WATCH: Simone Manuel and Penny Oleksiak Tie – From Underwater

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Swimming: August 6-13
• Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
• Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
• SwimSwam previews 
• Day 7 Schedule & Results
• Live Stream (NBC)

There’s one view of a race that comes from above the water. This is the race that most of us are used to. Even as coaches, athletes, and every-day-swim-watchers, we still very rarely see the perspective of a race from underneath the water. There’s a ton of attention paid to what’s happening above the water in swimming – where the elbow is, for example – partially influenced by the fact that it’s what we see best and most commonly.

But most of what matters happens underneath the water. Underneath the water drives all of the drag and all of the propulsion, which determines what happens. The catch, the pull, these are the things that drive a swimmer forward.

Thanks to the video linked below, however, we can see an entire race from beneath the water – and that race just-so-happens to be 0ne for an Olympic gold medal. American Simone Manuel and Canadian Penny Oleksiak tied for the gold medal in the 100 free with a 52.70. While the race didn’t include a podium finish from Cate Campbell, the World Record holder, it did include a pairing of the Olympic Record from the two young North Americans.

The view doesn’t show much of Oleksiak, but focuses around the American Manuel. To her left at the start, in the yellow cap at the bottom of the screen, is the aforementioned World Record holder Campbell. To her right at the start (other yellow cap) is Cate’s sister Bronte and Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo – the other champ. We do see glimpses of Oleksiak, to Cate Campbell’s left, throughout the video.

• Watch the whole race underwater here.