Underappreciated, Don Schollander Was a Legend; And a Star During the First Tokyo Games
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
30 November 2023, 01:22am
Underappreciated, Don Schollander Was a Legend; And a Star During the First Tokyo Games
How can a five-time Olympic champion be underappreciated? How can a man who set double-digit individual world records go overlooked? How can the one-time face of Team USA find himself snubbed on the scale of historical greatness?
By all measures, Don Schollander is a legend in the sport, a Hall of Fame talent who was unrivaled in his heyday. He was dominant. He was versatile. He was clutch in pressure situations. A half-century beyond retirement, he deserves continued recognition of his greatness. Yet, Schollander is a largely forgotten star, his impact lost to a combination of unfortunate timing and modern-day fascination.
Among aquatic enthusiasts, there is little debate regarding the greatest American triumvirate among male athletes. Michael Phelps sits at the head of the boardroom table, the CEO of the sport. Meanwhile, vice presidential status is held by Johnny Weissmuller, actually best known for his cinematic identity as Tarzan, and Mark Spitz, he of seven gold medals and seven world records at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Because modernity plays a role in most subjective rankings, the next name typically mentioned is that of Matt Biondi, the highest-profile American star of the 1980s and 1990s. What about Schollander? While he was widely appreciated in his era, his greatness was quickly dismissed, the aura of Spitz casting an inescapable shadow.
Timing simply was not on Schollander’s side. His excellence was delivered prior to the period in which professionalism was an option, with endorsement deals available to the top-tier athletes in the sport. More, Schollander was the victim of Spitz’s surging star and monumental performance at the Munich Games.
Really, the lack of appreciation for Schollander is an injustice.
A Stellar Career
There are several ways to place the career of Don Schollander in perspective. The task could be handled by focusing on his Olympic exploits. Or, we could dissect the power of his world-record performances. Instead, let’s go with this bullet point on the man’s resume: Schollander was a member of the inaugural induction class into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Schollander, only 18, matched what legendary track athlete, Jesse Owens, managed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin: four gold medals. (Pictured, from left: 1964 men’s Olympic 400 freestyle medalists: Frank Wiegand, United Team of Germany, silver; Schollander, gold; and Allan Wood, Australia, bronze.)
When the Hall of Fame announced its initial entrants in 1965, Schollander was just a year removed from starring at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. He was also a mere 19 years old, with several more impressive years ahead of him. Yes, Schollander earned Hall of Fame status as a teenager and in the prime of his career.
Schollander’s precocious talent was on display in his early teens, as he guided Lake Oswego High School to the Oregon state championship as a freshman. Meanwhile, by the time he was 16, he was a multi-time national champion and on pace to become a headliner for the United States. That identity was etched at the 1964 Olympics.
Having qualified for the Tokyo Games in the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle, Schollander embraced a four-event schedule. In relay action, Schollander fueled the United States to world records in the 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay, with Germany the runnerup in both events. His individual success required a bit more work but was just as golden.
In the 100 freestyle, Schollander (53.4) eked out a narrow triumph over Great Britain’s Bobby McGregor (53.5). A couple of days later, he went back to work in the 400 freestyle, this time prevailing with a world record of 4:12.2, more than two seconds clear of the silver-medal time of Germany’s Frank Wiegand (4:14.9). The critical nature of the 100 freestyle was not lost on Schollander, as that event jumpstarted his success and supplied much-needed momentum.
“Because it was my first event, I felt that this race could make me or break me for the rest of the Games,” he said. “If I won, I would be up for the rest of my events – my confidence would be flying high. If I lost, I would be down. That sounds temperamental, but I have seen an early race work this way on swimmers. So this 100 free took on much more importance than just another event.”
With four gold medals to his credit, Schollander became an Olympic hero, with his title count matching what the legendary track athlete, Jesse Owens, managed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The total could have been higher, too, if not for the U.S. coaching staff’s decision to not use Schollander on the 400 medley relay.
As the Olympic champion in the 100 freestyle, Schollander figured to have earned the anchor slot on the medley relay. Instead, the coaches went with Steve Clark, who was the fastest American in the 400 freestyle relay. The decision was highly questionable.
“Certainly, in the back of my mind, I was aware that this could mean my fifth gold medal,” Schollander said of being on the medley relay. “And it wouldn’t be just one more gold medal – it would be an unprecedented fifth gold medal. No swimmer had ever won four gold medals at an Olympics, but nobody in history – in any sport – had ever won five. But this wasn’t my arguing point. I felt that I had earned the spot on the medley relay team.”
In the ensuing years, Schollander added to his greatness, winning the 200 freestyle at the 1967 Pan American Games and adding Olympic gold in the 800 freestyle relay at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.
What Could Have Been?
The schedules utilized for today’s major championship competitions provide a little something for everyone. At the World Championships, sprint specialists are offered 50-meter events in each stroke. And at this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, the 800 freestyle will be offered for men for the first time, with the 1500 freestyle new to the women’s program.
During Schollander’s era, the Olympic program was limited, and the World Championships were still a figment of the imagination. Specifically, Schollander was denied the chance to contest the 200 freestyle – his best event – when the American was at his peak at the 1964 Olympics.
Although he possessed the speed necessary to excel in the 100 freestyle and the endurance required of the 400 freestyle, Schollander was at his best in the 200 freestyle. It was his sweet spot and no foe had the ability to keep pace. A statistical look at the event serves as proof of Schollander’s dominance.
Don Schollander – Photo Courtesy: ISHOF
From 1962 to 1968, Schollander set 11 world records in the 200 free, including seven consecutive marks from 1964 to 1968. Over the course of those records, Schollander took the time in the event from 2:00.4 to 1:54.3, a massive leap that speaks to the revolutionary nature of Schollander’s skill.
“There are three things that make Don such a terrific swimmer,” once said George Haines, who molded Schollander into a champion at the Santa Clara Swim Club. “First, he is almost flawless mechanically. Second, he has a tremendous desire to win. Finally, he is a thoroughly intelligent competitor with a wonderful tactical sense.”
As successful as Schollander was at the 1964 Olympics, his haul almost surely would have been five gold medals had the 200 freestyle been part of the program. But the four-lap discipline was not added to the schedule until 1968 and while Schollander was still superb at that point in his career, he was not the untouchable force who went to Tokyo and emerged as the sport’s main man.
At the Mexico City Games, Schollander claimed the silver medal in the 200 freestyle, beaten to the wall by Australian great Michael Wenden. It was a surprise setback, but one that Schollander took in stride and did not lament. Rather, he was able to view his career through a lens that focused on all that was accomplished, not what was lost.
“I feel very fortunate to have gained the success I’ve achieved,” he said. “I think it’s a career I’ll be able to look back on and be very pleased about. I would have liked to have won because it is my last race, but I did as fine a job as I could. I’m not disappointed a bit.”
A Cerebral Approach
One of the main struggles for swimmers who reach the pinnacle of their sport is finding an alternate identity. Athletes in the sport, including today, have a difficult time transitioning to life after swimming, or finding interests to offset the zoned-in nature of training. Schollander, though, was different.
After his Olympic success, Schollander enrolled at Yale University and continued to excel in the water. But as an introspective individual, he found a balance in his life and made sure he was well-rounded in his endeavors.
“This is the crux. Before you decide how you want to live your life, you must look at yourself and attempt to know yourself,” Schollander once said. “I look at myself as a person who’s trying to develop as an individual. It’s been important to me throughout my life to be much more than a student, to be much more than an athlete, to be much more than anything. This is consistent with my philosophy of the well-rounded, but not necessarily Renaissance, man. I’m proficient in the academic side, the athletic side and the social side. I’m not proficient in the arts – music, painting, sculpture. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to go to more plays, take in concerts. I’m always on the go. I think I have a very active mind. I don’t feel I do total justice to anything.”
Another element of Schollander’s career that defined his success was the mental game he played. Schollander walked with an air of confidence about him, and never appeared rattled. He played a psychological game with the opposition, his lack of nerves – well – unnerving.
Obviously, Schollander did justice to his career in the pool. Sure, the likes of Phelps, Spitz and Weissmuller might receive greater attention, but anyone with deep knowledge of the sport will recognize Don Schollander as a legend. He was a thoroughbred in the water, as once noted by his college coach, Phil Moriarty.
“His stroke is flawless,” Moriarty said. “Every other swimmer I’ve worked with had a flaw. With legs only, he does as well as anyone, and he has combined this so well with his stroke that he is a one-motored man. Many swimmers are two-motored, in that they don’t synchronize their stroke and kick. As a coach, all I can do is observe him and tell him when he’s going off pattern, keep him busy, give him a program. With Don Schollander I feel like I’m training a racehorse. How can I communicate with a horse?”
By letting him run, or in Schollander’s case, swim. And he performed his craft better than most.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis recognized by ISHOF at Chamber’s “Salute to Broward”
On Friday, November 17, 2023 Matt McKean, Treasurer of ISHOF recognized Mayor Dean Trantalis of Fort Lauderdale with a special award (a replica of the 27M High Dive Tower) at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce: Salute to Business led by Dan Lindblade, President/CEO (see attached Program Billfold). The Salute to Business Gala honors titans of industry in various industries throughout Broward County. The event draws more than 400 people each year. Matt personally thanked Mayor Dean for supporting the mission for the new International Swimming Hall of Fame history and all of its life-saving programs moving forward. This includes our exciting top-to-bottom transformation, recently approved by the City of Fort Lauderdale.
Over 330,000 sq ft will be spread out over two buildings and six floors that bookend the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center with its new 27-meter dive tower and competition pools, creating a work-play-swim campus that is connective and more immersive for visitors. This project will transform the area, making it a magnet for education, recreation, culture, sport and cement Fort Lauderdale as the swimming and diving capital of the world.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that we also presented this award to Commissioner Steve Glassman at the International Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on September 29th. Commissioner Glassman serves on the ISHOF Board and is a fierce advocate for us.
Thank you, Commissioner Glassman and Thank you Mayor Dean.
Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Salute to Business’s Program Billfold attachment:
Wellness Wednesday: The Positive Effects of Swimming On the Brain
29 November 2023, 01:00am
The Positive Effects of Swimming On the Brain
If there is one thing all swimmers (and ex-swimmers) can agree on, it is the addictive nature of swimming. We all crave the smell of chlorine on our skin, the pain of a long, hard set and the adrenaline rush that comes from every race regardless of its result. The fact that so many find it so hard to hang up the goggles is proof enough of this addiction. However, very few know why we feel this way. The answer is in science and hormones.
Endorphins, the hormone which quite simply makes us feel happiness and is ‘nature’s high’, are the key reason why swimming is so addictive; swimmers have an extraordinarily high number of endorphins running through their body after training and racing. When exercise is performed, the brain releases a chemical called an endorphin which reduces the perception of pain by interacting with the opiate receptors in the brain. This relationship acts in a similar manner to narcotics such as morphine and codeine
As a side effect of this reaction, a positive feeling is felt by the individual. This sense is often known as a ‘runner’s high’. A runner’s high is a feeling of relaxed euphoria felt after doing exercise and has recently been found to have a similar effect to the addictive nature of marijuana. So to put it bluntly, swimming is like an addictive drug in its ability to get us hooked.
Although like a drug in its addictive nature, the endorphins released by swimming are by no means negative. In fact, they have been found to have numerous positive effects on the body.
First, swimming has been found to be an effective treatment in helping those with depression due to the rise in endorphins that comes about from a hard swim session. In animal experiments, exercise has been shown to be even more helpful than drugs such as Prozac in helping those with depression get relief from their symptoms.
There is so much evidence to suggest the benefits of swimming on mental health that sports psychologists, such as Aimee C. Kimball, support swimming as a form of treatment in addition to other methods. Swimming has also been shown to aid the body in removing excess fight-or-flight stress hormones, converting stress within the body into muscle relaxation. This conversion makes the stressed individual feel relaxed.
Swimming a tough set can even promote “hippocampal neurogenesis,” the growth of new brain cells in a part of the brain that is destroyed by chronic stress and depression. Through participation in sport, patients are able to recover from the effects of depression, making recovery more likely and as well as reducing the chances of relapse.
Additionally this creation of new brain cells (which would have previously been destroyed by depression), means that the individual who takes part in swimming will have a better memory and stronger ability to learn new information. So quite simply, as well as making you feel happy, swimming can also make you more intelligent.
A further educational benefit that comes from swimming is due to the movements which a swimmer uses to complete in order to swim each stroke legally. A swimmer’s nerve fibers in the corpus callosum, the part of the brain which allows communication between both sides, are aided in development by the precision in stoke and the way in which bilateral cross-patterning movements are used in order to swim.
This increase in the communication of the two sides of the brain means that cognition is increased and learning is made easier. Numerous cognition studies have been conducted, and some found that children who learn to swim earlier will also be more likely to reach educational milestones at earlier points compared to children who learn to swim later.
To add to this, blood flow to the brain has been found to increase when an individual is emerged in water. A study conducted in 2014 showed a 14 percent increase in blood flow. This increase in blood flow acts with endorphins as a mood booster (again suggesting swimming as a treatment for depression), but also sharpens focus allowing individuals to perform better educationally.
Swimmers can testify to the many physical health benefits of swimming. However, very few of us think of how it helps our mental state. So the next time you feel that high that comes following training, or wonder why you can never seem to keep away from the pool, thank the chemicals and hormones within your brain that prove yet again how beneficial swimming really is.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff. All research was discovered by the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Caeleb Dressel Reaches Latest Test in Comeback at U.S. Open
by DAVID RIEDER – SENIOR WRITER
28 November 2023, 05:32am
Caeleb Dressel Reaches Latest Test in Comeback at U.S. Open
The biggest men’s star racing at this weekend’s U.S. Open — the most decorated swimmer at the meet other than Katie Ledecky — will be seeded 10th, 41st and 48th in his three races. Of course, everyone in attendance in Greensboro, N.C., will be well aware that Caeleb Dressel is a seven-time Olympic medalist and the American-record holder in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle (his three events at the U.S. Open), with a world record to his credit in the 100 fly.
All of Dressel’s entry times were recorded at U.S. Nationals, his only high-level competition in more than one year since withdrawing from the 2022 World Championships and taking nine months away from the pool as he sought to find a balance between happiness and his competitive pursuits. That meant his results at the qualifying meet, the most important competition for every other swimmer in the United States all year, were of little importance. “I am very indifferent about my results right now. I am kind of being pulled both ways — a little embarrassed, but fully understanding what just happened,” Dressel said.
Speaking with reporters at the conclusion of Nationals, University of Florida head coach Anthony Nesty said, “The people who came here to qualify for the meet, except for one DQ, did, and we’re pretty happy with where we’re at.” After his extended break, Nesty and co. had no illusions that Dressel would suddenly be back to top form and contending for World Championships medals and threatening world records.
Caeleb Dressel at the 2022 World Championships — Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Nesty noted that Dressel was lacking his customary power, “which obviously if you haven’t been in the weight room for a long time, that shows up.” The coach added that while he was coaching his other athletes through the World Championships over the following month, he expected Dressel to put in time building strength in anticipation of beginning the new season with Florida’s other college and professional athletes in early August.
It’s been five months since Nationals, providing Dressel with his first uninterrupted block of training in a year-and-a-half and only his second such stretch since the Tokyo Olympics. Perhaps that will yield some quicker times at the U.S. Open, especially compared to his 2023 bests of 22.57 in the 50 free and 49.42 in the 100 free. Maybe Dressel will be able to contend with deep fields in the sprint events, particularly in a 100 free field that features five men who broke 48 this year, Hungary’s Nandor Nemeth, the Cayman Islands’ Jordan Crooks and Americans Ryan Held, Matt King and Chris Guiliano, plus 2022 World Champs bronze medalist and Florida training partner Josh Liendo.
But in the long run, Dressel’s results at the U.S. Open will not be consequential. The only meets that truly matter are the Olympic Trials in June and the Paris Olympics, provided he qualifies. Meets like this weekend’s in Greensboro are check-ins, opportunities for Dressel and Nesty to measure his progress in this comeback, one which his coach was confident would succeed even as Dressel was well behind the top contenders at Nationals.
“I think Caeleb has always done a good job taking care of his body. When you take care of your body, the longevity in the sport will enhance,” Nesty said. “We just need to get a full year of training in, a year of weights in, and I think he’ll be OK.”
If Dressel excels this weekend or in other in-season racing opportunities, perhaps at stops on the Pro Swim Series early next year, we will be reminded of his elite talent level and start imagining how fast he can swim in June. But if he is still well behind his competition, that won’t really matter. Not when talking about a swimmer with so much experience and such impressive results in his career.
Remember, Dressel was the undisputed top male swimmer at three consecutive global championship meets, the 2017 and 2019 World Championships plus the 2021 Olympics. The only other swimmer to claim that accomplishment in the 21st century is Michael Phelps. Whatever happens over the next six months, no one will be counting out Dressel in crunch time at Olympic Trials.
Have you considered donating to ISHOF on GIVING TUESDAY? Today it the day!!!
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday, often described as a global day of giving or a global generosity movement, is held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. On Giving Tuesday 2021, nonprofits in the U.S. alone raised $2.7 billion.
To donate to ISHOF on Giving Tuesday, click on this link.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1965. Its museum is the “Official Repository for Aquatic History” as deemed by Fédération Internationalede Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports.
Mission – To collaborate with aquatic organizations worldwide to preserve, educate and celebrate the history of aquatic sports while promoting Every Child A Swimmer.
Vision – To be the global focal point for sharing cultures, showcasing events, increasing participation in aquatic sports and developing educational and lesson programs that promote swimming as an essential life-skill.
ISHOF PAST
Ft. Lauderdale’s swimming heritage dates back to the Civitan raft off Las Olas Beach and the Olympic-sized Casino Pool which opened in 1928. In the early 1960’s, the city created the Swimming Hall of Fame non-profit organization. In 1965, a 50M pool and a 25Y diving well, as well as the original Hall of Fame museum were completed. Soon after, the City and the ISHOF organization joined together to build the West ISHOF museum building that opened in December of 1968. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. By 1985, it was estimated that the ISHOF brought $20M annual economic impact to the City which encouraged an expansion of the museum. This coupled with the prestige of the aquatic facilities brought world class swim events and athletes to compete at the aquatic complex whereby increasing ISHOF’s worldwide visibility.
ISHOF PRESENT
In 2020, the City committed $46 Million to the renovation of the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center. The City also approved the replacement of the south administration building and locker rooms, along with the construction of a 27-meter high dive tower. This will be the only tower of its kind in the western hemisphere. This renovation of the aquatic center will undoubtedly bring the facility back to its world class competition status and reestablish Fort Lauderdale as the premier location for competitive aquatic sports, not just in the United States but around the world.
ISHOF FUTURE
Our vision includes: an architecturally stunning building that will house a fully updated and modern display of aquatics sports history; two event spaces with 360° views of the intracoastal, aquatic center and Atlantic Ocean; a café; a restaurant; a library; teaching pool; welcome center; meeting rooms and office space; and on-site parking. In addition, ISHOF’s vision is to launch a brand-new website that will include a virtual museum that will showcase the hundreds of thousands of artifacts to viewers worldwide.
Happy Birthday Hans Fassnacht!!
Hans Fassnacht (GER)
Honor Swimmer (1983)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 silver (relay); WORLD RECORDS: (400m freestyle, 200m butterfly); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1970 gold (200m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, relay), silver (400m freestyle, 400m individual medley, relay); 5 U.S. AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: (200yd freestyle, 400yd freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 2 relays); NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: (1650yd freestyle, 400yd individual medley); 4 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: (200yd freestyle, 400yd freestyle, 1500yd freestyle); AMERICAN RECORDS (Short course): 500yd freestyle, 1650yd freestyle, 400yd individual medley; AMERICAN RECORDS (Long course): 400m freestyle, 1 relay.
Hans Fassnacht was the Federal Republic of Germany’s greatest post World War II swimmer and athlete during a period when the country needed a great champion in sports. Most of their national effort had been on rebuilding the state and re-establishing West Germany as an industrial power. Because of Fassnacht’s swimming accomplishments, he was selected as Germany’s Sportsman of the Year three straight years in a row: 1969, 1970 and 1971, beating out Hans Beckenbauer, the greatest soccer player on the national team known throughout the world as an international soccer powerhouse.
The Sportsman of the Year Award included all professional as well as amateur athletes and is the highest athletic award presented in Germany.
Fassnacht set a total of forty-nine German swimming records beginning in 1965 with the 800-meter freestyle. Within three years, he set his first European record in the 1500-meter freestyle and swam the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyles at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He finished 6th as a member of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
While attending Long Beach State University in 1969 under Coach Don Gambril, Hans set the world record in the 400-meter freestyle and became the first swimmer under four minutes in the 400-meter freestyle, short course. He was a two-time NCAA Champion in the 400-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle.
Within the two years before the Munich Games, Fassnacht set the world record in the 200-meter butterfly and set an additional ten European records. His next Olympic achievement was at the 20th Olympiad of Munich in his home country. His four by 200-meter freestyle relay team won the Silver Medal, beaten only by the world record setting USA team. Hans placed fifth in the 200-meter butterfly in a field that was led by world record holder Mark Spitz.
As Germany’s premier swimmer, Hans Fassnacht set twenty-one European records, two world records and five world best times. He was a national hero to a country which was selective in its athletes and became a role model to another great swimmer, Michael Gross, who emerged ten years later on Germany’s international scene, swimming the same events.
Happy Birthday Kathy Ellis!!
Kathy Ellis (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1991)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (400m freestyle relay, 400m medley relay); bronze (100m freestyle, 100m butterfly); WORLD RECORDS: 4 (100m butterfly, 3 relays); AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4 (100yd & 100m butterfly); 1963 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (100m butterfly), bronze (100m freestyle); AMERICAN RECORDS: 7 (100yd & 100m butterfly, 3 relays).
Coach Gene Lee developed many champions at the Indianapolis Athletic Club during the 50s and 60s, but none as aspiring as the young Kathy Ellis, who won her first National Championships at age 14 in the 100 yard butterfly in 1961. She was a freestyler/butterflyer combo and performed equally well in both strokes.
1963 was her “take-off” year when she won the Gold Medal in the 100 meter butterfly at the Pan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil, followed by the bronze medal in the 100 meter freestyle. At the U.S. Nationals that same year, she set the world record mark for the 100 meter butterfly with a 1:06.5.
1964 was Kathy’s most successful year. At the 15th Olympiad, in Tokyo, Kathy again proved her dominance in two strokes by winning gold medals in the 400 medley relay as the “flyer” and as the anchor of the 400 meter freestyle relay, both world record finishes. Individually, she captured the bronze medals in the 100 meter freestyle and butterfly.
Ellis retired after the Olympics to enroll at Indiana University. She returned to swimming in 1977 as a coach of the Riviera Team, left vacant by the death of her coach, and then assumed the coaching position of the men’s team at Butler University, a position held by few women in a Division I school.
Kathy lives in Carmel, Indiana, with her husband and two children, both of whom are star soccer players.
U.S. Open Women’s Preview: Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh Set for 400 Freestyle Battle as Olympic Prep Heats Up
by DAVID RIEDER – SENIOR WRITER
27 November 2023, 06:19am
U.S. Open Women’s Preview: Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh Set for 400 Freestyle Battle as Olympic Prep Heats Up
For the majority of the top swimmers in the United States, this weekend’s U.S. Open will mark their first major competition since this summer’s World Championships, a meet where the U.S. captured 38 medals but only seven gold, well behind Australia’s impressive 13 gold medals. The U.S. Open, a three-and-a-half-day meet held in Greensboro, N.C., following the NCAA Championships event order, should be considered a checkpoint, a chance for high-level racing experience with relatively low stakes.
That means if someone swims poorly, no problem. Plenty of work and refinement to go in the six-and-a-half months before the meet that really matters, the U.S. Olympic Trials. However, swimmers can certainly swim their way onto the radar or boost their standing in the status quo of American swimming with impressive efforts in Greensboro.
The full psych sheet is available here, and here are some of the swimmers and storylines to watch on the women’s side entering the meet:
1. Ledecky vs. McIntosh in 400 Freestyle
The last time 26-year-old American Katie Ledecky and 17-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh raced each other, both took a backseat to Ariarne Titmus, who reclaimed the 400 free world record from McIntosh on her way to a dominant, world-title-winning performance . Ledecky placed second in that race while McIntosh ended up a shocking fourth. However, McIntosh would rebound in Fukuoka as she defended her gold medals in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM while Ledecky made history with her sixth consecutive world title in the 800 free plus her fifth gold in the 1500 free.
Don’t expect any world-record fireworks in Greensboro, but watching McIntosh and Ledecky race over eight lengths is always a treat for swimming fans. The two have contrasting styles in the 400 free, with McIntosh more likely to blast out the opening portion of the race while Ledecky swims a more steady race. We’ll see if they can get into sub-4:00 territory this early in the calendar, and whatever times they clock will undoubtedly be compared to anything Titmus swims as she races at various Australian state championship meets.
Ledecky will also try to keep pace with Siobhan Haughey in the 200 free, and in the longer-distance races, don’t be surprised if Ledecky swims times quicker than any other female in history. McIntosh is also entered in the 200 and 400 IM, 200 backstroke and 200 breaststroke.
2. Gretchen Walsh Takes Scintillating Form to Long Course
It has been an epic start to the college season for University of Virginia third-year Gretchen Walsh. After impressive early dual meet swims, Walsh swam the fastest times ever in the 50-yard free and 100-yard fly at the Tennessee Invitational while also blasting the quickest 100 free relay split ever and moving to just outside the top-10 in history in the 200 free. Up next? Long course at the U.S. Open.
Walsh made huge strides in the 50-meter course in 2023, qualifying for her first major international meet before winning one medal of each color at the World Championships, including individual bronze in the 50 fly and helping the American women’s 400 medley relay team to gold. Given her recent jumps in short course, should we expect best times this week? It’s not out of the question, and Walsh already ranks at or near the top of the American ranks in the 50 and 100 free plus 100 fly as she seeks her first Olympic berth next year.
The race in the 100 fly will feature her main American competition, American-record holder Torri Huske plus Virginia training partners Kate Douglass and Claire Curzan while all the top American sprinters, including Huske, Douglass, Curzan, Abbey Weitzeil and Olivia Smoliga, are all set for the U.S. Open as well, with Haughey providing extremely stiff competition in the 100 free. Even with the focus on the college season right now, this meet will provide a good indicator as to whether Walsh has another huge jump coming in long course.
3. Claire Curzan Swims First Meet with Virginia
Speaking of Virginia-trained athletes, Claire Curzan will be racing in non-intrasquad competition for the first time since transferring to the Cavaliers at the end of the summer. Curzan missed the World Championships team this summer, but she accepted a spot on the Worlds team for Doha this February as a chance for the high-level international racing she missed out on in 2023. In Greensboro, she will race all of her main events: the 50 and 100 free, 100 and 200 back and 100 fly.
Curzan is just 18 months removed from winning World Championships bronze in the 100 back as she carried a huge event load for Team USA at the 2022 edition of the global meet. Her performances at June’s U.S. Nationals were not indicative of her capabilities as she had been battling illness (but still was not far away from the team). We’ll get a sense here how she stacks up in each event and what might provide her best chances at qualifying for a second Olympic Games.
We know the fields in the sprint freestyle and 100 fly are full of all the main U.S. contenders, and it’s the same story in backstroke, with Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, Smoliga, Rhyan White, Phoebe Bacon and Kennedy Noble all in town. When the dust settles, don’t be surprised if Curzan is best-positioned in the 200 back as she has been quickly improving in that event in recent years before clocking 2:06.35 in a third-place finish at Nationals this summer.
4. Regan Smith Hoping to Counter Kaylee McKeown
The women’s backstroke events in 2023 belonged to Kaylee McKeown, who won world titles in all three and broke world records in all three, but Smith still had her best season in four years while taking three backstroke silver medals plus 200 fly bronze and medley relay gold at Worlds. Smith has not raced long course yet this fall, but she did clobber the American record in the 200-yard fly while racing exhibition at an Arizona State dual meet, a good sign that her progress under coach Bob Bowman is continuing to progress in year two of their partnership.
At the U.S. Open, Smith is entered in her three main events plus the individual medley races. She has made major improvements to a previously-lackluster breaststroke that put her in position to challenge the top 200 IMers in the country this year, and the event lineup at the U.S. Open means that she will likely race McIntosh, Douglass and Alex Walsh, who happen to be four of the top seven performers in history. But it will be intriguing to see what kind of times she can clock in the backstroke events, a test of her current training as she prepares to challenge McKeown once again in Paris.
5. What’s Next for Lilly King?
There’s nothing Lilly King can prove at the U.S. Open. She still has not lost the 100 breaststroke on American soil since 2015, and she has been among the two swimmers representing the Stars and Stripes in the 200 breast at every major meet since her senior-level international debut at the 2016 Olympics. But for King, who turns 27 in February, her international results have not been as strong. She still won medals in both the 100 and 200 breast at the Tokyo Olympics, and in 2022, King won the 200 breast world title despite being sick shortly before the meet. She narrowly missed the podium in the 100 breast.
King’s struggles at the 2023 Worlds were most surprising, as she did not win a medal in either the 100 or the 200 breast despite entering the meet as the strong world-title favorite over two laps and the defending champion over four. She finished the meet strongly with a 50 breast silver and a strong leg on the U.S. women’s gold-medal-winning 400 medley relay. Leading into the Olympic year, King wants to continue her high level of racing in domestic meets to provide herself with a third Olympic opportunity and a chance at returning to gold-medal form.
Happy Birthday Mustapha Larfaoui!!
Mustapha Larfaoui (ALG)
Honor Contributor (1998)
FOR THE RECORD: FINA: President (1988-present), Vice President (1972-1988); African Swimming Confederation: Founding Member, President (1974-present); Union of African Sports Confederation: Founding Member, President (1987-present); Algerian Olympic Committee: Founding Member, Secretary General (1962-1967); International Olympic Committee Member; Algerian Swimming Federation: Founding Member (1962), President (1962-1983 & 1985-1989), Vice President (1989-1995), Honorary Life Member (1995-present); Algerian Olympic Committee: Assistant Secretary General (1967-1984), Vice President (1984-1989); IOC Commission for the Olympic Movement: Member; Apartheid and Olympism Commission: Former Member; GAISF Council: Member (1989-1993); ASOIF: Council Member (1993-present); Evaluation Commission of candidate cities for the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in 2000: Member; Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in 2000: Member; IOC Working Group on Women and Sport: Member; Ministry of Youth and Sport in Algeria: Counsellor.
Few international representatives have had such a profound impact on aquatics than this great man from Algeria. In an unassuming, diplomatic manner, he has presided over FINA for 12 years, guiding the greatest growth in organized aquatics since Federation International de Natation Amateur was established in 1908. Only Harold Fern of Great Britain and Javier Ostos of Mexico have served two terms as FINA president. Mustapha Larfaoui has served three terms, and for 35 years has helped develop and implement major policy actions affecting all aquatic disciplines.
He is the first African to hold the presidency of world swimming. Born in 1932, he was a water polo player in his youth. In 1962, at the age of 30, he founded the Algerian Swimming Federation. Also on a national level in 1963, he was a founding member of the Algerian Olympic Committee, serving as secretary general until 1967. Devoted to his continent, he has served many years as president of the African Amateur Swimming Confederation and the Union of African Sports Confederations.
He was a member of the General Association of International Sports Federations and remains on the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations. In 1995, he was elected to international sports highest council, the International Olympic Committee. At the IOC he serves on the commissions for the Olympic Movement and Coordination for the 2000 Olympic Games.
President of FINA since 1988, his presidential tenure accomplishments are many. He established women’s water polo as an Olympic event, the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup Series was born, Short Course World Championships were initiated, FINA Diving Grand Prix and Synchronized Diving were instituted, Synchronized Swimming team entry became an Olympic event, an athletes commission was formed, increasing numbers of clinics and international seminars were held, a doping control program was instituted, the FINA archives were organized and the list continues to grow.
Mustapha globe trots the world giving the personal touch to members of each National Federation. He deems personal commitment and exposure as absolutely essential so that no one is isolated and all share in a common vision for the future of aquatics. Speaking a universal language, his warm smile, comfortable manner and steadfast purpose have been vital to the successful growth of FINA and the aquatics disciplines.
As the chief international-level decision-maker for 12 years, Mustapha Larfaoui has strived in his efforts to execute good decisions and the right decision to benefit the aquatic disciplines and those who participate in them.
Happy Birthday Tracey Wickham!!
Tracey Wickham (AUS)
Honor Swimmer (1992)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1976 Olympic Team Member; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1978, gold (400m & 800m freestyle); AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 17 (200m, 400m, 800m & 1500m freestyle, 100m butterfly); WORLD RECORDS: 5 (400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle); COMMONWEALTH GAMES: 1978, gold (400m & 800m freestyle), silver (200m freestyle & relay), bronze (relay); 1982 (400m & 800m freestyle); U.S. OPEN RECORD: 1 relay; AAU: 1 relay; FINA CUP: 1979, silver (400m freestyle), 6th (100m butterfly), 5th & 6th (relays).
Tracey Wickham of Australia set world records in the 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle in 1978. It was not until 1987 that Janet Evans of the USA broke them– a period of 9 1/2 years. All totaled, she set five world records in the 400-meter, 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyles in a a period of two years.
Born in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1962, Tracey began swimming at age eight and broke her first State age group record in the 200-meter backstroke at age 10. Her first National gold medal came in the 200-meter individual medley at age 12, but it was the middle and distance freestyles which were to be Tracey’s strong events. By age 13, she had made the 1976 Australian Olympic team as the youngest competitor on the team.
It was the year following the Olympics that Tracey and her family moved to Mission Viejo for a nine month period and trained with Mark Shubert. Upon returning to Brisbane, Tracey broke the 1500-meter freestyle world record in a solo swim. Two weeks later she broke the 800-meter freestyle world record and only six months later, the 400-meter freestyle world record. Before the next year was over, she broke the 1500-meter and 800-meter freestyle world records again.
Tracy dominated the middle distance freestyle event for women in the years preceding the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
In 1978 Tracey started a nine week international swimming tour in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, by taking six seconds off the 800-meter freestyle world record of teammate Michelle Ford at the Commonwealth Games. Next came the Berlin World Championships that same month and another record in the 400-meter freestyle where she also went on to win the 800-meter freestyle a few days later. She became Australia’s only gold medalist at the Championships and her country’s first gold medalist in World Championship history. Her remarkable accomplishments were all the more spectacular as her taper was getting stale after nine weeks on the road. Six months later she reset the 1500-meter freestyle world record in the Australian Championships in Perth.
Tracey was selected for the 1980 Australian Olympic team but pulled out for personal and family reasons. She retired, but came back eight months later to win gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter freestyle at the Australian National Championships. Her coach, Laurie Lawrence, was her inspiration to continue training for the 1982 Commonwealth Championships in her hometown of Brisbane where she repeated her 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle victories from four years earlier and took the silver in the 200-meter freestyle.
Before Tracey was through, she had 260 Australian records, twelve Commonwealth records, and was voted the Australian Sportsperson of the Year in 1978, as well as receiving the Australian Sportswoman of the Year, 1978 and 1979. Queen Elizabeth presented her with the prestigious M.B.E.–Member of the British Empire recognition in 1978.