SwimSwam Pulse: Wilson Leads Poll Of US Medley Relay Breaststroke Hopefuls

SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.

Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers to pick the top American men’s breaststroker one year from now:

RESULTS

Question: Who will be the finals breaststroker on the American men’s medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics?

Andrew Wilson has been #1 among Americans in the 100 breast for the past two years, so it’s not terribly surprising to see him dominate this poll. Wilson ran away with it, though, earning 63.6% of the votes – more than 50% more than anyone else.

2016 U.S. Olympian Cody Miller was second with 11.9%, coming off an up-and-down Pan American Games in which he took a silver medal but ended up disqualifying the American mixed medley relay team.

Maybe the most surprising outcome of this poll? Swimmers not named in the poll gained more votes than anyone but Wilson and Miller. “Someone else” took in 10.5% of the votes, more than 2018 national champ Michael Andrew (6.9%) and World University Games champ Ian Finnerty (4.8%).

Usually, SwimSwam voters tend to like younger swimmers, but the 19-year-old Andrew finished only fourth in this poll. No doubt, though, the “someone else” category for many probably included 16-year-old Josh Mathenythe World Junior Championships breakout star.

 

Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Pollwhich asks voters which World Junior champ on the boys side is most likely to win an Olympic medal next summer:

Which boys World Junior champ is most likely to win a 2020 Olympic medal?

View Results

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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE

A3 Performance is an independently-owned, performance swimwear company built on a passion for swimming, athletes, and athletic performance. We encourage swimmers to swim better and faster at all ages and levels, from beginners to Olympians.  Driven by a genuine leader and devoted staff that are passionate about swimming and service, A3 Performance strives to inspire and enrich the sport of swimming with innovative and impactful products that motivate swimmers to be their very best – an A3 Performer.

The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner

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25BACKSTROKE
5 years ago

I really wouldn’t sleep on Finnerty – he didn’t really train long course breaststroke until this current season. His time from 2018 Nationals was 1:00.93, and he just went 59.49 for the Gold Medal at World University Games.

I don’t see Miller being faster than his best time next season, and I definitely don’t see MA or Nowicki breaking the 59 second barrier in the 100 Breast (neither Andrew or Nowicki have dropped any time this season, and MA has specifically stated that he is going to be primarily focusing on the 50 Free and 200 IM for the upcoming Olympic Trials)

Honestly, I would say that the most likely pick is still Wilson but Finnerty is honestly… Read more »

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  25BACKSTROKE
5 years ago

Lot of honesty there.

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

Hahaha

Willswim
5 years ago

Andrew Wilson is definitely looking like the safest bet. I won’t be surprised if Max McHugh becomes a bigger factor in this discussion.

Landrew
Reply to  Willswim
5 years ago

The same Max McHugh with a lifetime best of 1:00.99, ranked 22nd in the US this year?

He clearly can swim the 100 yard breast as well as any of the other contenders but I would be quite surprised to see him as a big factor given his lack of LCM prowess.

Friuti
5 years ago

As an Illinois native, I’m hoping for a big comeback this coming summer from Kevin Cordes. Surprising that the American Record holder is not included in this poll outside of ‘Others’.

Thomas
5 years ago

No Nic Fink?

50free
Reply to  Thomas
5 years ago

That’s what I meant. He split 58.

Dcswim
Reply to  Thomas
5 years ago

Fink prelims, Wilson finals for me

Neptoon
Reply to  Thomas
5 years ago

Fink and wilson for 100 br in tokyo! Dont sleep on that 58.5 split

Markster
5 years ago

Tough one between Minakov and Urlando. I give Urlando the edge cause after Milak in the 200 fly theres quite a drop in competition. Meanwhile in the 100 fly theres Dressel, Rooney, and Milak

Samuel Huntington
Reply to  Markster
5 years ago

Remember Minakov will most likely be on Russia’s relays which will probably win medals. So he is most likely to win medals.

Sun Yangs Hammer
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
5 years ago

Urlando also has a very realistic shot 4×200 free

Superfan
Reply to  Sun Yangs Hammer
5 years ago

But American 8free relay isn’t a guarantee medal winner

Landrew
Reply to  Superfan
5 years ago

The US has won a medal in the 8free relay at every single Olympics/Worlds since 1998 (they got 5th). I would say they are as close to a guarantee medal winner as you can get.

Superfan
Reply to  Landrew
5 years ago

Did you watch Worlds this year? With a 50’to go, any one of 5 teams could have won the 800 free relay! It was a great “race” to watch as a fan, but no guarantee that USA would medal!

MY MOM!
Reply to  Landrew
5 years ago

…Ground control to Major Dwyer…

Tony R
5 years ago

10.5% in ‘Someone Else’, are these people not ready to write off Cordes?

Swim
Reply to  Tony R
5 years ago

I would after the DQ

hzmusicstand
Reply to  Swim
5 years ago

I was rooting for Brandon Fischer as my ‘someone else’

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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