Swimming wraps up with Dressel going for another gold medal

TOKYO (AP) — The final night of swimming gives Caeleb Dressel and four-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel more chances to collect hardware on Day 8 of the Tokyo Games.

Dressel is a gold medal favorite in the men’s 50-meter freestyle and is the two-time reigning world champion. Manuel will compete in the women’s 50-meter freestyle, which she won silver in 2016 in Rio. The U.S. is also expected to contend for the gold medal in the men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relay.

Allyson Felix will attempt to pass Merlene Ottey of Jamaica as the female Olympian with the most track and field medals in the mixed 4x400 relay and the women’s 100-meter dash will be decided after a spirited day of heats.

Kevin Durant and the U.S. men’s basketball team face Czech Republic in its final game of group play.

Here are some things to watch (all times Eastern):

SWIMMING

The final day of swimming is a big one for Caeleb Dressel. He’ll go for two more gold medals in his sights in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100-meter medley relay. The Americans are big favorites in both events.

Though the 50 free is always a bit of a crapshoot decided by a few hundredths of a second, Dressel has turned his brilliant underwater technique into 50 free titles at the past two world championships. The U.S. men, meanwhile, have never lost a medley relay at the Olympics.

Also keep an eye on Simone Manuel, who will swim her only individual event of these Games after failing to qualify for the American team in the 100 free, an event she won at the Rio Games. Manuel revealed at the U.S. trials that she had been diagnosed with overtraining syndrome, which forced her to halt training for nearly a month. Cate Campbell and 100 free champion Emma McKeon are also expected to be among the leading contenders in the 50 free.

The Americans also are the two-time defending Olympic champions in the women’s 4x100 medley relay, but will be challenged by an Australian women’s team that had won five gold medals as of Friday.

In the men’s 1,500 free, American Bobby Finke could take another medal after a surprising victory in the 800 free. Swimming will be the highlight of NBC’s primetime coverage that begins at 8 p.m.

TRACK & FIELD

The women’s 100-meter dash will be decided after a spirited round of early heats.

Reigning world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran her heat in the nearly empty Olympic Stadium in 10.84 seconds. Her Jamaican rival, defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, finished in 10.82.

And Marie-Josee Ta Lou, the Ivory Coast sprinter who finished an excruciating fourth in Rio de Janeiro, kept saying “Wow! Wow!” after she crossed the finish line in a blistering personal best of 10.78.

They were the fifth, sixth and seventh-fastest times of the year, produced on a day when seven of 54 sprinters hit a personal best — all in an opening round.

In the mixed 4X400 relay, a medal for the Americans would push Allyson Felix past Merlene Ottey of Jamaica as the female Olympian with the most track and field medals. She currently has 10 medals. Much of the track and field coverage will be on NBC in primetime, but select qualifying rounds will also air live in primetime on USA Network.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The U.S. men’s basketball team can secure second place in Group A and clinch a berth in the Olympic quarterfinals on Saturday when it faces the Czech Republic.

A win would also give the U.S. a chance at securing a top-four seed for the quarterfinals, which will be played in Saitama on Tuesday. Having a top-four seed is critical because it would mean that the Americans would not face any group winners in the knockout stage before the semifinals. The game will be streamed live Saturday at 8 a.m. on Peacock with encores later on both NBC and NBC Sports Network.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

The knockout round begins in beach volleyball and the top American team of April Ross and Alix Klineman made it through the preliminaries unscathed, winning all three of their matches.

That puts the Americans on the opposite side of the bracket from the overall No. 1 overall, Canada. They would not meet until the gold medal match. The elimination rounds will be on NBC in primetime.

FOR THE LATE CROWD

The elimination round of men’s beach volleyball will be aired live on NBC beginning at midnight, along with coverage of the men’s 1,500-meter free and the BMX Freestyle Finals.

The finals in men’s and women’s singles tennis will be presented on the Olympic Channel beginning at 2 a.m.

-Associated Press

Swimming: Czech free-diver breaks ice-swim world record

LAHOST, Czech Republic - Czech free-diver David Vencl swam nearly 81 metres (265.75 ft) beneath the ice on Tuesday, breaking the world record after braving the freezing water wearing only a swimsuit.

"This will do," Vencl said after emerging from his minute-and-half swim in water measured at temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius and pumping his fist in celebration.

The 38-year-old changed the location for the record attempt to a former quarry in Lahost, 100 kilometres north-west of Prague, from a glacial lake in Austria due to COVID restrictions which made international travel difficult.

Vencl, who dropped into the water through one hole cut in the one-foot-thick ice before emerging from another, beat the previous record of 250 feet set by Denmark's Stig Avall Severinsen in October, 2017 in southern Greenland. (Reporting by David W. Cerny, Writing by Robert Muller, Editing by Michael Kahn and Ed Osmond)

-reuters

Ryan Lochte wins 200m medley title at US swimming championships

LOS ANGELES — Six-time Olympic gold medallist Ryan Lochte, back from a 14-month suspension, won the 200m individual medley on Sunday at the US swimming championships in Palo Alto, California.

Lochte, 35, clocked 1min 57.76 to win a 27th national title and stamp himself a contender to make a fifth Olympic team next year.


“This was a lot easier 10 years ago,” said Lochte, who finished 1.07sec in front of silver medallist Shalne Casas. “I’ve got a lot of ways to go for 2020.”

Lochte was suspended from swimming for 10 months after a scandal at the 2016 Olympics, when he was found to have fabricated a story about a robbery during a drunken late-night episode in Rio de Janeiro.

He had returned from that ban when he was handed a 14-month suspension by the US Anti-Doping Agency over a prohibited intravenous infusion of legal vitamins — which he posted about on social media.

In his time away from competition, Lochte appeared on the US television reality show Celebrity Big Brother, and also sought treatment for alcohol addiction.


Lochte, who would turn 36 during next year’s Tokyo Olympics, won individual Olympic gold in the 200m backstroke in 2008 at Beijing and in the 400m individual medley in 2012 in London and won 4x200m freestyle relay gold in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. He has won a total of 12 medals in four Olympic appearances.

source: sports.inquirer.net

After historic 7 swim golds, Dressel to wrestle with math test

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Caeleb Dressel won a historic seventh gold medal in Budapest on Sunday as the USA claimed the men’s 4x100m medley relay title at the world championships — before admitting his math test worries.

After Dressel swam the third leg, Nathan Adrian touched the wall first for the USA at three minutes, 27.91 seconds with Britain taking silver at 1.04, while Russia earned bronze at 1.45.

The 20-year-old Dressel has now matched US swimming legend Michael Phelps’ record of seven gold medals from a single worlds set at the 2007 championships in Melbourne.

“I don’t know, I’ve never had it happen so I don’t really know what to say,” said Dressel when asked how it felt to be level with Phelps.

“I’m just happy to be done.

“I’m going to take a little break, see some of my teammates in Europe, Poland, Scotland.

“The atmosphere here has been an absolute blast, I just want to enjoy myself now.”

Dressel’s seven golds included three individual titles in the 50m, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly, plus relay golds in the 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m mixed freestyle, 4x100m mixed medley and Sunday’s 4x100m medley.

He became the first swimmer to claim three world golds in one session on Saturday by winning the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly and mixed 4x100m freestyle titles in a jaw-dropping 98-minute spell.

Dressel’s stunning display has earned comparisons with both Phelps and Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

His performances have been the icing on the cake for the USA, who finished with 38 swimming medals in Budapest — over five times more than nearest rivals Britain, who managed seven.

Dressel said he was tired after a draining 48 hours.

“I’m very happy to be done, pretty tired,” he said.

“Its been a good season, a good year, there are a lot more that goes into this than what people see in seven days.

“It’s great, I guess it was all going into here.

“I knew I had a chance in a few events and, of course, the real prize for America are the relays which are also a lot of fun.

“We didn’t do so great at the 2015 champs, so to come here and, coming off Rio, do so well — the medal table speaks for itself.”

His achievements unsurprisingly earned the University of Florida ace the award for the best male swimmer at the championships.

However, before he goes off on holiday, Dressel must sit a math test on Tuesday.

“Probably not, it’s probably going to go pretty bad,” he replied when asked if was ready for the test.

“I will probably be happy with a B-minus, that is the next goal when the meet’s over, to get over that math test.

“I’ve had a decent semester with it, it’s been all online and I am not good on online.”

Nevertheless, his exploits in Budapest have been hailed by his team-mates.

“It’s incredible, watching Caeleb is the coolest thing for me — that kid is unbelievable, how he motivates himself, watching how he keeps his composure,” said America’s Chase Kalisz, who won the 200m and 400m IM golds in Budapest.

“I’m watching how he steps on the blocks. Every single race, he is ready to race, he is ready to go.

“This is how Team USA functions, we all feed off each other’s energy.” CBB

source: sports.inquirer.net

We’ll never see another Phelps, says coach

Michael Phelps is said to have surpassed the deeds of Leonidas of Rhodes at the ancient Olympics and the American’s coach believes we will never see his likes again.

“Absolutely not, I’m not even looking,” Bob Bowman said after Saturday’s final swimming races which left Phelps with 23 Olympic gold medals.

“He’s too special. It’s not even once in a generation—it may be once in 10 generations that someone like Michael comes along.

“He just had so many things going for him: he had the physical skills, the mental outlook, the family that supported swimming. He has an emotional ability to get up for big races and actually perform better under pressure.”

Phelps bowed out with his fifth gold of the Rio Games in his fifth and final Olympics after powering the United States to victory in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

“I don’t think you’re going to see another Michael,” added Bowman. “But you’re going to be seeing a lot of other wonderful people. You’re going to be seeing Katie Ledeckys and Ryan Murphys, and hopefully I’ll find some of those.”

Phelps, watched by fiancée Nicole and baby son Boomer, ended his career with no regrets after flirting with retirement coming away from the London Games four years ago.

“It definitely was a lot more emotional than I was in 2012,” said the 31-year-old.

“I think that’s a good thing. Being able to look back at my career and say we’ve been able to accomplish everything we wanted. I couldn’t be happier with how things ended.”

Phelps declined to reveal where he kept all his Olympic medals but said he might let Boomer take a medal to school one day to show his buddies.

“I might let him take one for ‘show and tell’,” he laughed.

“I’m sure he’ll eventually take them over when I pass but that’s a long time.

“I’d probably give him one to take to show and tell—I might have to go with him and take every step with him when he goes and shows it.”

Phelps added: “The other night when I was on Face Time, I was kind of moving the medal around and his eyes just locked on it. He’s already eyeing them.”/rga

source: sports.inquirer.net

Olympics: True bromance as Phelps and Lochte eye Rio finale

RIO DE JANEIRO—The curtain comes down on one of swimming’s great rivalries on Thursday when Olympic giants Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte lock horns one last time.

Phelps will look to win the men’s 200m individual medley for an incredible fourth successive Games while Lochte, so often the bridesmaid, finally tries to get one over on his fellow American.

After the formalities of Wednesday’s semi-finals, both swimmers indulged in some sweet-talk before their last dance in Rio.

“The history [he] and I have had with one another it’s something special,” said Phelps, who won his record 20th and 21st Olympic gold medals on Tuesday.

“We’ve been racing for the last 12 years and having one more battle tomorrow will be fun,” he added after qualifying quickest for the final in a time of one minute, 55.78 seconds.

“Ryan and I have grown closer as friends this year — so we’ll have one more time to hop in the pool and duke it out.”

Phelps has caught fire in his fifth and final Olympics, winning gold medals in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays and the 200m fly, and Lochte is under no illusions about the size of the task he faces.

“It’s going to take a perfect performance in order to beat him because of how tough a competitor he is,” said world record holder Lochte, who has taken two silvers and a bronze behind Phelps in Athens, Beijing and London.

“He won’t give up and that’s awesome. That’s why he brings out the best in me.

“Any chance I can get up and race Michael, that’s the best,” gushed Lochte, second fastest in the semi-finals half a second behind Phelps. “We’ve been racing since 2004. He’s the toughest competitor I’ve ever gone up against.

“When we go up on the blocks, we’re always trying to win — that’s just the competitive instinct we have,” he added. “But win or lose we’re still good friends.”

Brazilian Thiago Pereira qualified third quickest in front of his home fans in 1:57.11 but the real danger is likely to come from Japan’s Kosuke Hagino, who won the 400m medley in Rio and has plans to gatecrash the American party.

“Tomorrow I just have to swim my own race and leave everything out there,” the 21-year-old Japanese told AFP after winning his heat in 1:57.38.

“I really don’t care about Phelps or Lochte. They’re heroes of mine, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to front up.

“Precisely because they are heroes of mine, I want to give them my best shot, give it everything I’ve got.”/RGA

source: sports.inquirer.net

US Rio swimmer aimed for Olympic career at age 8

He dreamed big at a very young age, and fulfilled that dream in 13 years.

American swimmer Ryan Murphy won the 100-meter backstroke in the 2016 Rio Olympics on Monday night, grabbing his first gold medal in his athletic career.

Years ago as an eight-year-old, Murphy penned a letter to his parents, enumerating his steep dream to be an Olympian including setting an astounding world record and being “the best swimmer in the world.” Moreover, he sketched a mini-portrait of himself with his sparkling gold medal.

American broadcasting network NBC posted the gleeful letter on its Twitter account.

Ryan Murphy wrote this when he was a young boy. Ryan, this isn't the end – it's just the beginning! #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/zCEFfrCMDb

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2016

 

“I hope my swimming life continues and I become an Olympian when I grow up,” Murphy, now 21, doodled in his letter. “I hope I will break the world records. I want to be the best swimmer in the world.”

Although he did not stamp a world record in his beloved sport, he was able to achieve one of his childhood goals, which is to own a gold medal.  Gianna Francesca Catolico

source: sports.inquirer.net

Michael Phelps's Last Olympics Will Be 'Emotional,' Says Mom

When all's said and done next month, Michael Phelps might be the most-decorated athlete in Olympic history.

But no matter the outcome, saying goodbye to the pool won't be easy for the retiring Olympic athlete – nor his family.









"It'll be a big moment," his mom Debbie, 61, a middle school principal outside Baltimore, Md., recently told PEOPLE. "I'll pull out my box of [tissues], because it's going to be emotional."

Recently Phelps confirmed that this would be his fourth and final Olympic Games.

After qualifying for eight events in the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, he's opted to swim seven: the 200 and 400 individual medley, the 100 and 200 butterfly, and all three relays.

"It's so much smarter for me to do that," Phelps told the Associated Press July 2 after scratching on the 200-meter freestyle. "We're not trying to recreate what happened in Beijing. It just makes more sense."

What happened in Beijing, of course, was magic – Phelps made history by winning eight medals, the most of any athlete in a single Olympic Games, besting American swimmer Mark Spitz's record seven in 1972.

Phelps at 27

So what can fans of the most exciting swimmer in U.S. Olympic history expect this time around?

"Maturity," says Debbie of her son, who turned 27 during trials. "He's an old man now!"

He's also grown up a lot.

After his record-making turn in 2008, the young swimmer's life transformed, and for a while, Phelps was making headlines more often for partying than his performance in the pool. But the mistakes helped him grow.

"Michael's always been a role model," says Debbie, who was recently in New York City speaking on behalf of The Century Council to promote Ask, Listen, Learn, an alcohol education program geared towards middle school-aged kids and their parents.

"I've heard Michael talk about his successes, and when he fell on his face," she says. "We all go through life lessons; it's about how you embrace them and go from there."

Difficult for Mom

For Debbie – who, with her two older daughters Hilary, 34, and Whitney, 32, has become famous for tearfully cheering on her son from the bleachers at the Games – watching Phelps step down from the podium that final time will be especially hard.

Starting when Whitney was 7, the single mom was shuttling her kids to and from twice-a-day practices, sacrificing holidays and vacations so they could pursue their Olympic dreams.

"It's not just the end of Michael swimming, but the end of a 25-year era that the Phelps family has been involved with," Hilary tells PEOPLE. "And it's culminating with Michael essentially being the greatest Olympian of all time – so there's a nice bow on it!"

"It's just about capturing memories. This whole year has been about that," adds Debbie. "All these lasts are bundling up."

source: people.com