Rowdy Gaines urges adjustments amid U.S. woes at swimming worlds

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 known as for big-time adjustments because the Americans battle on the world championships in Singapore.

The American group is not successful 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 and not using a CEO for a yr.

Gaines known as the physique “rudderless.”

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

The Americans have been additionally underwhelming a yr in the past on the Paris Olympics. They led the medal desk however received solely eight gold medals, the bottom whole for the reason that 1988 Seoul Olympics.

“We’re far from killing it,” Gaines stated in a phone 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 stated he has been texting continuously with Greg Meehan, the nationwide group director who was appointed 4 months in the past. Meehan can also be the top coach in Singapore.

The American have not stated what number of swimmers have fallen in poor health, however in an interview, Meehan stated “the overwhelming majority of the team has gone through something” on the championship.

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

He known as Meehan a good selection and stated he has had too little time to show issues round. Gaines additionally identified that the main target is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. These world championships, much less so.

“I think he’s going to be great,” Gaines stated of Meehan. “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 web site, and he famous that world swimming now has dozens of nations that may beat the Americans, and plenty of of their elite athletes practice within the States.

Those embody the 2 stars in Singapore: Frenchman Leon Marchand and Canadian Summer McIntosh. Marchand trains on the University of Texas at Austin, and McIntosh will likely be there this fall and be a part of Bob Bowman’s coaching group.

Bowman is, in fact, the previous 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 stated. “Thailand doesn’t make sense to me in the first place.”

He additionally put some blame on what he known as 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 start out 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,” he stated. “The post-Olympics is a real thing for all athletes whether you’re from China or the United States.”

On the optimistic facet, 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 and not using a chief. Tim Hinchey resigned because the CEO a yr in the past. He was changed by Chrissi Rawak, who stepped down after only a few days.

“I do think changes need to be made, there needs to be a complete reset,” Gaines stated. “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.”