The World Championships came to close last night, yielding to the participants the most immediate challenge of driving to the airport in a foot of snow coupled with the dull, inescapable anxiety of a tarmac phenomenon known as “the aircraft de-icing process.” There just has to be a better way to do that. But I will reserve my commentary on the airline companies for an article in Forbes Magazine. 

In recapping the entire event a few things stood out to me:

Top Return to Form: Park Tae Hwan. Given his performance at the Olympics, which was wrought with both controversy, and I imagine a great deal of personal distraction, the Korean distance ace was dominant throughout the course of the weekend and displayed impressive range spanning from his national record in the 100 free all the way to his dominance in the distance events. It is clear Park has not skipped a beat and has also found some consistency in his training. I would conjecture that he is one of few athletes in which this meet holds legitimate meaning for. He is back on track, and I would expect that trend to continue through the 2017 Long Course World Championships. 

US Collegiate program entering Full Adulthood: NC State. Simonas Bilas and Anton Ipsen both performed well on the final day of competition. To me the rise of NC State is highlighted by the fact that aside from the recent NCAA success, they are continuing to supply elite world-class talent. What Braden Holloway has done in his tenure at the head of that program is nothing short of amazing, because in many ways, big swimming names (certain major programs) have been entrenched for decades. They are not merely the “new kid on the block.” They are “the big kid on the block.” You are welcome for the pun. 

Non-Worlds Performance that “Could have been:” Ryan Hoffer. I am so glad my career is over, because this sport is getting crazy fast. This guy went 18.7 and 41.7. That is elite on a world scale and very noteworthy. The future of American sprinting is both bright and extremely deep. Anthony Ervin and Nathan Adrian will continue to be the highest profile names, but Held, Hoffer, Chadwick, Dressel, and many others will continue to put the pressure on incumbent stars and should give the US confidence moving forward in that event group. 

In conclusion, the World Championships if nothing else, yielded some information on a few names that seem to have shrugged off any Olympic hangover and have immediate sights on 2017. Le Clos, Hosszu, and Park are three examples of very focused athletes right now. As we move into the holidays, the Olympic gas tank is sufficiently empty. We coasted into the pump. In order to have success this summer, the next month of refocusing and getting back to work will separate those with the genuine desire to “keep the dream alive.” Moreover, I feel like the overall participation of this meet will continue to keep discussion alive about how to continually offer viewer friendly opportunities for fans to consume the sport. So on the global stage populated by pro’s, we now enter the long road of trying to read too much into unrested, unshaved swims.

By: Davis Tarwater

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