The performance of the US men’s swimming team at the Paris Olympics “disappointed” legendary US swimmer Michael Phelps.
The 23-time Olympic gold medalist wasn’t shy about sharing his opinion on the U.S. team’s overall performance at this year’s Summer Games.
“Overall, I was pretty disappointed with how USA Swimming did,” Phelps said. USA Today“Obviously there were some outstanding swims and those need to be recognised.”
Phelps added that he was also concerned about the team’s prospects four years from now, when Los Angeles will host the Olympics in 2028. Phelps believes the U.S. no longer has a competitive advantage over other countries in the sport.
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Former U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps reacts during an interview on the pool deck ahead of the night session of the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 28, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schroeder)
“For me, one of the things I’ve been saying for the last few years is the rest of the world is catching up,” Phelps said. “A lot of the things that we’ve been doing for years, I think other countries are catching up. They’re doing the same things.”
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The pool at the Paris Olympic Aquatics Center closed with the U.S. men’s team winning one individual gold medal, the first time since 1956 that U.S. men have finished an Olympics with only one individual gold medal.
Bobby Finke set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Sunday to win gold and help the United States avoid a shutout victory.
US gold medalist Bobby Finke poses after the men’s 1500m freestyle during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Paris-La Defense Arena on August 4, 2024 in Nanterre, Paris. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)
“Bobby Finke’s swim last night. It was unbelievable,” Phelps said after Finke won gold. “I get goosebumps just talking about it now. It was one of the best swims in the Olympics, in my opinion. The fact that he was able to do it, break that world record, just go for it and challenge other guys to just make the move. He was ready.”
Former US swimmer Michael Phelps watches the men’s golf individual stroke play event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Le Golf National in Guyancourt on August 1, 2024. (Emmanuel Dunant/AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. men’s swimming team has won at least one individual gold medal at every Olympic Games since the 1900 Games, also held in Paris.
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The U.S. team won the gold medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. The U.S. also won the silver medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay, an event in which the U.S. has dominated in recent years.
Overall, American swimmers won 28 medals, led by Katie Ledecky on the women’s side. The U.S. team won eight gold medals in total, beating Australia’s seven.
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