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The United States Is On The Brink Of World Championships Medal History

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The United States is on the brink of World Championships history, as the nation needs just one more medal in order to equal the all-time record for most medals won in swimming at a single edition of the World Championships

The record is currently held by the U.S. itself, with 38 having been hauled away by the stars n’ stripes in 2017.

Contributing to the total tonight was dominant Katie Ledecky who took the women’s 800m freestyle in a mark of 8:08.04. That checked in as the 5th fastest performance in history, with the Olympian owning the 27 fastest times ever recorded in the event.

Ledecky’s victory tonight also cemented her status as having won the 400m/800m/1500m freestyle triple a remarkable four times across her World Championships appearances.

Also landing on the podium this evening in Budapest was Michael Andrew who snagged silver behind British winner Ben Proud in the men’s 50m free event.

Behind gold medalist Kaylee McKeown of Australia, American teammates Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White paired up for silver and bronze in the women’s 200m back as well.

Wrapping up the night, Australia was the team to take down the mixed 4x100m free relay with a monster effort of 3:19.38. But the United States chalked up another piece of hardware with bronze behind runners-up Canada.

Erika Brown, Torri Huske, Lilly King, Justin Ress, Hunter Armstrong, Katie Grimes and Emma Weyant are all expected to contest individual events tomorrow for the United States, and any more than one winner will establish the new hardware haul record.

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Craig
2 years ago

Previous medal high was 2017 – the year after an Olympics. Makes sense that the nation with the greatest depth steps up in the rebuilding 1st year after the Olympics as the cycle towards the next Olympics gets underway. Is this a trend or only 2017 and this year?

Paul Thomas
Reply to  Craig
2 years ago

It’s a trend for sure. The US was good in 2013, putridly awful in 2015, and then great again in 2016. Great in 2017, bad though not quite 2015 bad in 2019, and then mediocre in 2021.

Some of this may have to do with team selection– eg the 2019 worlds team was selected in 2018, which resulted in some… questionable inclusions like an injured Chase Kalisz and a simply off-form Zane Grothe swimming three events. Hopefully that particular experiment is at an end.

JimSwim22
2 years ago

Is it the largest percentage of medals ever? That would remove the effect of medal count inflation

Spectatorn
2 years ago

Bobby Finke has the 1500m tomorrow, too. The most exciting 50m of the meet is yet to come. LOL

Last edited 2 years ago by Spectatorn
Verram
Reply to  Spectatorn
2 years ago

Bobby the rocket will nuke the Europeans in the last 50m for sure

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Spectatorn
2 years ago

The most exciting 50s are anything from Summer McIntosh. She still has 400 medley tomorrow. That’s the most intriguing remaining swim of the meet.

Sharkspeed
2 years ago

I can’t wait to see MA haters arguments underrating his medals count!!

Bud
Reply to  Sharkspeed
2 years ago

Well…
Bring in Dressel and Peaty and he’s off the podium in two of them. Add an in-form Manaudou and he’s off in all three…

KoiFish
Reply to  Bud
2 years ago

Which of those three bumps him off the 50 fly podium? Dressel was in that race already, Peaty is Peaty, and Manaudou’s best time from 2015 (22.84) is slower than what Andrew went in finals.

swimswamer
Reply to  Bud
2 years ago

You mean off the podium in ONE of them.
Also MA´s bronze 50breast time is 1 second faster than manaudou PB.
His 50fly bronze time is also faster than manadou PB.
And manaudou achieved them 7/8 years ago.
Manaudou also hasn´t gone below 21.5 (if the ranks are correct) since 2016 games.
An in form manaudou would hardly make a difference.
At least try to make some sort of sense when you´re trying to throw shade.

BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

It’s clear that the US has been even more dominant than usual these WCs. But with the field so decimated at the top by absences, injuries and illnesses this feels like more of an exceptional outlier case rather than evidence the US is that much better.
Struggled for a while about how to phrase this without taking away from the team’s accomplishments but gave up.

Dressel 46.8
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Acting like we aren’t missing our best swimmer…

BearlyBreathing
Reply to  Dressel 46.8
2 years ago

Katie Ledecky is still swimming.

Ervin
Reply to  Dressel 46.8
2 years ago

Its not just dressel either…alot of the vets (Manuel, Madden, McLaughlin, Baker, DeLoof) are basically taking this year off.

Last edited 2 years ago by Ervin
BearlyBreathing
Reply to  Ervin
2 years ago

A lot of these vets need to be very concerned about the amazing young speed we’ve seen across the board this season. I’m hoping one of these vets makes the team in 2 years if they’re around but I truthfully don’t know which one can.

Last edited 2 years ago by BearlyBreathing
Troyy
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

I think Manuel and Madden will make it back.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Troyy
2 years ago

Paige Madden is battling Hashimoto’s disease. That’s touch and go.

jamesjabc
Reply to  Ervin
2 years ago

Which of those vets won individual medals in Tokyo and realistically would have had impact on the team?

AnEn
Reply to  Ervin
2 years ago

1) Not sure how those athletes are relevant? None of them would have had any positive impact on the medal count.
2) Manuel? Lol … was she also taking off last year? When was the last time she was relevant?
3) If all the top athletes would have competed, the US would have over all won 5 less medals so far (- men’s 100 back/men’s 200 back/men’s 100 breast/men’s 50 fly/women’s 100 free/women’s 400 free/women’s 100 back/women’s 200 breast, + men’s 50 free/men’s 100 free/men’s 100 fly).

Sub13
Reply to  Dressel 46.8
2 years ago

Ok so let’s assume Dressel would have won all 3 events he skipped. There’s 3 extra medals. No extra relay medals because US have medaled in every relay anyway.

Now let’s see what happens if we make those same assumptions about people from other countries who didn’t participate in their Olympic events.

Men

100 and 200 back: Rylov medals in both, pushing taking 2 medals from USA. Kolesnikov also probably beats Murphy in the 100 so there’s -3.

50 and 100 breast: Peaty wins both, pushing MA and Fink out of medals. -2

Women

100 free: McKeon easily beats Huske’s bronze time. -1

400 free: Titmus wins gold, pushing Hayes out of medals. -1

200 breast: Schoenmaker wins, pushing… Read more »

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

Blah! Blah! Blah! That’s shoulda, coulda, woulda!

You forgot to read the fine print at the bottom of the prospectus:

“past performance is no guarantee of future results”

turboturtle
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

He actually went to the meet he just got sick – your weird logic is fun though!

Last edited 2 years ago by turboturtle
Sub13
Reply to  turboturtle
2 years ago

That commenter said US was missing their best swimmer as a defence to the point that a bunch of the best swimmers are missing. The implication was clear that Dressel missing meant the USA didn’t gain an advantage from swimmers missing. I proved that wrong. A five year old could follow the logic there 😀

turboturtle
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

Too bad none of the Aussies are as good as Dressel 😀

Paul
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

Titmus pushes Hayes out of medals?

Paul Thomas
Reply to  Paul
2 years ago

Mixing up the Lias, I’d say.

Sub13
Reply to  Paul
2 years ago

Lol. I meant the other American Leah that got bronze in a women’s 400 event. Easy mistake to make.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

You forgot to read the fine print at the bottom of the prospectus:

“past performance is no guarantee of future results”

jamesjabc
Reply to  BearlyBreathing
2 years ago

Yes, this is how I feel. Obviously a fantastic achievement. No one is saying it isn’t. But also obviously somewhat enabled by more than half of the Olympic events not being contested by the Olympic champion and the vast majority of top swimming not sending a full strength team, or being banned.

Backstrokebro
2 years ago

Forgetting the mens mile tomorrow as well.

Overall I’d guess another 4 golds (Finke, Armstrong/ress, both medleys) and 2 more minor medals (other 50 back, one of the female IMers)

Maxhardie
Reply to  Backstrokebro
2 years ago

Without Dressel US might not be the favorites in the relay. Murphy, Fink, Andrew, Held I guess?

AnEn
Reply to  Backstrokebro
2 years ago

The mile isn’t contested at worlds.

Joel
Reply to  Backstrokebro
2 years ago

Ress is lucky to be in the final. Should have been DQed in heats and or semi

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Backstrokebro
2 years ago

That’s men’s 1500 meter freestyle.

Nonrevhoofan
2 years ago

Plus two more relays.

bob
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
2 years ago

There are swimmers missing from all teams including US but still a great accomplishment.Congratulations to the USA.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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