{"id":277329,"date":"2017-09-14T05:30:30","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T12:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=277329"},"modified":"2018-08-31T07:04:15","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T14:04:15","slug":"by-2028-olympics-in-los-angeles-swimming-could-look-much-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/by-2028-olympics-in-los-angeles-swimming-could-look-much-different\/","title":{"rendered":"By 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Swimming Could Look Much Different"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Rieder.<\/em><\/p>\n

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti<\/strong> stood on stage in front of the full International Olympic Committee in Lima on Wednesday as the last man speaking\u00a0in support of Los Angeles\u2019 bid to host the 2028 Olympics.<\/p>\n

At that point, it was already a foregone conclusion that LA would receive the 2028 Games<\/a> after deferring to Paris in the running\u00a0to host the Games in\u00a02024<\/a>. Garcetti smiled widely as he awaited confirmation that his city would soon be a \u201ccandidate city\u201d no longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people of Los Angeles, we don\u2019t perceive the 2028 Games as 11 years in the future\u2014we know that our Games start today,\u201d Garcetti said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The mayor was referring to the preparations required for a city to pull off a successful Olympics\u2014in a sustainable manner and within the budget, the LA 2028 organizing committee has promised.<\/p>\n
Well in swimming\u2014in any sport, for that matter\u2014the LA Olympics don\u2019t start today, and they don\u2019t start anytime soon. Because for all the positivity trending throughout U.S. Olympic circles, these Games are still 11 years away, and think how much changes in sport in that amount of time.<\/p>\n
For instance, think back\u2014why not\u201411 years. The big meet for U.S. swimmers that summer was the Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, Canada. Elizabeth Beisel<\/strong>, then 13 years old, swam at that meet after finishing second at U.S. Nationals in the 200 back.<\/p>\n
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Elizabeth Beisel — Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA<\/p><\/div>\n
11 years later, she was the only one of about 50 swimmers on that Pan Pacs roster who was still competing for the U.S. at the World Championships\u2014which was almost certainly the last major meet of her career.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s plenty of young talent on the current American team, including young stars like 20-year-old Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, 22-year-old Ryan Murphy<\/strong>, 20-year-old\u00a0Lilly King<\/strong>\u00a0and 21-year-old Caeleb<\/strong> Dressel<\/strong>. After the IOC announced that LA would officially be hosting the Olympics in 2028, Ledecky tweeted that she was \u201cexcited for millions of Americans and people throughout the world to be inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n
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2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the USA! Excited for millions of Americans & people around the world to be inspired by @LA2028!<\/p>\n
— Katie Ledecky (@katieledecky) September 13, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n