{"id":441641,"date":"2020-07-30T13:47:39","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T20:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=441641"},"modified":"2020-07-30T15:03:27","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T22:03:27","slug":"tokyo-vision-who-wins-duel-between-caeleb-dressel-kyle-chalmers-in-100-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/tokyo-vision-who-wins-duel-between-caeleb-dressel-kyle-chalmers-in-100-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Tokyo Vision: Who Wins Duel Between Caeleb Dressel & Kyle Chalmers in 100 Free?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tokyo Vision: Caeleb Dressel & Kyle Chalmers Set to Duel in 100 Freestyle<\/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: Duke Kahanamoku Tops 100 Free Podium With Weissmuller & Popov<\/a><\/p>\n

Event:<\/strong> Men\u2019s 100 Freestyle
\nWorld Record:<\/strong> Cesar Cielo (2009) – 46.91<\/p>\n

Historical Note #1:<\/strong> In 1924, a Romanian emigrant to the U.S. named Johnny Weissmuller beat the defending champion, Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and his brother Sam in the 100 freestyle Olympic final in Paris after becoming the first swimmer in history to break the minute \u2013 clocking 58.6 seconds (later lowered to 57.4).<\/p>\n

\"johnny-weissmuller\"

TWO-TIME OLYMPIC CHAMPION TO TARZAN: Johnny Weissmuller who would win back-to-back Olympic 100m gold medals before his debut as Tarzan The Ape Man in 1932. \u00a0Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n

Four years later Weissmuller defended his title in Amsterdam after swallowing a mouthful of water, causing him to lose two yards. But he regained his composure to overpower the field to win the fourth of his five Olympic gold medals. Back in the U.S., as Weissmuller prepared for the 1932 Olympics in L.A., he was noticed swimming in a pool on Hollywood\u2019s Sunset Boulevard and was asked to try out for the part of Tarzan. Later that year, he didn\u2019t swim in L.A. but made his debut in “Tarzan The Ape Man” and went on to act in 11 more Tarzan films over the next 16 years. His world record, first set in 1922, stood until 1934.<\/p>\n

Historical Note #2:<\/strong> American Ambrose \u201cRowdy\u201d Gaines<\/strong> had ben tipped to win four gold medals at the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games and had to wait four years to have another crack. It was a tip from coach Richard Quick<\/strong> that saw Gaines win the first of his golds in a controversial 100m freestyle final in 1984. Quick told Gaines that Panamanian starter Francisco Silvestri<\/strong> had a reputation of being quick to pull the trigger and Gaines was quick to react, leaving his fellow American Mike Heath<\/strong> and Australian Mark Stockwell<\/strong> behind. Gaines would hold on to win in a new Olympic record of 49.80 with the fast finishing Stockwell taking the silver in 50.24 and Per Johansson<\/strong> (Sweden) the bronze in 50.31, one tenth of a second ahead of Heath in fourth. Protests from the Australians claiming an \u201cunfair start\u201d were dismissed and Gaines survived to become the ninth American to claim the blue ribbon 100 freestyle gold since Charles Daniels<\/strong> in Athens in the Intercalated Games of 1906. Gaines would also anchor the U.S. to golds in the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays.<\/p>\n

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

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