2 l July
25 - 31, 2021
Northeast Oregon TV Weekly
Everyone in the pool: Swimming dominates
first week of 2020 Tokyo Olympics
BY GEORGE DICKIE
As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics moves into its first full week of
competition, swimming comes into sharp focus with a number
of American athletes figuring to vie for podium space.
Probably the name most familiar to fans is Katie Ledecky.
The 24-year-old Washington, D.C.-area native has a resume
like few others, holding five Olympic gold medals, 15 World
Championship golds, records for the 23 fastest times in the
800m freestyle (her signature event) and the 10 fastest times
in the 1,500m freestyle. She’s also the defending Olympic
champion in the 200m and 400m freestyle.
In short, she’s America’s best hope for multiple hardware
in Tokyo and Rowdy Gaines, a three-time Olympic gold
medal swimmer who will cover the sport when it airs all week
beginning Sunday, July 25, on NBC and other outlets, expects
her to add to her medal collection here, though not without
some stiff competition, namely in Ariarne Titmus of Australia.
“I think she’s the only one that can beat Katie,” Gaines
says. “I really think that in the 200m, 400m and 800m, she’s
certainly met somebody that can go stroke for stroke with her.
But I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Katie. ... Now she’s still
four seconds or five seconds behind Titmus in the 400m so
she’s got to find a lot, but I really do believe that she can run
the table from the 200m to the 1,500m if she’s on like I know
she can be.”
Caeleb Dressel vies for Team USA in
swimming at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,
airing all week on NBC and other outlets.
On the men’s side, Team USA is looking for its stud with
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte retired from Olympic
competition. Enter Caeleb Dressel, who won golds in two relay
events at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and figures to compete in as
many as seven in Tokyo.
“I really believe that for the men’s side, Team USA will go
so far as Caeleb Dressel goes,” Gaines says. “Because if he’s
successful, I think it will be a domino effect for the rest of
those men because these are not very experienced men. ... And
Caeleb is one that has certainly had the experience, knows what
it’s been like, knows how to compete at the highest level with
the World Championships that followed. But boy, he’s got a lot
of pressure on his back just like Michael did all those years.”
As for up-and-comers to watch, Gaines has his eye several
swimmers, among them Annie Lazor, Kieran Smith, Bobby
Finke and Lydia Jacoby, a 17-year-old who is the first Olympic
swimmer from Alaska.
“She represents a first, for sure, which is really cool,” Gaines
says. “I’ve been to Alaska a couple of times for swim clinics,
believe it or not, and they have some good swimming there. It’s
just that it’s tough because during the outdoor season, it’s hard
to find an outdoor 50-meter pool that a lot of states have and
they have to go indoors and there are only so many 50-meter
indoor pools in Alaska. So it’s really great, I think she’ll help the
sport a lot in that state.”
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