The Tokyo Olympics were by no means a failure for Team USA in the pool, though it might look that way at first glance.
While the women’s overall medal count increased from 16 to 18 — thanks in part to the addition of the women’s 1500-meter freestyle — the overall gold medal count decreased to just three — in large part due to Australia’s return to dominance. And while in past Olympics, Team USA consistently produced the breakout swimmer(s) of each Olympics (Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel, Missy Franklin, etc.), this year, that title undeniably belonged to Australia’s Ariarne Titmus.
In total, Australia won 14 medals — but eight of them were gold.
That doesn’t mean it’s time to hit the panic button for Team USA. While the U.S. didn’t dominate the top of the podium as many are used to, there are plenty of reasons to believe that USA Swimming’s future is bright.
There’s more depth than ever before
Anyone who has watched a collegiate conference meet understands the importance of depth to winning a championship. Even in an ‘individual’ sport like swimming, teams that have depth are simply more successful. This held true in Tokyo, where…
