Duel in the Pool: Americas vs. the World?

Column by John Lohn

CRANBURY, New Jersey, December 21. THE previous editions of the Duel in the Pool, when the United States tangled with Australia, ended with the Stars and Stripes enjoying easy victories in the combined scoring. Nothing was different in this latest version, in which the U.S. registered a convincing triumph over a European All-Star squad consisting of athletes from Great Britain, Germany and Italy.

The truth is, the European squad was without some individuals who would have made an impact – world-record holders Britta Steffen of Germany and Federica Pellegrini of Italy. More, the men were missing Germany's Paul Biedermann, the middle-distance freestyle ace who doubled in the 200 and 400 freestyles at last summer's World Championships.

Considering the lopsided score by which the Americans prevailed, the aforementioned three individuals would not have changed the outcome in favor of Europe. However, their presence would have made for a more competitive atmosphere and would have allowed for greater flexibility in devising a lineup to challenge the United States.

But the bigger question here is how the Duel in the Pool can be constructed to be more of a showdown, rather than a rout. After all, wouldn't it be more appealing to see the meet come down to the last few events, instead of being decided after the first of two days of action, as was the case over the weekend in Manchester, England?

Well, here is one possibility. Let's have a Duel in the Pool which features the Americas All-Stars versus the World All-Stars. A scenario such as this one would not only develop a battle more likely to go down to the wire, it would present the possibility of having all of the globe's elite performers competing in the special event. Hey, it's always great when every ounce of talent is brought together.

There is no questioning the United States' ability to carry its weight against a roster of international standouts, whether from one country (like Australia) or from a gathering of nations, as was the case with Germany, Great Britain and Italy uniting. But by making an Americas squad, the opportunity for a handful of South American and Canadian stars to contribute would be more than welcome.

It would strike a chord to have someone like Cesar Cielo or Brent Hayden added to the freestyle mix, or Annamay Pierse strengthening the field in the breaststroke events. Meanwhile, the United States would – in an ideal scenario – have a loaded roster to go with the contributions of South America and Canada. Additionally, it would be entertaining to see the nations of North America and South America put together a relay, if the parts worked out.

As for the World All-Stars, the team would have its pick from the rest of the globe's nations. Not only could Australia return to the equation, it raises the possibility of adding talent from countries such as Japan and France, among others. Think of how exciting it would be if someone like Tae Hwan Park of South Korea took part in a Duel in the Pool.

Clearly, putting together an all-encompassing Duel in the Pool would not be a logistically-easy task. First of all, it would require the athletes wanting to participate, in addition to their personal schedules all falling into line. The likelihood? Not great. However, even if a majority of the top swimmers were to commit, it would generate a special spectacle, one that would be held in long course meters.

Who knows, maybe the Americas could hold their own against the rest of the world. Maybe facing an All-Star team made up of that much global talent would be too much for the Americas to handle. And, putting it together might be too much to ask. Then again, it's always fun to imagine.

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