As someone who is engulfed in swimming 365 days a year, and we know many of our readers are as well, the question “how was the swim meet?”, while so simple on its surface, can be a challenge. We know our spouses, our families, and our friends are asking to be polite, to show interest in what we love, and to make conversation, but it’s easily to be paralyzed by how to explain this deep complex story of swimming into an answer that they’ll understand and care about.
So throughout this meet, we’ll take a shot at distilling the answer to that question into a couple of bite-sized pieces to get the conversation started. This is a perfect share on Facebook for your aunties to read or to email back to your cousin on a Sunday morning.
Hopefully these launch into more specific follow-up questions and discussions where you can really flex your muscles.
HOW WAS THE MEET? – 4TH FINALS SESSION AT #TOKYO2020
- Katie Ledecky had an up and down day. She missed the podium in the 200 free, losing again to Ariarne Titmus (whose coach Dean Boxall, while still emotive, didn’t violate any railings this time around). But then Ledecky bounced back to lead a 1-2 in the 1500 free with Erica Sullivan. She was slower than prelims, probably because of the double, but she’s so much better than anyone else she still won easily in the 1500.
- Japan’s Yu Ohashi won the women’s 200 IM after winning the women’s 400 IM earlier in the meet. To be honest, she’s carrying the Japanese swim team now. The US has the most all-sports medals overall, but Japan has the most golds, and Ohashi is a big part of that. This is the 7th-straight Olympics in which the winners of the women’s 200 IM and 400 IM have been the same person.
- Kristof Milak ripped his suit 10 minutes before his race, gave up on a World Record, cruised to a win, and was basically the anti-Dean-Boxall – chill as could be. Japan’s Tomoru Honda, who was 2nd, was not chill, and celebrated his win thoroughly. Not the Japanese swimmer we thought would take silver in that race, but Daiya Seto missed another final.
- Great Britain’s men, after going 1-2 in the individual 200 free, dominated the 4×200 free relay. They missed the World Record by just .03 seconds, a teeny tiny margin, but the race wasn’t even close. There was a lot of controversy around the US relay, which missed medaling. That’s the first time an American men’s relay has finished off the podium at an Olympic Games. Michael Phelps thought Dressel should have swum the final, and afterward, Zach Apple’s teammate came to his defense on social media.
Here’s when the second finals session starts in your timezone, you can watch it on NBC, BBC, CBC, EuroSport, or whatever else is listed here.
On Day 5, look for the first-ever men’s 800 free gold medals to be awarded, plus Caeleb Dressel‘s first individual final, a 100 free clash with defending champion Kyle Chalmers and the upset-minded Kliment Kolesnikov.
TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS: POOL SWIMMING MEDAL TABLE AFTER DAY 4
| NATION | TOTAL MEDALS | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| USA | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Australia | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Great Britain | 4 | 3 | 1 | |
| Japan | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Canada | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Russian Olympic Committee | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| Hungary | 1 | 1 | ||
| Tunisia | 1 | 1 | ||
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| China | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | ||
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hong Kong | 1 | 1 | ||
| Brazil | 1 | 1 | ||
| Germany | 1 | 1 |
I’m a huge Ledecky fan and am super proud of her at these Tokyo Olympics!! But, I have to say this… While I understand that she’s sponsored by TYR, the suits she’s been wearing in competition lately look really ill-fitting and uncomfortable. Under the arms they cut too low and her lats are protruding while the shoulder straps are severely cutting into her traps. Look at the photo for this article! Let’s just say that I will definitely NOT be wearing any of these suits this coming season!
I like Ledecky in black suit. That is how her best swims were done. Sport fans ARE superstitious 😀
I honestly believe this will be the last major international tournament (world championships, summer olympics) that Katie Ledecky swims the 200 meter freestyle. Katie Ledecky already has enough on her plate with following events:
W 400 FR
W 800 FR
W 1500 FR
W 4 X 200 FR relay
The definition of insanity is the W 200 FR/1500 FR double/double (heats/final). Li Bingjie attempted the aforementioned feat and bombed out in the heats of both events.
Probably, but props on her for trying. She still won the 1500 comfortably. Why not take a shot at a medal in the 200?
I put forward mental health as well as physical health as the key issues. No one will ever question Katie Ledecky’s toughness. Besides, it’s high time someone else emerge in the women’s 200 meter freestyle for USA Swimming. (Please note Missy Franklin’s retirement dated December, 2018.) The women’s 200 meter freestyle should not be Katie Ledecky’s burden to bear especially with double sessions on the schedule.