Swimming through illness to a rough 200 free on day 1 of the Beijing World Cup, American Olympian Tom Shields says he will drop the 200 back on day 2, but is still scheduled to swim the 50 fly.
Shields posted the update to his Instagram, noting that he’s “been sick for a bit” and making joke about trying to butterfly his way to better health:
Shields was entered in the 200 free and 100 fly this morning. Seeded with a lifetime-best 1:43.58 in the 200, Shields struggled to a 1:49.88 and a 29th place finish, missing the final by a wide margin. In fact, Shields has been faster in his 200 fly than he was in the 200 free this morning.
He didn’t contest prelims of the 100 fly, but under FINA’s new World Cup rules, he was still allowed automatic entry to the final by virtue of his status as a World Champs silver medalist from the 2016 Short Course World Champs.
Shields wasn’t the only one to take advantage of that rule; Chad le Clos also sat out the heats and went on to win. Shields ultimately finished 7th in 52.67.
Per his Instagram post, Shields will scratch the 200 back tomorrow, but still appears on start lists for the 50 fly.
Apparently Mr. Piano was fealing just fine.
He might read this message. He probably won’t care, since he can read it while polishing his gold medals from the World Championships and Olympics, wearing his Olympic team sweats. He was in the big final at the Olympics. What have you won? B finals in summer league championships are pretty far away from international success. Feel free to add your expert analysis any time you want.
i posted a piano comment on his insta and he liked it. It was a positive message though something like “good job keeping the piano off your back” but I dont think he cares one way or the other
Again, he’s a pro. If he lets things like a piano comment (which is pretty historically justified in any 200 for him that isn’t SCY), he’s in the wrong profession. And he handled your IG comment like a pro.
If winning world champs and Olympic medals were the qualifications for making a comment on SwimSwam, Mel would be a lonely guy. You have your opinion, I have mine. Get over it. He’s a pro, and criticism comes with the territory. Apparently, you’ve never been at a pro sporting event where players get booed. “Oh, they might hear it.” Geez.
At least he’s not being a pus and still swimming some events. I had to swim a meet after having the flu for a week and I died on the 200 free LC. It wasn’t fun. I feel for him, at least he is still trying.