Murphy, Dressel, Schmitt & Manuel Named 2020 USA Olympic Swimming Captains

Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel, Allison Schmitt, and Simone Manuel have been announced as captains of the United States’ Tokyo 2020 swim team. The selection was revealed to the team by team member Hunter Armstrong as he performed a card trick with the assistance of fellow Olympians Jay Litherland and Lilly King:

The selection of 4 captains for the 2020 Olympic team represents the smallest lineup of captains in recent years as there were 5 selected in 2012 and 6 in 2016. Allison Schmitt represents the only 2-time captain this year, having served in the role back in 2016 alongside Elizabeth Beisel (three-time Olympian), Cammile Adams (two-time Olympian), Nathan Adrian (three-time Olympian), Anthony Ervin (three-time Olympian), and Michael Phelps (five-time Olympian). Schmitt is the most experienced member of this year’s Olympic squad and will be making an appearance at a 4th straight Olympic Games, having swum at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Games.

Schmitt won Olympic gold in the women’s 200 freestyle in London and also collected silver in the 400 free. Along with her 2 individual Olympic medals from 2012, she has also won 6 relay medals across her 3 Olympic appearances. Schmitt qualified to race the women’s 200 freestyle in Tokyo by delivering a second-place finish to Katie Ledecky at the recent U.S. Olympic Trials.

The other 3 captains—Murphy, Manuel and Dressel—are all set to represent the United States at their 2nd straight Olympic Games, and all collected gold medals at Rio 2016. Ryan Murphy became a 3-time Olympic gold medalist in 2016 by nabbing first place in the men’s 100 and 200 backstrokes along with the men’s 4×100 medley relay.

Manuel on the other hand won gold in the women’s 100 freestyle back in 2016 by tying Canada’s Penny Oleksiak. Manuel has remained a dominant force for the U.S. since then and won gold in the 100 freestyle and both the 2017 and 2019 World Championships. Manuel failed to qualify for her signature 100 freestyle this year at the 2021 US Olympic Trials, placing 9th overall in the semi-finals. She discussed after the fact that she was recently diagnosed with over-training syndrome earlier this year.

Manuel bounced back on the final day of Trials, however, and powered her way to a 1st place finish in the women’s 50 freestyle, earning herself a spot on the team.

Since Rio 2016 where he collected gold in the men’s 4×100 freestyle and medley relays, Caeleb Dressel has risen to become one of the world’s fastest and most talented swimmers. Dressel won an incredible 7 gold medals at the 2017 World Championships and collected 6 golds and 2 silvers at the 2019 World Championships. He will enter as a potential 3-event individual winner in Tokyo after having won the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 butterfly at Trials.

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Jackman
2 years ago

It’s bizarre that any commenter here thinks that anyone else ‘should’ have been a captain. The definition of a popular vote is that the people elected are the ones that most team members thought should be captains. There is no outsiders perspective.

Sure you can be surprised that someone wasn’t chosen, but they still should not be a captain.

Cate
2 years ago

I’m guessing that there are a few people commenting here who have never been on a team where there were team captains.

Chris
Reply to  Cate
2 years ago

i’m reporting your comments.

Podium Pouter
2 years ago

If I were on the National Team, I don’t think I’d ever read the comments here.

This is for Yozhik and Steve Nolan:

https://youtu.be/f_SwD7RveNE

Yozhik
Reply to  Podium Pouter
2 years ago

You still didn’t get it. People are coming to the comment section not for reading but to say something. Like you, like me, like Steve. Most of them are elderly people who don’t have much else to do.
National Teammers have no need to read tabloids – they are swimming.
So keep posting and try to refrain from discussing other posters. Talk about National Team if you have something to say. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, true or false. Talking that what it is all about. And I would say it is very addictive. So if you can stay away from it, then do it right now. 😀 😀

Podium Pouter
Reply to  Yozhik
2 years ago

@Yohzik: I love your comments! You are a breath of fresh air. The above posted link to the “Head On” commercial was for you — to show my appreciation for your different point of view.

Yozhik
Reply to  Podium Pouter
2 years ago

The following is a perfect example of the “comment section discussion”:
Do you know that after W50FR semi-finals there were strong rumors in Omaha that Huske (who was already on the Team) would be approached by officials/coaches to let Manuel making the team at the next day final? Well, Manuel finished first with the time that isn’t that impressive (#11 current season ranking ) but good enough to make those rumors a conspiracy theory.
Isn’t that exciting to talk about such things in comment section? 😀

Cate
Reply to  Podium Pouter
2 years ago

It’s obvious they’ve never been on teams where the team chose team captains. The ckuelessness of some of these posts is amazing.

Yozhik
Reply to  Cate
2 years ago

You are “ckuelessnessly” wrong. 😀
I’ve been selected as a team captain. Even my military rank was a captain.
And also I witnessed the captain selection process in high school varsity team. The team voted first for the guy who wasn’t the best swimmer but was a nice person to have around. And then later suddenly all seniors became a co-captains. I don’t know if parents of those guys asked the coach for that or he did it from the kindness of his heart. But it was nice to mention such a detail in kid’s college applications and so it was.
A lot of such kind of experience. 😀

Coach
Reply to  Podium Pouter
2 years ago

They do read these comments, and it is hurtful. Shields alluded to this when he first revealed his battle with suicidal thoughts/ depression. In an article that should be celebrating a big honor in some of our athlete’s lives, some people hit way below the belt.

Captain Ahab
2 years ago

Hunter needs to lead the team in the Bonsai Cheer

Lpman
2 years ago

These are all worthy captains, but I think Shields should have been thrown in the mix

Cate
Reply to  Lpman
2 years ago

I don’t think they vote for them based on age.

He said what?
Reply to  Cate
2 years ago

LIFE experience. The man has seen the top and the bottom. He is compassionate and understands. You talk about being clueless? You just missed the boat with your statement.

Anonymoose
Reply to  He said what?
2 years ago

i think they could have intentionally not voted for him to not put any additional pressure on him given his mental health past.
not saying that he couldnt handle it, but for now it might be wise to treat him with slightly more “caution” (in lack for a better word) than others. as like, in consideration of him and not to diss him or anything

Lpman
Reply to  Cate
2 years ago

Wow…just….wow

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Lpman
2 years ago

He probably was in the mix. If they’d gone 6 captains, he’d probably be one of them.

Breezeway
2 years ago

When The Grass Is Cut The Snakes Will Show

Ol' Longhorn
2 years ago

How ’bout we marvel at how beloved Schmitty is to be named captain twice in a row.

SCCOACH
2 years ago

I heard Lilly King head butted Lydia Jacoby when Lilly didn’t get picked as captain. Huge scandal

Aqqq
Reply to  SCCOACH
2 years ago

lame as hell

SCCOACH
Reply to  Aqqq
2 years ago

Tough crowd. I recognize that my joke was bad and I will to work on my material. All I want to do in life is entertain the swimswam comment section.

;oifjasdfj
Reply to  SCCOACH
2 years ago

Dont we all…