A Changing of the Guard in Men’s Open Water Swimming

Photo Courtesy: Casey Francis

By Robbie Dickson, Swimming World College Intern

The 2015-2016 season came to a close with the conclusion of the Paralympic Games last week. Now in the third week of September, with collegiate teams just starting their “20 hour weeks” and club teams dipping their toes into the water, the 2016-2017 season is officially underway. While the majority of swimmers are having their goal meetings about what times they want to go, or the next level cuts they want to achieve, a very select group of young athletes have their eyes set on making the United States Open Water National Team.

These select few realize that at this year’s nationals, a few of the “typical” big named athletes may be missing. The only male American representative at the 2012 Olympic Games for Open Water, Alex Meyer, put an end to his storied career after winning the Traversee internationale du Lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada this July.

Sean Ryan, one of the two male open water Olympians in Rio, also hang up his body suit and Vaseline after the Games. Ryan earned his spot on the Olympic Team by finishing in the top 10 at last year’s World Championships in Kazan, Russia. He is now working for Detroit Diesel, and helping them with their manufacturing. Along with Meyer and Ryan, long-time National team member and World Championship medalist, Andrew Gemmell, has started taking graduate classes at Georgetown University and it is unlikely that training is his priority at this time.

Photo Courtesy: Jason Dickson

Along with those three current national team members retiring, Dan O’Connor has also retired from the sport after being a constant force to be reckoned with on the open water circuit. During the Rio Olympic Games, a lot of people were wondering how Team USA was going to do in the pool with so many newcomers on the team. That is the same question the open water team is going to have to answer at the World Championships on the horizon in Budapest, Hungary.

Taylor Abbot could be one of the younger swimmers to step up. Abbot is now at University of Tennessee swimming with 2015 Pan American Games silver medalist in the 10k, David Heron. These two distance powerhouses train under one of the best open water coaches in the country, Tyler Fenwick.

Abbot has been on the national junior team for several years, and has won medals at the open water world junior level. Not many would be surprised if he made the national team, and even snuck onto the world championship team. After Abbott, there isn’t a clear-cut favorite to fill the remaining two national team spots.

While it is not a guarantee that the guys currently on the team will renew their spots at nationals or that Abbott will step up and take one of those six positions, the tides are turning and a new generation of athletes is going to have to fill the gaping holes left by Meyer, Ryan, and Gemmell.

Last year, the big draw to nationals was the fact that foreign athletes were allowed to compete and use it as a “tune up” before the Olympic Games. At the 2017 event, spectators’ eyes should be turned to see who will breakout and find their name on the national team roster by finishing in the top six.

So while the season is just beginning and everyone is heading back inside to get ready for the short course season, pay attention to the distance athletes– those who have their sights set on catching a draft that lands them on the U.S. National Team.

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Kristie Wisniewski

7 years ago

My twin 8 year olds and I are doing an open water swim this coming Sat in Wildwood Crest. It’s only 1/4 mile though. Lol

Those 10K swimmers are beasts!!!