Updates are available on a pair of stories previously reported this week at the World Championships.
American swimmer Annie Lazor‘s appeal for her disqualification in the women’s 100 breaststroke semifinals was rejected on Monday morning. After touching 4th in her heat on Sunday evening in Budapest, Lazor was disqualified for ““leg movements not simultaneous or alternating movement.” Her semifinal finish would have been enough to push her through to the final, but instead her American teammate and Indiana post-grad training partner Lilly King bumps up into 8th place. For her part, King, an Olympic gold medalist and captain of the US team, said that she hoped that the protest would be overturned, even though it would mean losing her spot in the final.
The lost protest cost USA Swimming 500 Swiss Francs ($518).
South African swimmer Chad Le Clos, meanwhile, is out of the entire meet after missing the 200 fly prelims on Monday. The (team) the manager has confirmed that he has a medical and has withdrawn from all his events. Le Clos finished 33rd in his first event of the meet, the 50 fly, and was seeded 10th in the 200 fly. He was also seeded 25th in his other entry at the meet, the 100 fly.
Le Clos is a four-time Olympic medalist, including most famously a gold in London 2012 where he upended his rival Michael Phelps. He is the latest big-name South African to withdraw from the meet, after World Record holder and Olympic gold medalist Tatjana Schoenmaker declined her entry, and rising star Pieter Coetze pulled out of the meet after testing positive for COVID-19. With those present South Africans, including Matt Sates, turning their focus ahead to the Commonwealth Games, the South African contingent is not expected to make much impact this week in Budapest.
Breaststroke is the hardest stroke by far you’re just mad u can’t do it
That’s the most nonchalant reaction to a WR of all time. Long finish too, should have been 51.5
USA Swimming should assign officials to top meets that are willing to make calls so this stops happening at international competitions. Right now USA Swimming officiating has nothing to do with skill and everything to do with who you know as well as your willingness to keep your hand down at major competitions.
That $518 should come straight out of Lazor’s pockets.
Huge agree
Capitalism,
I can understand why you might think that she should have to pay the $518. You can probably make a good case for that. However, I actually believe that USA Swimming should pay the cost. The reason that I believe this is, I view it essentially as normal business expenses for USA Swimming. I would expect them to appeal any DQs against America’s athletes. Let’s say that the athlete has to fund the appeal themselves, if we have an athlete who is indigent, they might not file for the appeal. If America ever lost a medal because an individual athlete is indigent, it would be terrible. As a nation, we need to make sure that we always give our… Read more »
He knows he has no chance against Kristof Milak. Good tactic to avoid humiliation!
Nobody has a chance against Milak to be fair but that’s def not the reason he’s withdrawing
Doesn’t make sense. No one has the chance to beat Milak. Does it mean everyone in this event should withdraw from this event?
Fina probably needed Lilly King in the final to bring in more sponsorship dollars through viewership .. so why not get rid of another American so there would be less of a furore .. now watch Lilly king smoke the field and win gold from lane 8 lol
How do I double downvote something
Chad getting ill is a blessing here.
I like Chad and between 2010-16 was easily always top 5 swimmers in the world. Whilst an entertaining watch at times, chad training with Swimsuit guy is a disaster.
Tokyo was a nightmare and what’s he done since ?
If he wants to move himself on or actually be competitive he needs a steady training base not travelling around all the time been the centre of YouTube videos with a full time world class coach.
See how commies go, but I can see another fly and die coming on 200fly and 51 low 100, which for an athlete of his calibre is in no man’s land.
He’ll be… Read more »
What’s up with these YouTuber-wannabe coaches lately??
I mean he is a legit coach and has been for a while, but idk how far his experience stretches with elite swimmers
If I recall, he was primarily coaching age-group swimmers before getting bigger on YouTube.
Chad’s other event, you probably meant to say 100 free, not fly?