Swimming at the Summer Olympic Games 2020

[orangeman 1,980]

4 minutes ago, intoronto said:

NR and bronze medal for Canada! 6th swimming medal, same as in Rio.

 

Penny Oleksiak becomes the most decorated Canadian Olympian (winter or summer) EVER and she is  only 21

Third medal for MacNeil, 4th for Masse.  Pickrem gets her first.  

[Vektor 3,325]

4 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

Anyone else feel like so many of these medals are sort of forgettable, since mostly we're watching the same names fight for them the whole week (unlike in athletes, where you see totally different names in most events)?  

 

I mean, I've watched basically every final live and with focus but I had already forgotten McKeon actually took the 50 + 100 freestyle double  

That's pretty much the main argument against swimming having so many events. I would be in favor of cutting down freestyle events, but that will obviously never ever happen because they just added two more. 

[Federer91 2,725]

The 3 new events were unnecessary imo. The rest have a tradition, so i don't know what could be cut theoretically. 

[Federer91 2,725]

And now the relay the US have never lost, ever! 

[heywoodu 14,911]

Just now, Federer91 said:

The 3 new events were unnecessary imo. The rest have a tradition, so i don't know what could be cut theoretically. 

Theoretically?

 

We could do with one breaststroke, one backstroke and one butterfly event, for starters.

[Vektor 3,325]

Just to elaborate, this is probably a controversial opinion, but I would throw men's/women's 50, 400, 1500 free all out, have the 100 as the only sprint event, and have 800 as the standard long distance event. We got the open water anyway for those who find 800 too short. I would also leave the mix relay out for obvious reasons. 28 gold medals in the pool, sounds about right. 

[OlympicsFan 858]

8 minutes ago, Vektor said:

That's pretty much the main argument against swimming having so many events. I would be in favor of cutting down freestyle events, but that will obviously never ever happen because they just added two more. 

I think there is far less diversity than in athletics or even taekwondo, so there is no reasonable explanation (if you don't consider the US buying as many medal events in their best sports a reasonable explanation) for swimming to have that many events. If you are the 2nd best american athlete in the 100 free and you are also decent in the 200 free, you are already pretty much guaranteed 4 medals (4x100 free, 4x200 free, medley relay, mixed medley relay). If you are equally good but were born in a smaller country, you win 0 medals (despite having the exact same abilities).

[heywoodu 14,911]

New gold for these guys we've been watching all week, alright. WR and all. On to the next sport please  

[heywoodu 14,911]

4 minutes ago, Vektor said:

Just to elaborate, this is probably a controversial opinion, but I would throw men's/women's 50, 400, 1500 free all out, have the 100 as the only sprint event, and have 800 as the standard long distance event. We got the open water anyway for those who find 800 too short. I would also leave the mix relay out for obvious reasons. 28 gold medals in the pool, sounds about right. 

Even more controversial: instead of leaving 100 and 800, I'd go for leaving 50 but throwing out 100 in favor of 200. And keep 1500 instead of 800. That way you have a true sprint, a true middle event and a true distance event.

[Olympian1010 7,943]

WORLD RECORD!!!