Through six days of swimming competition at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, we’ve experienced all points on the emotional spectrum. From pure elation rooted in the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, winning his 22nd gold medal, to disappointing outcomes from some of our favorite stars, such as Missy Franklin, we’ve seen it all with still more competition yet to come.
Outside of the pool, Rio has also had its share of controversy, highlighted by American Lilly King’s ‘finger wag’ toward Russian Yulia Efimova to Aussie Mack Horton’s ‘drug cheat’ comment directed at China’s Sun Yang.
At the end of the day, however, the true Olympic spirit prevails through the highs and lows, giving us all reason to keep the fire burning. When Aussie World Record Holder Cate Campbell faltered on Thursday night in the women’s 100m freestyle race, finishing 6th instead of her expected 1st, it took no time at all for foreign competitors to come to her side and show support.
Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen helped the battle-beaten Campbell out of the pool in a gesture that epitomizes the struggles, hardships and trials all athletes must endure in the quest for Olympic glory. Some win, some don’t. Yet, the picture conveys that the athletes are all part of the bigger picture of ‘faster, stronger, higher’ and, in the end, they respect each other’s pursuit of that ultimate Olympic achievement.
This pic sums up the respect @catecamp competitors have for her. She'll bounce back #OneTeam #Rio2016 #swimming pic.twitter.com/TsVOxAhsEB
— Rob Woodhouse (@RobWoodhouseTLA) August 12, 2016
She stuffed up her pacing, pure & simple, like most Australians. Their coaches have a hell of a lot to answer for.
Beautiful photo of a beautiful moment.
Campbells should STOP doing that stupid singing and dancing thing before race RIGHT NOW and focus on the race. Neithet does it look cool nor it doesn’t make people think uou are relaxed or anything. It is actually the other way. They just look so nervous and even dumb to do those things right before the biggest competition of their lives.
Very classy swimmers in that race last night. Clearly everyone wants everyone to be at their best, and can relate when one of their competitors has a bad night. It seems that Cate has been very gracious to her competitors in the past as well, so it’s natural for them to reach out to her.
In my view, Sarah Sjostrom is a true champion and class act: always the first one to congratulate the winners with hugs and genuine smiles, and, help and console the non-winners as shown in the picture. So proud to share the Swedish heritage with her :)! Our sport would be the envy of all other sports if all swimmers were like her. Unfortunately there are just way too many dramas and negativities, not enough humble winners and gracious losers.
Agreed. I’ve been so impressed with her.
When reviewing this race I noticed how different reactions were of Manuel and Oleksiak. Someone was deeply surprised both by her incredible 52.7 and by the fact that that is the gold medal. She definitely hasn’t picture herself in such situation. That caused such emotional outburst. Penny’s reaction was quite different: OMG! What’s happening. I haven’t done anything different that I did yesterday and I’m a Champ! That was a great surprise of circumstances making her Olympic Champion, but it wasn’t a news to her that she belongs to this elite.
*Simone
The Aussies are such a sporting nation, but they lionize their athletes—often giving them nicknames, etc. This puts a ton of pressure on them. Losing helps shape an athlete’s toughness. Since the pool of absolutely elite athletes in Oz thins quickly, losing (after achieving elite status) often happens first for Aussies on the international stage. In the US, there is less public scrutiny and olympic champions can get beaten in NCAA dual meets. The local racing depth and its accompanying anonymity provide a healthier sporting environment for swimmers, I think. Oz is a great swimming nation, especially considering the size of its population. The Australian public should take it easier on their swimmers.
No doubt, Australia is a fantastic swimming nation. Americans just have a deeper talent pool. If back in March you’d picked out 10 or 12 Americans to carry all swimming hopes to Rio, you’d have several disappointments right now. When you have a pool of 100 serious candidates, it’s different.
I think you raise a good point about public pressure. I’m not Australian so I don’t know with certainty, but I perceive swimming to be a much bigger deal to the general public in Australia compared to the average American, who, to be frank, only cares about swimming at the Olympics. While that’s a nice thing to have the recognition, it can add to a lot of the pressure that the athletes feel.
Jaz, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I’m Australian and it frustrates me to no end that the Aus media places such a huge amount of pressure on the athletes every time the Olympics rolls around. The swimmers are household names, and the expectations placed on them is just unfair. I sadly had a feeling the race would go the way it did, its the Olympics anything could happen nothing is a ‘sure thing’ despite what the annoying commentary from the Australian media might say. I think Kyle Chalmers’ win in the mens 100m free proved that, this kid was lucky enough to escape the spotlight, all the attention and the pressure was on Cam McEvoy. I… Read more »
Actually not much of mystery can be found when looking calmly at results of this final.
Four swimmers were at peak of their forms and showed expected season/personal bests: Manual, Oleksiak, Kromowidjojo, Ottesen
Two finalist were 0.2sec around their personal bests: Sjostrom (who was heavy loaded prior this race) and Weitzeil ( swims her trials time. The relay time could be an outlier)
Campbell sisters were too fast at first half and faded after 80-85 meters.
Cate – 24.77; Bronte – 25.04
The rest field : Manuel – 25.24; Sjostrom – 25.45; Kromowidjojo – 25.55; Oleksiak – 25.70
There is no tragedy just unjustified bad tactical decision that could be a consequence of overestimating their great in-season form.
I don’t know if it’s the training, the strategy or both, but it’s the same pattern in all the “flop” Aussie swims — out fast, and collapse. Seebohm and Larkin were winning their respective 100 backs at the halfway mark, and Larkin is a 200 guy… he was ahead of David Plummer, for crissake. (he was winning early in the 200, too). Maddie Groves, too. Of course Chalmers and Horton killed it in the back-half, so maybe it’s not a coaches directive.
Campbell tried a tactic and it backfired, but the point of this article is not about that. It’s that these great athletes are dealing with a whirlwind of emotions, up and down, over and over. They all feel it, and they have immense admiration respect for their courageous competitors. Those emotions and the earned respect is what I’ll bet each Olympian will recall long after their careers are in the rearview mirror. In a meet at this highest level, overcoming nerves and battling back from huge disappointments are, in my opinion, more important by far than the times each one swims. How dull this would all be and even pointless if competitors just showed up, swam, got a time and… Read more »
Looked like Simone was in the perfect position to steal Campbell’s wave exactly like Lezak. It only seems to work if you’re in the exact perfect place and going slightly faster than the person in front.