USA Swimming Hires Kevin Ring as New CEO After Year-Long Search
by David Rieder – Senior Writer
04 September 2025
USA Swimming Hires Kevin Ring as New CEO After Year-Long Search
A year after the job initially became vacant, USA Swimming has landed on its new leader. Kevin Ring, who has been President of Legends Golf for the past three years, takes over the organization during the critical leadup to an Olympics in Los Angeles.
Ring becomes the full-time leader of the national governing body following a stretch of instability. Former CEO Tim Hinchey resigned following the Paris Olympics, and the process to secure his replacement has been drawn out.
“Swimming is one of the world’s most inspiring and global sports, and I am honored to join USA Swimming at such an important moment,” Ring said in USA Swimming’s announcement of the hire. “There is an extraordinary opportunity to grow participation, connect with new fans and develop innovative partnerships that will fuel success for the entire swimming community. I look forward to working with our athletes, coaches, volunteers, and partners to expand the reach and impact of this incredible sport.”
Ring takes over after three years as head of Golf at Legends, a data-focused company that partnered with the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) of America to drive innovation and sponsorships. Before that, Ring worked for the PGA of America as Chief Revenue Officer and previously Chief Marketing Officer. In those roles, he focused on marketing, partnerships, hospitality, ticket sales and merchandising.
Ring has also worked for IMG Consulting, working with figures in golf as well as Major League Baseball, tennis, Formula One racing and the 2002 World Cup for soccer. Ring has never worked in swimming, but he was once involved in communications for the Olympic Regional Development Authority in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Even without experience in the sport, USA Swimming believes Ring’s experience has prepared him to “lead USA Swimming’s strategy to expand membership, increase revenue and maximize the momentum of the sport. The organization under Ring is also committing to focusing “on the long-term health of the sport in the United States.” The announcement also revealed that Ring will take over as CEO of the USA Swimming Foundation.
Natalie Coughlin, a 12-time Olympic medalist and International Swimming Hall of Famer, is set to take over as Chair of the USA Swimming Board of Directors, and she endorsed Ring’s appointment to the role. “His commitment to empowering athlete leadership, strengthening coach development, and bringing all stakeholders to the table is exactly what USA Swimming needs to move forward,” Coughlin said. “I’m confident his leadership will make a lasting impact on our sport.”
Current board chair Chris Brearton had similar praise, noting that Ring entered his new role with a “track record in driving participation and revenue growth.” Brearton indicated that Ring was committed to “the vital role of supporting athletes and coaches at every stage of their journey and ensuring they have the resources to succeed. His ability to bring demonstrated best practices from other sports to empower our athletes, coaches and the broader swimming community will be instrumental as we head into LA 2028 and beyond.”
The change in leadership at USA Swimming was put in motion after the U.S. national team struggled compared to expectations at major meets, including at the Paris Games. Weeks after that, as numerous issues within the sport became evident at home, Hinchey and former National Team Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko left the organization.
Chrissi Rawak was named to the CEO role in February, but the arrangement fell through after nine days due to a SafeSport complaint.
Shana Ferguson had been interim CEO of USA Swimming from August until March, when she departed to join the LA 2028 organizing committee. Former USA Swimming board chair Bob Vincent had been temporarily in charge since then.
Speaking at the American Swim Coaches Association Convention Wednesday, Vincent said he accepted the role “because I’m a volunteer. That’s what volunteers do. They volunteer. I stepped up to do it, and I’m so glad that I did.” Vincent said that during his tenure, he focused on putting employees in position to do their jobs well while giving the incoming CEO flexibility to shape the future staff. “All of us need to work together to help the new CEO succeed,” he said.
During the time when USA Swimming was without a full-time leader, it did hire a new leader for the National Team, with former Stanford women’s coach Greg Meehan taking on the role in April.
The lack of a full-time USA Swimming CEO came into focus following the American team struggling at the recent World Aquatics Championships, with the majority of team members battling gastrointestinal illness. The organization has come under fire from high-profile figures in the sport, including recently-retired all-time greats Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte plus figures from further in the past such as longtime NBC Sports broadcaster Rowdy Gaines.
In particular, Phelps has outlined “my frustrations with the current state of the sport.” He clarified that his criticism was never directed at the actual U.S. swimmers. Instead, Phelps’ comments were aimed upward. He wrote, “No one really wants to talk about how broken USA Swimming has become. He called for accountability and transparency while saying indicating that the organization’s leadership was “failing.”
Now, it will fall on Ring to lead the USA Swimming’s rebuilding efforts. His goals will surely include mending fences with Phelps and other disaffected veterans while working on revitalizing membership and fundraising opportunities to capitalize on the looming Olympics on home soil.
Happy Birthday to ISHOF Honoree and Aussie Olympic Legend Dawn Fraser!!
Dawn Fraser (AUS)
Honor Swimmer (1965)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1956 gold (100m freestyle; 4x100m freestyle relay), silver (400m freestyle); 1960 gold (100m freestyle), silver (4x100m freestyle relay; 4x100m medley relay), 5th (400m freestyle); 1964 gold (100m freestyle), silver (4x100m freestyle relay), 4th (400m freestyle); WORLD RECORDS: 100yd, 100m, 110yd, 200m, 220yd, 400m, 440yd freestyle.
Dawn Fraser is the female version of the water world’s “fastest human” and has been for 10 years and three Olympics (Melbourne-1956, Rome-1960, Tokyo-1964). In winning the 100 meter freestyle at each of the last three Olympics, Miss Fraser beat the field in swimming’s most popular and most fiercely contested event. When she broke her first Australian national record in 1955, she was already older at 17 than are most of our modern girl swimming champions when they retire. She was ten years older than when she won the Olympic gold medal at 27 in Tokyo. Her first world record was not in the 100 meters, but in the 220 yard freestyle at Sydney on February 25, 1956. She has since reduced this world record to 2:11.6 and still holds it although married, with a new baby and temporarily suspended from competition.
Dawn has frequently held the 440 yd., 400 meter, 220 yd., and 200 meter records and she has almost always held the 110 yd., 100 meter and 100 yd. records. In October 25, 1962, she became the first woman to break a minute for 100 meter freestyle and she was the only woman to break a minute for two more years until the U.S.A.’s Sharon Stouder did it at Tokyo, finishing second to “Old Ma” Fraser. Many believe that Dawn could win again in Mexico City in 1968 and perhaps somewhere else in 1972.
We may never find out because her good times are not all in the water. Her rule-breaking has been almost as dramatic as her record-breaking and she is currently under suspension by the Australian Amateur Swimming Association.
The Swimming Hall of Fame has no desire to become involved in Miss Fraser’s disciplining problems, but to honor her as the world’s finest ever woman freestyle sprinter during her long career of excellence when she was an amateur in good standing.
Appreciating the Career of ISHOF Honoree Jesse Vassallo
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
01 September 2025
Olympic success—and even opportunity—doesn’t simply rely on talent. A confluence of good timing and fortune is also required. Ask Michael Phelps. Sure, his unmatched skill set was the driving force to his record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But without Jason Lezak’s epic anchor leg in the 400-meter freestyle relay, Phelps would have left his third Games with seven gold medals and a silver.
Yes, Phelps would have been celebrated for such a showing. But when Lezak powered the United States to an improbable comeback against France, Phelps’ pursuit of an iconic eight Olympic golds remained intact—and was eventually achieved. And, fair or not, that additional title elevated Phelps to unique status.
In the case of Jesse Vassallo, external factors denied the multi-event star from attaining greater success in a career that still can be described as special.
A RISING STAR
Born in Puerto Rico, Vassallo emerged as a phenom at a young age. He was an age-group record holder and ranked among the elite performers in the world in multiple events as a 15-year-old. Due to his precociousness, Vassallo’s family initially relocated to Florida and then California, the latter move designed to allow Vassallo to train with the Mission Viejo Nadadores, and under the direction of Coach Mark Schubert.
Photo Courtesy: Chris Georges
As Vassallo continued to mold his talent under Schubert, a future Hall of Famer and multi-time Olympic coach, the teen targeted the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. But in what was Vassallo’s first speedbump in the pursuit of Olympic glory, he never got that chance. With Puerto Rico requiring a year of residency to represent the nation on the Olympic stage, Vassallo—now living in the United States—was deemed ineligible.
Although the Olympics would have to wait, Vassallo wasn’t about to hang in the shadows. Given the chance to compete at the 1976 AAU Championships in Philadelphia, Vassallo captured gold in the 400 individual medley and was the runnerup in the 1500 freestyle. Vassallo wasn’t the only athlete who used the competition as a proving ground. South African Jonty Skinner, denied an Olympic berth due to his nation’s ban from the Games for its apartheid policies, set a world record in the 100 freestyle.
For Vassallo, his trip to Philly can be considered a major launching point in his career.
THE ROAD TO MOSCOW
Riding the momentum generated in Philadelphia, Vassallo began a march toward stardom in 1977 that was supposed to culminate in a bid to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. A world-class performer in the 1500 freestyle, both backstroke events and both medley events, Vassallo focused on the 1978 World Championships as the site of his international breakthrough.
After setting a world record in the 400 IM at the World Champs Trials, Vassallo was even better in West Berlin, as he further lowered his global standard. Clocking a time of 4:20.05, Vassallo captured gold by more than two seconds over the Soviet Union’s Sergey Fesenko. More, he earned a gold medal in the 200 backstroke and added a silver medal in the 200 medley.
Piggybacking on his World Champs showing, Vassallo only enhanced his status at the 1979 Pan American Games, which were held in his homeland of Puerto Rico. At Pan Ams, Vassallo stormed to gold medals in both medley events, and picked up a silver medal in the 200 backstroke. Vassallo’s triumph in the shorter medley arrived in world-record time, and there was no doubt he was on track for significant Olympic success. It was also meaningful to excel in front of the Puerto Rican crowd.
“I was a little nervous about swimming at the Pan American Games in Puerto Rico, a little unsure how the people would like me having gone to the United States to train,” Vassallo said. “But they were great. Once I got there, I knew I wanted to swim super-fast for the people and for my family.”
With rumors swirling following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, United States President Jimmy Carter confirmed in early 1980 that the United States would boycott the Moscow Games. The decision robbed hundreds of athletes—including Vassallo—of their Olympic dream. Shortly after the Olympics, the United States held its Olympic Trials in which the athletes chased the podium times from Moscow. Vassallo, not surprisingly, was a star of the meet—and he made President Carter aware of what was stolen when the White House invited the U.S. Olympians to Washington for a special event.
“(Carter) reached out to shake my hand and he asked, ‘How would you have done in Moscow,’” Vassallo once recalled of his White House visit. “And I said, ‘I would have won two golds and a silver.’ And he just gave me this (pained) look. He didn’t ask anybody else that question.”
AN OLYMPIAN AT LAST
Following the 1980 campaign, many American athletes faced a difficult decision. Should they remain in the sport and chase a berth to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles? Or, was it time to walk away? Vassallo hung on and became an NCAA champion at the University of Miami before a knee injury led to retirement.
Eventually, Vassallo opted for a comeback and—deservingly—earned the chance to compete on the biggest stage in sports. Vassallo qualified for the Los Angeles Games in the 200 backstroke and 400 individual medley. While Vassallo narrowly missed the final of the 200 backstroke, placing ninth in prelims, he advanced to the championship heat of the 400 IM. As Canadian Alex Baumann rocketed to a world record, Vassallo finished fourth, a little less than a second behind Australian bronze medalist Rob Woodhouse.
For some, the 1984 Games served as a moment of redemption for what was taken from them in 1980. The likes of Tracy Caulkins, Mary T. Meagher and Rowdy Gaines can be counted in that group. Vassallo was not at his peak in 1984, but he got the chance to experience the Olympic realm.
REDEFINING THE SPORT
Beyond his multi-event excellence, Vassallo was an innovator—his influence still a factor in the sport today. Although American backstroke ace David Berkoff is widely credited with emphasizing underwaters as a tactical advantage in the late 1980s, it was Vassallo who initially pioneered the notion of staying submerged and maximizing the power of his kick.
At 5-9, Vassallo often found himself dwarfed by the competition. Consequently, it was easy to be thrown around his lane, lost in the wake of giants. To escape the waves, Vassallo simply stayed underwater for a longer duration, benefiting from the strength in his legs and his kicking technique. Berkoff ultimately enhanced the maneuver, sometimes staying underwater for as long as 35 meters, until rule changes limited the underwater approach to 10 meters and the current rule of 15 meters.
“I decided to do the underwaters coming off the starts, and it worked pretty well,” Vassallo said in the documentary, How the Dolphin Kick Changed Swimming Forever. “After that, I continued to develop it and use it in my turns and stuff like that. I might be the one that originated and started this, but (others) really took it through to the Olympic level.”
A LEGEND OF THE SPORT
Dedicated fans with a deep respect for the history of the sport know all about Jesse Vassallo and his wide-ranging talent. As a 1997 inductee into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, his accomplishments are celebrated. It is critical, however, to continue our appreciation for Jesse Vassallo, to recognize just how much he achieved and for the younger generations to acknowledge his impact as a trailblazer.
September Featured Honoree: Betty Becker Pinkston (USA) and her Memorabilia
Each month ISHOF will feature an Honoree and some of their aquatic memorabilia, that they have so graciously either given or loaned to us. Since we are closed, and everything is in storage, we wanted to still be able to highlight some of the amazing artifacts that ISHOF has and to be able to share these items with you.
We continue in September 2025, with 1967 ISHOF Honoree, Betty Becker Pinkston, Honor Diver. Betty donated many fabulous things to ISHOF, and we want to share some of them with you now. Also below is his ISHOF Honoree bio that was written the year he was inducted.
ISHOF Honoree Duke Kahanamoku Deserves to be in World’s Greatest Athlete Conversation
Swimming World Managing Editor Dan D’Addona with the Duke Kahanamoku statue on Waikiki. Photo Courtesy: D’Addona family
by Dan D’Addona — Swimming World Managing Editor
25 August 2025
When my parents decided to take a family trip to Hawaii for their 50th anniversary, they asked each of us what the most important thing we wanted to do was.
Mine was easy.
I wanted my picture taken with the Duke Kahanamoku statue at Waikiki Beach.
The famous statue has welcomed millions to the island of Oahu on its most famous beach. I wanted to feel a connection with one of the world’s greatest swimmers and the godfather of surfing. But I was astonished when most of the members of my family were like, “Oh Duke, he’s the surfer, right?”
Right, but they were floored when I reminded them he was also and Olympic swimming champion at two Games. Not only that, but he was an innovator, developing the flutter kick, which led him to gold in the 100 freestyle in 1912 in Stockholm and 1920 in Antwerp.
Before he was known as the godfather of surfing, he was the greatest swimmer in the world.
Somehow that has been easily forgotten over the years.
The debate of the world’s greatest athlete in history is a good one with so many ways to go. Would it be the best at a sport, far superior than others, like Babe Ruth, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Pele, Serena Williams or Usain Bolt? Or is it a multi-sport star like Jackie Robinson (baseball, football, track), Jim Thorpe (baseball, football, track), Babe Didrickson Zaharias (track, golf, baseball, basketball) Jim Brown (football, lacrosse), Bo Jackson (football, baseball), Althea Gibson (tennis, golf) or Deion Sanders (football, baseball).
Or even a pioneer like Robinson, Thorpe, Bill Russell, Jesse Owens or Billie Jean King?
But Duke’s name is rarely brought up in that group despite being a multi-sport star. Not just star, but pioneer.
He is remembered as a pioneer in surfing and has his statue (and another in Huntington Beach, California) with a surf board. But his flutter kick and sheer dominance in the 100 meters stood out before Johnny Weissmuller and generations that followed.
The Duke was a celebrity during his time and had moments with Babe Ruth and other legends who came to Hawaii.
But for some reason, his legend faded a bit over the years, while others did not.
Perhaps it is because Hawaii is so far away. Perhaps it is because he was more of a blue-collar type of a hero who didn’t say a ton or invite controversy. Perhaps it was because he competed before television and there is not much footage of him. Perhaps it was because he was Hawaiian and one of the first American sports stars of color.
Perhaps it is a combination of these things.
But whatever the reason, the Duke is worth remembering as an Olympic swimming champion and pioneer.
The word spreads slowly to those who visit the statue, and every couple of minutes, there is an audible, “Oh, he was an Olympic swimmer, too?” comment from a visitor reading the plaque on the statue.
Yes he was, and the Duke is one of the greatest athletes in the history of the world, and deserves to be in that conversation every time.
Editor’s Note: For more info on the Duke, check out the biography “Waterman” by David Davis.
ISHOF Honoree Brenda Villa Returns as Associate Head Coach For Stanford Water Polo
by Matthew De George – Senior Writer
21 August 2025
Brenda Villa, one of the most accomplished women’s water polo players in history, is returning to her alma mater Stanford as associate head coach.
Stanford coach John Tanner made the announcement on Wednesday. He coached Villa, who in 2002 led the Cardinal to the first of its 10 national titles under Tanner.
Villa is one of only two four-time Olympic medalists in the history of the sport, winning gold in London in 2012 to cap her career. She had won silver medals at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics plus bronze in 2004, in addition to three Pan Am Games golds and three World Championships golds. Villa was a three-time All-American at Stanford and won the Peter J. Cutino Award as the national player of the year in 2002. She graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
She is a member of the both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.
“Brenda is an icon in the water polo world, as one of our sport’s greatest ever athletes, as a global ambassador for the sport, and as an extraordinary coach who engenders belief, self-reliance and resilience in her athletes and teams,” Tanner said in a press release. “Brenda’s path to Stanford was exceptional, a journey made possible by the City of Commerce, her family, teachers, coaches and her own relentless drive. Brenda’s journey since graduating has been equally remarkable.”
Villa retired from playing in 2012. She was the head coach at Orange Lutheran High School since 2022, leading the Lancers to CIF Regional State titles in 2024 and 2025, the former in an undefeated season. She was twice named the CIF Open Division Coach of the Year.
Villa was previously an assistant coach at Cerritos College from 2005-09 and the head coach at Palo Alto’s Castilleja School for 10 season starting in 2010. She also has coached Team USA’s Under-16 team.
“Returning to Stanford is incredibly special to me,” Villa said. “Being part of the first NCAA championship team here wasn’t just about winning — it was about laying the foundation for what this program could become. As one of the early athletes to help shape that era, I feel honored to now give back as a coach and help lead the next generation of student-athletes who will carry that legacy forward.”
ISHOF Honoree Michael Read Achieves Swim Medal Dream After 70 Years
Alice Cunningham, BBC News, Suffolk
An 84-year-old man said it felt “amazing” to achieve his dream of becoming a world swimming champion after 70 years.
Michael Read MBE, who lives in Ipswich, started swimming at the age of 14 and went on to swim the English Channel 33 times.
At the end of July and throughout part of August, he competed in several events in the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore.
He won gold in the 3km open water swim and took home silver medals in other events in the pool.
Mr Read trains at Crown Pools in Ipswich Monday to Friday
“It feels absolutely amazing, it was a 70-year dream,” Mr Read said.
“I’ve always said to myself, even if I have to keep going until I’m 100, I will be a World Masters Champion, so now I’ve ticked that off at 84.
“I’ll have to think of some more things now.”
Mr Read is targeting more races later this year
Mr Read said during his open water race on 27 July, the water temperature had been “unbelievably hot” and “close to the maximum temperature permitted”.
He added that conditions varied, and he battled rough waters as well as currents.
While other competitors had dropped out of the race, Mr Read still had to complete the race in 90 minutes.
He came across the finish line in 87 minutes and 32 seconds.
Mr Read also brought home a silver medal in the 400m individual medley (IM) in the pool, as well as several others in the relay events.
Overall, he said it was a “great experience” and he was now looking ahead to the Swim England National Masters Championships in October in Sheffield.
‘A love affair’
Asked why he loved swimming, Mr Read said: “It’s the other way around, it is a love affair.
“I do just love it. Other people like coffee or cigarettes or doing other things, for me swimming is the ultimate.
“It keeps you fit, it enables you to go to lovely places as I’ve been to, I make friends, I see the world, I’ve just got so much to be thankful for.”
On This Date! 2019 Honoree Jason Lezak and the Greatest Relay Performance in History (Video)
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
11 August 2025
On This Date: Jason Lezak And His Beijing Anchor For The Ages (Video)
When Jason Lezak entered the water for the United States on the anchor leg of the United States’ 400 freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the race was seemingly over. On August 11, Lezak trailed Frenchman Alain Bernard by a body length and overcoming that deficit appeared impossible. But Lezak, behind the greatest anchor leg in history, gradually reeled in Bernard to give the United States an improbable gold medal.
History will remember Jason Lezak as an accomplished sprint freestyler, one of the better produced in those events over the past few decades. He’ll be remembered as an individual Olympic medalist, a lengthy journey leading the native Southern Californian to that status. He’ll also be remembered for a shortfall on the Olympic stage, the Athens Games of 2004 hardly memorable.
More than anything, though, Lezak will be remembered for what he managed to accomplish in less than 47 seconds on the morning of August 11, 2008. Putting together what is the greatest relay performance in the history of the sport, Lezak carried the United States to the gold medal in the 400 freestyle relay. It sounds so simple. It was anything but an easy task.
At the Olympics in Sydney, Lezak was supposed to be part of a 400 freestyle relay which maintained the United States’ legacy in the event. Never before had the U.S., the dominant swim nation in the world, lost the event at an Olympic Games in which it competed. It was perfect, 7-for-7. Claiming gold medal No. 8 was just a formality, right? Wrong.
Racing against an Australian quartet fueled by 17,000 spectators cheering on the home team, the American streak came to a sudden and jolting halt. As anchormen Ian Thorpe and Gary Hall Jr. approached the wall for the finish, the outcome remained in doubt. But when the final result flashed onto the scoreboard, there it was: Gold for Australia, and the end of American supremacy.
Lezak managed a gold medal in Sydney in the 400 medley relay, a reward for swimming the freestyle leg of the United States’ preliminary team. However, Olympic pain again struck four years later. Again, Lezak was able to win gold in the 400 medley relay, this time handling the anchor leg for the United States in the championship final. But what preceded that success was difficult to swallow.
Early in the meet, the United States watched its chance of regaining the 400 freestyle relay title die a painful death. A horrid leadoff leg by Ian Crocker buried the U.S. from the start and while the middle legs were solid, Lezak was passed in the final meters for the silver medal by the Netherlands’ Pieter van den Hoogenband. The United States, in Lezak’s two Olympic appearances in the event, had gone from perfect to silver to bronze.
And the worst was still to come.
Having set the American record in the 100 freestyle at the United States Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California, Lezak was among the top medal contenders in Athens. If he couldn’t stay with van den Hoogenband, the reigning champion and world-record holder, he surely would get in for the silver or bronze. Instead, Lezak bombed completely, unable to advance beyond the preliminaries. It was akin to Tiger Woods – at the top of his game – firing rounds of 83-84 at the Masters and missing the cut by an abysmal margin.
Lezak had no one to blame but himself. There was no illness to cite, nor a botched start or turn. Lezak simply misjudged the swim, thinking he could ease off the accelerator and still cruise into the semifinal round. If there is a place to not make that kind of error, it’s at the Olympic Games.
“I just didn’t swim my race smart, and I paid for it,” said Lezak, stating the obvious.
By the time the 2008 Olympics in Beijing were ready to unfold, Lezak had overcome the disappointments of Athens. He finished fourth in the 100 freestyle at the 2005 World Championships and placed fifth in the 100 freestyle at the 2007 World Championships. Along the way, there were additional gold medals in relay duty, including triumphs in the 400 free relay at each of the aforementioned World Champs. In part due to Lezak, the United States was on the cusp of regaining Olympic glory in an event it once owned.
Despite the United States’ recent success in international action, the road to Olympic redemption was not going to be free of obstacles. Looming largely – both figuratively and literally – was France. Not only had the French posted impressive times throughout the year, they went into the final with what was supposed to be a trump card in anchor Alain Bernard. From a muscular standpoint, Bernard could have doubled for the Incredible Hulk, and he was also the world-record holder in the 100 freestyle. If he had the lead going into the final leg, the race was over.
So confident was Bernard that he engaged in some trash-talking in the days leading up to the 400 freestyle relay. Of an impending matchup with the Americans, Bernard didn’t mince words.
“The Americans?” Bernard asked rhetorically. “We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.”
Not surprisingly, the French commentary didn’t sit well in the American camp. The quartet of Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Lezak used the foreign bravado as motivation. For Phelps, it was a common strategy. For years, Phelps used slights – perceived or otherwise – to ignite his competitive fire. Now, he was sharing that tactic with teammates.
The Water Cube was electric as the relay finalists were introduced just before the final and the United States used that energy to bolt to the lead at the midway point. While Phelps led off with an American-record performance, Weber-Gale was equally strong. That tandem provided the U.S. with a cushion of .43 over France. It was an advantage which quickly disappeared. With Frenchman Fred Bousquet splitting 46.63 on the third leg, to the 47.65 of Jones, France had turned its deficit into a lead of .59. And with Bernard on the end of the French relay, few thought Lezak would get the job done. That group included Lezak himself.
“The thought really entered my mind for a split second,” Lezak said. “There’s no way.”
More than a half-second after Bernard entered the water, Lezak flew off the blocks. He flailed through the water like had never done before, producing a superb first lap. Yet, as Bernard and Lezak flipped for the final 50 meters home, Lezak still trailed by a noticeable margin. With 25 meters left, Lezak was still noticeably behind. But that’s when the race started to change.
In a tactical error, Bernard was racing on the left side of his lane. That decision was a faulty one as it allowed Lezak, swimming on the right side of his lane, to get a draft off the Frenchman. With each stroke, Lezak cut into the lead of Bernard and a slam-dunk victory for France became more and more in doubt. Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines, the NBC duo calling the swimming action, had to reverse field on their call that Lezak simply couldn’t pull off such a huge comeback. Then again, no one in the venue thought Lezak could track down Bernard. Well…
“I was just thinking to myself, if there’s anyone on this team or in the world that is going to do it, it was going to be Jason,” Weber-Gale said.
With a few meters to go, it still appeared France would earn the gold medal. But as Bernard and Lezak lunged for the wall and stretched their arms out to activate the touchpad, it was Lezak who got there first. Thanks to an epic anchor leg, officially in the books at 46.06, the United States prevailed by eight hundredths of a second. The American team – the relay which won and teammates in the athletes’ section of the stands – erupted. Phelps flexed on deck, hugs were shared and Lezak was fondly patted on the head. In the adjacent lane, Bernard was crestfallen.
No one had ever come close to splitting 46.06 before, and Lezak needed every bit of that swim to send the Americans to the top step of the medals podium. In the United States, where swimming is generally an afterthought on the sporting landscape, the victory became one of the biggest stories of the day. It was only the second final of eight for Phelps during his quest to break Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single Olympiad, but it turned out to be a major moment in Phelps’ history-making week.
“It would have to be in the unbelievable category,” said United States head coach Eddie Reese, regarded as one of the world’s best in his profession. “That’s the biggest word I know. It had to be the best ever and it was the best ever. That’s the kind of anchor you dream of. When you put the world-record holder in on the end of a relay and you go into the pool behind him, the chance of you beating him is slim and none. There’s never been (something like that) in my memory – not running down somebody that holds a world record and that’s on their game. That was incredible.”
Part of the reason for Lezak’s comeback was the mentality of atoning for his previous two Olympic experiences in the 400 freestyle relay. He looked at his relay leg in parts, rather than as an overwhelming chore. He needed to chisel away, which is exactly how his leg unfolded. Basically, Lezak was perfect and used all 100 of his meters to come out on top.
“I started thinking, ‘This guy is pretty far ahead, almost a body length. But I’m not going to give up. This is doable,’” Lezak said in analyzing the race. “I really never think at all. My best races, I’ve never remembered. Today, I was talking and talking to myself.”
Just how remarkable was Lezak’s tracking down of Bernard? Three days after the final of the 400 freestyle relay, Bernard recovered from his emotional devastation to win the gold medal in the 100 freestyle. Some argue that Bernard choked under the pressure of anchoring his country at a critical time. But a choke artist does not come back and flourish like Bernard did in the 100 free, which is widely considered the blue-ribbon event in the sport.
No, Lezak simply rose to the occasion like no relay swimmer before him, or since. The 400 freestyle relay had been an albatross, and Lezak competed with the desire to rid himself of the burden of 2000 and 2004. Individually, he also walked away with a jubilant feeling. While Bernard won the gold medal, Lezak earned the first solo medal of his Olympic career, sharing the bronze medal in the 100 free with Brazil’s Cesar Cielo.
“I was obviously shooting for the gold medal, but just to win any medal, it feels really good,” Lezak said. “It feels like everything I’ve done over my career has paid off. The huge mistake I made four years ago by taking the preliminaries lightly has been eating at me. For me to go out there and accomplish that medal, I’m really excited. … Obviously it doesn’t top the relay from the other night, but it’s something that has really pushed me to swim the last four years.”
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Lezak followed his heroics at the Beijing Games by narrowly qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London. While he didn’t get the chance to race in another championship final, Lezak competed during the preliminaries of the 400 freestyle relay. When the United States won the silver medal in the final, Lezak earned the last of his eight Olympic medals. Ironically, it was France which captured the gold medal when Yannick Agnel channeled his inner Lezak and recorded a come-from-behind victory in the closing meters.
Shortly after the London Games, Lezak announced his retirement. As he bid farewell to the sport, Lezak fondly recalled the most special moment of his career, and perhaps the greatest race in swimming history.
“No matter how my individual performances went at Worlds, Olympics, and so on, I always wanted to step up on relays for the team and our country,” he said. “The 400 free relay was one of the greatest moments of my career. I was a part of six consecutive years (1999-2004) of losing that relay at international competitions after the USA had never lost before, which included two Olympics. It felt great to bring the title back to the USA.”
Commentary: Michael Phelps Has Earned His Voice on USA Swimming Issues and Future
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
09 August 2025
Michael Phelps Has Earned His Voice on USA Swimming’s Future
The first brick was laid in 2000, a 15-year-old at the Sydney Olympic Games starting a project that would require dedication, patience and a skill set unto its own. Over the next dozen years, the walls rose, and a grandiose structure emerged. It was nothing before seen. In 2016, the architect put an addition on his creation.
Five Olympic Games. Twenty-eight Olympic medals. Twenty-three gold. Thirty-plus world records. Twenty-six world titles. And, arguably most important, the attraction of more eyes on a sport that – before him – was an every-fourth-year thought. Remember when swimming was the silver medalist to track and field on the Olympic stage? No longer.
Michael Phelps.
It’s been a little more than a week since several legends of the sport fired a shot across the bow of USA Swimming. It started with a tombstone meme from Ryan Lochte. Phelps sent the social-media post to another level. Rowdy Gaines was part of the mix, too, commenting in an Associated Press interview that USA Swimming was “rudderless.”
The comments were unleashed during the World Championships in Singapore, where the United States started slowly, a bout of acute gastroenteritis hammering a hefty portion of the Team USA roster. To their credit, U.S. team members battled and delivered a much stronger second half of the meet. When action in Southeast Asia wrapped up, the United States sat atop the medals table – both in gold medals earned and podium appearances.
Despite the United States leading the medals count in Singapore, there is obvious work ahead for a nation that has long dominated the sport. The women’s team is in fine form, carrying significant momentum on the road to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
On the men’s side, the story is different. For the second consecutive global championships, only one male athlete won a gold medal – Luca Urlando in the 200 butterfly. There were no relay titles, nor any silver medals in relay competition. The 800 freestyle relay missed the podium altogether, although that squad, it should be noted, was hampered by the absence of Carson Foster due to injury.
As men who have played prominent roles in building the United States into a world power, it shouldn’t be stunning that Lochte, Phelps and Gaines were frustrated, and opted to speak out. Their comments, unsurprisingly, didn’t sit well with some team members. The likes of Jack Alexy, Lilly King, Bobby Finke and Gretchen Walsh all took issue with the statements. By doing so, they showed leadership.
Yet, the comments from the legends were not direct fire at the athletes. Rather, they were aimed at the state of USA Swimming, a governing body that is nearing a year without a CEO. The concerns focused on organizational guidance and ensurance that the United States remains THE power in the sport.
Since the World Championships concluded, there has been ample criticism of all parties involved. Social media has offered a few well-constructed commentaries on the issue, while featuring a bevy of off-the-handle declarations that are the norm. Phelps and Gaines have taken the most arrows, which is unfortunate.
In these men, we’re talking about two individuals who have poured their lives into the sport. Gaines has been the Voice of Swimming for decades, someone whose love and exuberance for the water world cannot be questioned. It’s been more than 40 years since Gaines won three gold medals at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Every day since, he has given back to his sport.
Phelps’ situation is a little different. There might not be an athlete in any other sport who has created greater separation between No. 1 and No. 2 the way Phelps did during his career. Why does that matter? For one, his simple presence in the pool and his greatness promoted growth in swimming around the globe, but specifically in the United States. When Phelps was at his peak, kids dressed like him at Halloween. That fact represents reach. Eight-year-old kids watching him at the Beijing Games turned to their parents and asked to join a swim team. That’s great for developing future stars. It’s also great for water safety.
Why shouldn’t they have a platform? Why dismiss them? They care.
In a statement that was given to media at the TYR Summer Championships, USA Swimming Interim CEO Bob Vincent suggested that Phelps and Gaines showed poor timing in making their critical comments during the World Champs, especially with Team USA dealing with illness.
Well, the timing of their comments can also be argued as proper – and strategically well thought out. Swimming is not a mainstream sport and with eyes on the World Champs, it was an opportunity to place concerns in the spotlight when folks were watching. And guess what? The decision to voice displeasure during a major event has obviously generated chatter.
Vincent’s statement also suggested that Gaines and other USA Swimming alums have been approached by USA Swimming in recent months, to be given a forum. The statement indicated Gaines was offered the chance to be involved in governing body matters in an official capacity.
Phelps pushed back on Vincent’s statement, noting knowledge that Gaines had not been given this opportunity. More, Phelps said: “They’ve shoved us out the door for years. Treated me like a piece of meat thro [sic] my career. Hopefully it changes someday….”
Those comments from Phelps are concerning, and obviously suggest a history of discontent with the organization. Perhaps he’ll share those issues at some point, and the door here is always open for that opportunity.
Regardless, Phelps’ passion for American success in the pool has never waned. Of course, it was on display during his competitive days. Who can forget his reaction to Jason Lezak’s 400 freestyle relay anchor leg at the 2008 Beijing Games? But even in retirement, Phelps has always been an advocate for the sport and USA Swimming. Through the years, he has worked as an analyst for NBC Sports during major competitions. His insights have been superb, and reflect his savant status of the sport. These moments, too, have revealed his desire to see American athletes excel, and maintain the high bar he inherited as a fledgling star and helped raise.
Through his performances in the pool, Phelps grew the sport of swimming. Fans attended domestic meets in which he competed. Parents registered their kids for lessons and youth teams. Swimming took over as the top Olympic sport, dashing past track and field. Now, growth has stagnated, and the American men are struggling. Those facts are not sitting well with Phelps and Gaines, and they’ve decided to speak out.
To say they’ve earned the right to voice their feelings is an understatement, and to be told to quiet down – by anyone – is foolish. They should be given the chance to provide their thoughts, and to collaborate for change.
Gaines has been a cornerstone of the sport for almost a half-century. Phelps is the greatest of all-time. They merely want what is best for American swimming.
Listen to what they have to say, because watching the bricks crumble is not acceptable.
August Featured Honoree: Manuel Estiarte (ESP) and his Memorabilia
Each month ISHOF will feature an Honoree and some of their aquatic memorabilia, that they have so graciously either given or loaned to us. Since we are closed, and everything is in storage, we wanted to still be able to highlight some of the amazing artifacts that ISHOF has and to be able to share these items with you.
We continue in August 2025, with 2007 ISHOF Honoree, Manuel Estiarte, Honor Water Polo. Manuel donated many fabulous things to ISHOF and we want to share some of them with you now. Also below is his ISHOF Honoree bio that was written the year he was inducted.
1 1996 Olympic Water Polo Cap donated by Stephan Andreades (COL.204)
2 Olympic Game Tickets, 3 Photographs donated by Stephan Andreades
1 1996 Photograph of the Victory Water Polo Ceremony donated by Stephan Andreades (COL.204)
A Poster of Manuel Estiarte (removed from frame)