SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers
RESULTS
Question: Will any swimmer medal in both the pool and open water events at the Tokyo Olympics?
- Yes – 57.3%
- No – 42.7%
More than half of voters predicted that the 2021 Olympics would be the second ever to have a swimmer win a medal in both pool and open water swimming.
The feat has only been accomplished once in Olympic history – though to be fair, the modern marathon swimming 10K has only been an Olympic event since 2008. That means we’ve had two Summer Olympics with no crossover medalists, and one (2012) in which Tunisia’s Ous Mellouli won 10K gold in open water and 1500 free bronze in the pool.
A few arguments in favor of someone joining Mellouli this year:
The Summer Olympics now feature more distance free events in the pool. Previously, top open water swimmers on the women’s side would have had to swim down to the 800 free for a shot at a pool medal. Now, they have the 1500 free joining the Olympic program for the first time. Meanwhile the men added the 800 free along with the 1500 free.
There are a couple of really good candidates to try the double. Florian Wellbrock of Germany swept gold medals at the 2019 World Championships in both the 1500 free and the open water 10K. Meanwhile Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri is one of the favorites for 1500 free gold, and has also surged in open water recently. He won an open water silver medal in the team event at 2019 Worlds.
The counterargument, though, is the schedule. At 2019 Worlds, Wellbrock had 11 days between his 10K win and prelims of the 1500. Paltrinieri had nine days between his open water team medal and prelims of the 1500 (though both did have an 800 free in between).
In the Olympic schedule, the 800 free would take place on July 27 and 29, with the 1500 frees on July 30 and August 1 for the men. The open water 10K event is just four days later, on August 5.
For the women, the 1500 free is July 26 and 28, with the 800 free on July 29 and 31. The open water 10K is also four days later, on August 4. In races that long and punishing, recovery periods matter – and the Olympic format will create a very different hurdle to winning medals in both the pool and open water, likely within four days of one another.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters which day 4 event Kate Douglass should swim at NCAAs next month:
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
I hope these kind of swimmers keep getting more attention. They know what a true workload is.