MSV Olympic Review: Top 3 Men’s Races

Obviously, this is a subjective ranking, but I like ranking things sometimes, so here we go. As a full fledged swim nerd, I watched and enjoyed every single event. How can you not when you are looking at the best in the world each and every time?

What makes a top race for me? First, I love a battle in which the outcome is anybody’s guess. Give me three or four people with a solid shot and I’m glued to the edge of my seat. Second, I like the “out of nowhere” type swims. When a name you have never really of heard of puts it all together at just the right time to claim glory. Third, I like the “what did I just see?” swims. The one’s where the result really didn’t seem humanly possible in my mind until I saw it in that moment.

So….with that, let’s hand out the medals

Bronze: 1500 Freestyle

Maybe it was just the race I needed at the end of the swimming events. No gold medals for the US men in individual events with one race to go. Finke was the favorite, but you just had to start thinking it was just not our Olympics on the men’s side. It wasn’t too along ago when Finke won gold in the event with a miraculous last 50 and had me jumping on the couch screaming “He’s gonna win!!! He’s gonna win!!!” In 2024, gold medal…check. World record….check. A happy swim fan….double check

Silver: 200 Fly/200 Breast

I have to group these two together and since they were about an hour apart, I don’t feel bad doing it. Finding anyone who could qualify for the Olympics in these two events is unheard of. Even if they were separated by 8 days. I remember watching a Phillips 66 meet eons ago where Michael Phelps made the top 8 in the 200 Breast and I was astonished. Now take Marchand, winning both, on the same night, in the Olympics. Throw in the home crowd and the off the meter noise. Absolutely and electric double.

Gold: 100 Free

Controversial pick because there is so much noise around doping on this one. I go innocent until proven guilty and if guilty, you pay the piper. So for, now, and honestly I hope remains this way, Pan’s swim made time stop for me. The lead, the margin of victory, the time…all just incomprehensible for my eyes and ears to process. Time’s weren’t especially fast this meet. Slow pool or whatever. They were great, not off the charts. This one wasn’t just off the charts, it was on a whole new chart all together. It’s rare I’m left speechless, but this one did the trick.

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