{"id":441292,"date":"2020-07-29T10:38:34","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T17:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=441292"},"modified":"2020-07-30T12:35:14","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T19:35:14","slug":"tokyo-vision-kristof-milak-searching-for-olympic-gold-to-herald-his-own-200-fly-reign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/tokyo-vision-kristof-milak-searching-for-olympic-gold-to-herald-his-own-200-fly-reign\/","title":{"rendered":"Tokyo Vision: Kristof Milak Searching For Olympic Gold to Herald His Own 200 Fly Reign"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokyo Vision: Kristof Milak Searching For Olympic Gold to Herald His Own 200 Fly Reign<\/strong><\/p>\n

Had the COVID-19 pandemic not shaken the world, the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo<\/a> would be unfolding right now, titles and podium finishes earned by the finest athletes from around the world. Instead, we are in a competition lull and hopeful that the Games will be held next summer, with COVID-19 neutralized.<\/p>\n

As we reach the nine days over which the swimming competition of a delayed Olympiad would have taken place, Swimming World is taking a glimpse at what might have unfolded this summer, had the Olympics not been postponed. Following the official schedule, we offer our virtual fields of eight finalists for each event and take a brief look at how the racing might have panned out until a few strokes away from decision and a result that will not be known until July\/August 2021.<\/p>\n

League of Olympic Legends: Michael Phelps Tops 200 Butterfly Podium With Spitz & Gross<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Event:<\/strong> Men\u2019s 200m Butterfly
\nWorld Record:<\/strong> Kristof Milak (2019) \u2013 1:50.73<\/p>\n

Historical Note #1: Michael Phelps<\/strong> is synonymous with the 200 fly. The American won three golds and one silver medal in his signature event before bowing out after Rio 2016. Phelps became the youngest male world record-holder when he set a new mark in the 200 fly aged 15 years, nine months in 2001. He also won five world titles in the event, the last coming at Shanghai in 2011. Chad Le Clos<\/strong> caused one of the biggest upsets in the pool in living memory when he beat Phelps on the final touch at London 2012.<\/p>\n

Historical Note #2: Michael Gross<\/strong> stood 6-feet-6 with a wingspan of 6-feet-9 that earned him the nickname of \u2018The Albatross\u2019. The German dominated the 200 fly from 1981 to 1988, during which time he set four world records. At Los Angeles 1984, Gross won the 200 free and 100 fly, both in world-record time, and was expected to triumph in the 200 fly. However, he was beaten by Australian Jon<\/strong> Sieben<\/strong>. Four years later, though, he claimed the prize that had eluded him by winning the 200 fly in Seoul.<\/p>\n

Virtual Vision<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Finalists (Listed Alphabetically)<\/strong><\/p>\n