USA Report Day 3: Order is Restored in the World of Backstroking

Ok, so Katie Ledecky was the story on day 3 of the 2013 World Championships, American, whatever scene.

There’s going to be so much written about Ledecky though, I thought I’d dedicate this space to another American triumph, specifically the gold-and-silver medal finish in the 100 backstroke from Matt Grevers and David Plummer on Tuesday.

Consider this. Through the 2007 World Championships, the Americans had won three straight World Championships in the 100 backstroke, and for the two previous incarnations had won both gold and silver.

Then a strange thing happened: in 2009 and 2011, the Americans didn’t win a single medal. Not one, over two years; in 2009, they only had one finalist (Matt Grevers).

But on Tuesday, the trends of the last two decades were restored, and the Americans won both the gold and the silver medals.

So here’s the twist. If you look back through Olympic and World Championship history, the Americans are dominant in the backstrokes. They’ve won 9 out of a possible 14 gold medals in the 200 at Worlds; 7 out of 16 in the 100; and the numbers are even more staggering in the Olympics: 14 golds in 24 meets (and 35 out of 73 medals total) in the 100 backstroke, plus 8 out of 14 gold medals in the 200 backstroke at the Olympics (and 20 out of 42 total medals).

Hang on, we’re getting to the point.

The Americans have only won one medal ever in the 50 backstroke.

True, the 50 hasn’t been around as long as the other two races, but in the last 6 World Championship meets, the Americans have won 1 medal, which was a gold, from Randall Bal at the 2001 meet, in the 50 meter race.

American fans can hem-and-haw all they want about how little they care about the non-Olympic races like the 50’s, but the fact of the matter is that Americans like to win. Those who don’t care about the 50’s sure did care about the non-Olympic 1500 today when Ledecky was smashing the World Record.

If it’s an event, and it’s on the World Championship schedule, the Americans should be trying to win it. They should at least be trying to put their best forward in it. That is why, to me, adding qualification spots for the non-Olympic events for this year’s World Championships is the smartest decision the Americans have made regarding qualifying meets since they put the Olympic Trials in a basketball arena. It’s not going to be perfect year one, but if they stick with it, those medal numbers have to improve.

Eugene Godsoe showed the value of having those qualifications this year. He won the 50 at trials, then with that confidence boost went on to win the 100 fly as well, and take a silver medal in the 50 fly in Barcelona.

Other Day 3 Observations:

• Katie Ledecky and Lotte Friis were both out in 8:17’s in their marvelous 1500 freestyle battle.
• Shannon Vreeland closed very well in her 200 free semi-final – even faster than Federica Pellegrini. It’s hard to see anyone beating these American women in that 800 free relay. Ledecky is on fire, Missy is solid, Vreeland is solid. There will be some pressure on the 4th leg, but those top three are going to be hard to beat.
• Even with Michael Phelps, the Americans only had one finalist in the 200 fly at Worlds in 2011, Worlds in 2007, and Worlds in 2005. In 2013, aka the year 1 A.P. (after Phelps), the Americans put two into the final. Go figure.
• Lots of connections in the top 4 of the men’s 200 free. Dwyer and Lochte former training partners, Dwyer and Agnel current training partners. Has to make one wonder if Lochte’s globe-trotting is going to include a stop by the house that Bowman built.

Records Broken:

Katie Ledecky, 15-16 National Age Group Record, 1500 free, 15:36.53
Old Record: Katie Ledecky, 15:47.15, 2013 USA Swimming National Championships

Katie Ledecky, American Record, 1500 free, 15:36.53
Old Record: Katie Ledecky, 15:47.15, 2013 USA Swimming National Championships

Katie Ledecky, World Record, 1500 free, 15:36.53
Old Record: Kate Ziegler, United States, 15:42.54, 2007 Swim Meet of Champions