American Men “Stunned” By 11th Place Finish In 400 Freestyle Relay (SW Radio)

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Photo Courtesy: Ian MacNicol

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The American foursome who competed in the prelims of the men’s 400 freestyle relay at the FINA world championships today were at a loss for words in describing their failure to qualify for the final. The 11th-place finish marked the first time the United States hadn’t been a part of a world championship final, with the host country Russia on track to win its first gold in the event.

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Jimmy Feigen (49.21), Anthony Ervin (49.69), Matt Grevers (48.67) and Conor Dwyer (48.44) looked on track to put the Americans in the final, winning the fourth of four heats with a 3:16.01. But the third heat – which featured the Russian winning with a 3:12.46 – was full of very fast swims that outmatched the Americans.

“We’re stunned by the overall results,” Ervin said, struggling to stand and talk to reporters while dealing with the extreme physical pain he was experiencing after his swim. “We all thought we were feeling good and confident, and we thought we were going to send a little bit of a message this morning.”

Ervin acknowledged that he took his race out too fast, splitting 22.39 at 50 meters. He did falter badly at the end, “which is not unusual,” he said. As for Feigen, he will analyze his race before competing in the 100 freestyle heats on Wednesday. Grevers has the 100 backstroke prelims tomorrow, while Dwyer will also compete tomorrow, in the 200 freestyle.

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Inger Ostergaard Manchester

As we tell our age groupers- look forward not back! Swim Fast USA! We are rooting for you!

Niles Keeran
8 years ago

The Fall of US Swimming for Men since 1976 is a reality to the RIse of US Women’s Swimming due to NCAA Title IX, scholarships, and support.. Colleges, not secondary schools feed competitive swimming.

Tracy Meyer Pulos
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

So American universities are educating & training elite swimmers from other countries… who then compete against us?

Niles Keeran
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

What do you think…University of Arizona won both the men’s and women’s NCAA Division I Swimming Titles in the same year stocked with international swimmers. I recall in one Olympics the South African team won the Men’s 400 Meter Free Relay that had three of the four that were University of Arizona WIldcat swimming student-athletes on that relay who attended Arizona. We are not only giving them good coaching but the facilities, training, diet, and education to go back and beat us in both the World Economy but in competition. You rarely see an American swimmer or elite athlete going to school or swim for France, Brasil, Russia, Australia, or the Netherlands. USA sells out to both academia and athletics!

bigNowhere
bigNowhere
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

Other countries don’t have college athletics. There are certainly great universities in France, Germany, South Africa, and pretty much any other western country. And, in some of them (Germany, for example) the tuition is free even for non-US citizens. There certainly are American students attending some of these schools. I know some of them personally.

But, if you are a high-level swimmer, there’s no college-level swimming league anywhere but the US. So, of course, no American swimmer goes and competes for the University of Paris or the University of Munich. It isn’t possible.

More food for thought. The French team, who just won the gold medal in the relay was comprised of 4 swimmers who never swam for a US University. They were developed in Franch. And, the most recent Frenchman to train in the US was Yannick Agnel (not with a University, but still in the US with Bowman). During his time here, his performances got a lot slower. So, he was doing something right in France that was not continued in the USA under Bowman.

I’d say the French have proven the past 5 years they don’t need our help. If you think they don’t have great coaches and facilities in their own country, you’re crazy.

bigNowhere
bigNowhere
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

Small edit: I meant to say, in Germany, tuition is free even for non-GERMAN citizens….

But also; I think the title IV issue is a red herring. It is an excuse frequently used by Athletic Directors to eliminate non-revenue sports so they can focus on football. But that’s what it really is, an excuse.

Niles Keeran
8 years ago

The Fall of US Swimming for Men since 1976 is a reality to the RIse of US Women’s Swimming due to NCAA Title IX, scholarships, and support.. Colleges, not secondary schools feed competitive swimming.

Russ Davis
Russ Davis
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

Well, I guess there has been a “fall” since 1976 in the sense that the USA has not won every gold medal but one in a world meet since then. There have been one or two decent swimmers though.

Andy
Andy
8 years ago

Yes, because only men deserve scholarship, coaching & education opportunities, it’s obviously the chicks’ fault here. How about they want it bad enough they go get it? Seems the swimmers from other countries have figured that out for themselves- considering they find a way to come to the U.S. to access the superior programs. What do they have that the U.S. Swimmers don’t? My guess is they don’t have an entitlement issue like Niles.

Niles Keeran
8 years ago

International men from all other countries elated because they both trained in the US, went to the university in the US, and were coached in the US. Nice work NCAA, the universities in the USA, USA swimming, and all the US teams that had international swimmers competing with them every day, week, month, and year in our facilities and pools!!

James Hooper
8 years ago
Reply to  Niles Keeran

Either that, or the other countries just had faster swimmers…

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