Ex-Olympic champ Rowdy Gaines requires modifications at USA Swimming as group struggles in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Rowdy Gaines, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, minces few phrases when he broadcasts swimming for the American community NBC.

And he did not maintain again in an interview with The Associated Press over the shaky state of American swimming. He’s calling for big-time modifications because the Americans battle on the world championships in Singapore.

The American group is not profitable as a lot as anticipated or dominating, it is battling a case of “acute gastroenteritis” picked up at coaching camp in Thailand earlier than arriving in Singapore, and the governing physique — USA Swimming — has been with no CEO for a yr.

Gaines known as the physique ”rudderless.”

“Can you imagine any corporation going for a year without a CEO?” Gaines asked.

The Americans were also underwhelming a year ago at the Paris Olympics. They led the medal table, but won only eight gold medals, the lowest total since the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

“We’re far from killing it,” said Gaines in a telephone interview from the United States. “It’s a major struggle and we can’t hide our heads in the sand and say this is just a blip.”

Gaines said he’s been texting frequently with Greg Meehan, the national team director who was appointed four months ago. Meehan is also the head coach in Singapore.

The American haven’t said how many swimmers have fallen ill, but in an interview Meehan said “the overwhelming majority of the team has gone through something” at the championship.”

“Greg and I have been going back and forth in a very good way, very positive,” Gaines said.

He called Meehan a good choice and said he’s had too little time to turn things around. Gaines also pointed out that the focus is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. These world championships, less so.

“I think he’s (Meehan) going to be great,” Gaines said. “He’s got that calm reserve. He had great success at Stanford. He’s coached some of the best swimmers ever. I think he’s a good choice, he’s just walking into a bit of a landmine.”

Like many, Gaines questioned why the Americans picked Thailand as a coaching camp website and famous that global swimming now has dozens of nations that may beat the Americans, and lots of of their elite athletes practice within the States.

Those include the two stars in Singapore: Frenchman Léon Marchand and Canadian Summer McIntosh. Marchand trains at the University of Texas at Austin, and McIntosh will be there this fall and join Bob Bowman’s training group.

Bowman is, of course, the former coach of American swimming legend Michael Phelps.

“You can blame it on the illness, you can blame it on the inexperience — most of these kids have never been in this situation — and you can blame it on logistics,” Gaines said. “Thailand doesn’t make sense to me in the first place.”

He also put some blame on what he called the “state of today’s athletes.”

“I think in some cases there’s an entitlement for a lot of these kids, they feel like — ‘I should be in the finals of the world championships. And I can still do the peripheral stuff and not worry about making it all the way’.”

“I think there needs to be a more focused attitude on the task at hand,” he added.

Gaines additionally famous that many swimmers battle the yr after the Olympics. They simply completed a four-year cycle, so the place is the motivation to begin over once more?

“It just beats you up because mentally and physically you are focused on four straight years, and the post-Olympic year can beat some people up. The post-Olympics is a real thing for all athletes whether you’re from China or the United States.”

On the optimistic aspect, he talked up the way forward for 10 to fifteen younger American male swimmers together with Luca Urlando, the winner of the 200-butterfly and the one American man to win gold over the primary 5 days. The championships finish Sunday.

“The women are already very good,” Gaines added.

Gaines stated a lot of the issue is that USA Swimming has gone for a yr with no chief. Tim Hinchey resigned because the CEO a yr in the past. He was changed by Chrissi Rawak, who stepped down after just some days.

“I do think changes need to be made, there needs to be a complete reset,” Gaines said “But I don’t think the sky is falling. But there needs to be some great leadership. Whoever they hire as CEO needs to be the leader that is sorely needed.”

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