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For countless decades Americans have tended to dominate many Olympic swimming events. Gold Medals – a bunch of them – have been the result.
But not so much at these Paris Olympics. The Australian women are outclassing the Americans taking Gold in the 400-meter freestyle, 4 by 100-meter free relay, and 100- and 200-meter backstroke.
Another non-American woman, Canadian Summer McIntosh, won two individual Golds, in the 400 individual medley and 200 butterfly, and is going for a third today in the 200-meter individual medley.
On the men’s side Leon Marchand of France is the world-reverberating big story having won four individual gold medals. Meanwhile, the American men have not yet won an individual Gold; we’re not used to seeing this.
It’s clear Americans are not as dominant in swimming anymore – at least not this week — even though they’ve won a slew of medals and are performing well in many races. Two women stand out: Kate Douglass won Gold in the 200-meter breaststroke and Katie Ledecky in the 1500-meter freestyle.
How do Americans feel about this less dominating performance?
I’m not sure but I’ll tell you how I feel. I feel proud of all the American swimmers, and all of them from all the other countries whether medal winners or those who did not make finals.
Every swimmer who has participated in the Paris Olympics should be commended and respected for practicing so hard that they became fast enough to qualify.
Watching the races I’ve been impressed by Regan Smith. She has won three individual Silver Medals and that’s super. She has strived for Gold but in each race there was one person on that one day who swam faster.
It happens. Only one person per race takes Gold. Countries improve at swimming. Dominators don’t continue doing that forever. The ebb and flow of life proceeds unabated.
It happens all the time in life. You write a blog and so does someone else and that someone else writes a better one. It doesn’t mean you didn’t write a good one and didn’t try hard enough.
Trying hard enough – this is what matters. I have no doubt American swimmers are giving their best efforts. And I feel sure some of them are disappointed they didn’t win medals or swim their best times.
Then there is Phoebe Bacon who finished fourth in the 200-meter backstroke. A second faster and she would have won a medal. One second.
Olympic swimming is all about seconds, and tenths of seconds, and hundreds of a second. Eye blinks – and quicker – separating Olympic glory from Olympic wishing.
Life is like this sometimes, too. You decide in one second to say something to someone and you get fired or maybe promoted or married or a friend you said it to doesn’t speak with you again or is so moved they want to become your friend for life.
Life is about what we do in these quick seconds. Life is about countries getting better, working harder, having more talent – and it’s not always the same ones.
It’s fine. It’s good.
My message to American swimmers: You’ve brought immense joy into my life watching you swim in Paris. All of you.
Every second of every race.
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Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
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