister would be about 4th on medal table (counting only her individual golds).

Last edited 1 year ago by Oceanian
Sub13
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

It’s about 13x

Owlmando
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

Lmao downvoted for what!

SwimSwamFan
Reply to  Owlmando
1 year ago

Downvoted for this being so old and tired.. So when India and China earn medals, we should post an asterisk and say, “But JUST so you know, they have over a billion people in their country so let’s not celebrate their accomplishments too much okay?” The whataboutism could go on forever. Everyone knows Australia’s population is smaller. Everyone knows Australia is a badass swimming nation. Coming in second on the medal table when yes, the United States has a substantial population advantage is incredibly impressive.

You wanna know what’s TRULY impressive? Norway’s medal haul in the winter Olympics every year. 5.4 million people and they end up on top nearly every time. I don’t see Norwegians jumping around saying,… Read more »

Skel8
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

I feel like people don’t understand that swimming is not a popular sport at all in the US. Most kids play basketball, football (American), volleyball, baseball, softball in their youth- swimming is one of those niche sports where if your parents happen to put you on a team you get into it. I for one went to a lower ish income school and didn’t know a single person who swam and this was in Florida

Troyy
Reply to  Skel8
1 year ago

You’re saying that like that’s not the case in Australia and many other countries as well.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

Enjoy it while you can when the heavy hitters show up at the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships (LCM).

MIKE IN DALLAS
Reply to  Oceanian
1 year ago

Australia has about 5X the population of Norway, yet Norway earned 9X the number of medals in 2022 Winter Olympics! And the point about 15X is what?

Sub13
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
1 year ago

Yes the population argument can be overused, but it is relevant. Comparing the top two swimming countries in the world where one has 13x the population of another is highly relevant.

Comparing Australia, one of the least successful nations of all time in the Winter Olympics and where it essentially doesn’t snow, to Norway, is not the same and not a good example to use at all.

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

But there are caps on the number of entries, so it’s not that great of a comparison.

Like, the Australian women would pick up some medals on the US in the 100/200 frees with unlimited entries, but in basically every other event the US has significantly more depth.

There are silly comparisons to be made all the way down, is my point.

Sub13
Reply to  Steve Nolan
1 year ago

It’s not about the number of entries, it’s about the population you have to draw from.

Say you have two countries, A and B. Each is allowed to enter 1 runner for a sprint. Country A has a population of 50,000. Country B has a population of 10. Both countries are allowed the same number of entries, but Country A has 5000x as many potential entries. What are the chances that country B will produce the fastest sprinter when Country A has 500x more chances to find the fastest sprinter? If you want to discuss statistics, the chances of country B winning is essentially zero mathematically.

There is a strong and direct correlation between population size and performance in Olympic… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Sub13
Troyy
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

One of the big ways the population advantage is evident is in their consistency championship after championship year after year. Countries with smaller populations tend to fluctuate more as stars retire, get injured or are just out form with no one to replace them while the US almost always has a back up or two in most events. Only another country with a large population could ever replicate this consistency. Of course that country would also need to be well funded and have a strong swimming culture.

Sub13
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

Exactly. USA has the third biggest population in the world, the most resources in the world, spends the most resources on swimming in the world and has the most college/professional swimmers in the world.

That doesn’t diminish their achievements at all. But it’s ridiculous to act like it’s not relevant.

Sunday Morning Grind
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

Do you think most Australians would consider Lani Pallister and Kyle Chalmers “athletes” who partake in a “competitive sport?” I bet they do. But, if you ask Americans about their respective counterparts (say Leah Smith and Ryan Murphy), the answer would probably be no. If it’s not Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, or Soccer, it’s not a sport.

Would also love to see a comparison on how much Swimming Australia/ the AIS network spends on their national team and “categorized” (athletes in a position to make the national team) athletes vs. the US. As far as I know, the US won’t spend a dime on you unless you’re top 16 or 20 in the world. Definitely not the case in Australia.

Swimpop
1 year ago

2nd place is super good, Australia should hold their head high.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

What may cost the USA the overall championship title:

Women’s 4 x 50 meter medley relay
Relay exchange reaction times

SWE – 0.29
NED – 0.41
FRA – 0.60
JPN – 0.62
CAN – 0.69
CZE – 0.70
AUS – 0.83
USA – 0.87

Average – 0.63

The USA was dead last in the relay exchange reaction times.

Sub13
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

USA is almost certainly going to top the tally overall. I don’t see any scenario where Australia gets 3 more golds than USA tonight.

Will be unfortunate if the medal tally is literally decided by the 50 back which it quite possibly could be.

Negative Nora
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

I see two likely golds for AUS tonight – W200 Back (Kaylee WR) + The women’s medley relay. Kyle has a chance in the 200 free but that field is just so loaded he could win it or end up fifth. I do think the AUS women’s medley relay has a great chance as Curzan will have a triple, Huske hasn’t been great on the relays she hasn’t led off, and King isn’t historically great on her splits either and that is where the US needs to gap AUS. Aussies should have a more fresh squad as well.

Last edited 1 year ago by Negative Nora
Sub13
Reply to  Negative Nora
1 year ago

Kaylee is definitely the heavy favourite in the 200 back. Australia could win the women’s medley but I would still call US the favourite. And yeah Kyle has a very slight chance at gold in the 200 but that’s unlikely.

For Australia to top the table we need to win W200 back, WMedley and M200 free. And US needs to lose M200 back (very unlikely) and MMedley (they’re not the favourite but they have a chance). Possible but extremely unlikely to play out that way.

Negative Nora
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

Very true. Even if it becomes a tie in gold medals the US tops the tally due to higher overall medals in the other categories as well. No way the US touches Italy in the mens relay. And it’s possible the US pulls an upset in one of the W100 Fly, W50 Breast, or M50 Breast. MacNeil, Meilutyte, and Martinenghi look really tough to beat and the US are not the favorite in any of those, but you never know. I’m leaning AUS as the favorite in the medley just because of the tight schedule of the other US swimmers in it, but if Curzan opts out of one of her two other individual finals that would change my mind.

Last edited 1 year ago by Negative Nora
Troyy
Reply to  Negative Nora
1 year ago

Can Madi pull off that 200 free/medley relay double? There are a couple of medal ceremonies and the men’s 200 free in between.

Negative Nora
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

I’m really curious as to what the line-up will be. I originally assumed it would be McKeown-Strauch-McKeon-Wilson, but there’s a lot of other possibilities and I wouldn’t be shocked if it isn’t that. I wonder if MOC will be used on backstroke, but it would be a bit unfair to the 100 backstroke champion even though she does have the 200 back earlier in the session.

Last edited 1 year ago by Negative Nora
commonwombat
Reply to  Negative Nora
1 year ago

Would probably go MOC as lead-off. McKeown does have 200back earlier in session; as to how hard she will need to go is open. MOC has no other swims and, if anything, her backstroke is more optimised to SC than McKeown ….. even if her FS isn’t.

BRS will probably be the clincher. King is not always the relay weapon she could be however Strauch has looked off her game in the shorter races and Hodges is 50 optimal and, likewise, has been off her game.

Ideally, you would have McKeon on anchor but Perkins would give away too much to Huske for even McKeon to bring back … unless Huske starts off like a scalded cat then dies coming… Read more »

Lisa
Reply to  commonwombat
1 year ago

It’s gonna be close like yesterday and what we saw with King,Huske yesterday on individual the advantage is on Us and the only downside is only Curzan packed program cause she could get tired.

Wahooswimfan
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

As a fan, I’d love to see the mesley relay come down to Douglas and Mckeon going off even, head to head for the win – great race no matter who wins and likely 2 49+ anchor splits!

Troyy
Reply to  Wahooswimfan
1 year ago

McKeon will be on fly and there’s no way Douglass improves her split from the 4×100 free by over a second.

Lisa
Reply to  Troyy
1 year ago

She could go low 51 and under it to 50 but to go 49 will be insane

Joel
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

Yes I’m dreading that. An official mistake deciding the gold medal tally

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Individual Medals
USA
Andrew, Michael – 0

Nada, Nil, Zilch! Some superstar, I’ll tell ya!

Owlmando
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Hmu when you make the national team in multiple events

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Owlmando
1 year ago

Goose eggs galore!

Mclovin
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

What is your problem??

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Mclovin
1 year ago

I don’t think we’ll ever figure it out. Truly one of the weirdest posters I’ve come across anywhere.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
1 year ago

Day 1 – Day 5

USA Medal Breakdown
Men: 5 G, 4 S, 1 B, 10 total
Women: 7 G, 6 S, 4 B, 17 total
Mixed: 1 G, 0 S, 0 B, 1 total

AUS Medal Breakdown
Men: 2 G, 4 S, 2 B, 8 total
Women: 9 G, 2 S, 3 B, 14 total
Mixed: 0 G, 1 S, 0 B, 1 total

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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