The Week That Was: Backstroke Finish Rule Needs Change After Justin Ress DQ Ordeal

RESS Justin USA placed First but disqualified 50m Backstroke Men Final Swimming FINA 19th World Championships Budapest 2022 Budapest, Duna Arena 25/06/22 Photo Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

The Week That Was, Sponsored by Suitmate

The Week That Was featured powerhouse performances and teams, plus a tribute to summer league swimming.

The Week That Was #1: Backstroke Finish Rule Needs Change After Justin Ress DQ Ordeal

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

It was a pure moment of triumph for two American sprint backstrokers. Justin Ress had edged out world-record holder Hunter Armstrong to win the world title in the 50 backstroke, and the two men raised their arm in celebration. But moments later, the scoreboard flipped, and Armstrong was listed as the gold medalist with Ress disqualified for fully submerging at the finish. After a confusing hour that included Armstrong accepting the gold medal and a long video review, the DQ was overturned, and Ress was reinstated as the winner. Armstrong gladly handed over the gold medal to his teammate.

The situation was resolved with the rightful winner leaving Budapest with a gold medal, but why was the Ress victory ever in doubt?

The Week That Was #2: An Open Letter to Summer League Swimming

Photo Courtesy: Linda Griswold

By Molly Griswold

With summer league swimming upon us, we rerun this commentary from the Swimming World archive that provides tremendous perspective on the meaning of the summer campaign.

The Week That Was #3: Sandpipers of Nevada Have Emerged As Powerhouse Club With Young Talent Shining

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By Dan D’Addona

As each day passed at the Olympic Trials, the evolution of the Sandpipers of Nevada Swim Club grew exponentially in true Las Vegas form — from a longshot to a sure thing. One by one, the Sandpipers loaded swimmers onto their first Olympic team — Erica Sullivan, Bella Sims, Katie Grimes.

That was a year ago.

Fast forward to the present and the Sandpipers have proved to be no fluke.

The Week That Was #4: Carson Foster Blasts 1:53.67 200 Fly at Austin Sectionals to Become Third-Fastest American Ever

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By David Rieder

Less than two weeks removed from returning from his long course World Championships debut in Budapest, Carson Foster returned to competition at a Sectionals meet held at his training base. With his major meet for the year concluded and a trio of medals secured, Foster wanted to race events outside the individual medleys and the 200 freestyle before concluding his summer season, and after his Thursday evening performance in the 200 butterfly, Foster will have to strongly consider adding the event to his usual repertoire.

The Week That Was #5: David Popovici Goes 1:48 To Head The 200 Free As European Juniors Get Under Way

Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

By Liz Byrnes

David Popovici returned to the water a fortnight after the nature of his double World Championship triumph evoked memories of Ian Thorpe to set the pace in the 200 free at the European Junior Championships in his native Romania.

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