Michael Andrew Swims Disappointing 100 Breast in First Races Since Olympics at Short Course Worlds
The last time Michael Andrew took part in an official race, he was swimming the breaststroke leg on the U.S. men’s 400 medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics. He recorded a fine 58.49 breaststroke split for the fourth-best in the field, keeping the Americans within striking distance of Great Britain. That gave Caeleb Dressel a chance to bring the squad into the lead, and the U.S. went on to win gold in world-record time. That morning, Andrew became an Olympic gold medalist.
The Olympics were by no means a perfect meet for Andrew, who stamped himself as a medal contender in the 100 breaststroke and even a gold-medal favorite in the 200 IM with an amazing Olympic Trials. He ended up falling somewhat flat in his individual races in Tokyo. He ended up fourth in the 100 breast, and then he held the lead in the 200 IM Olympic final before fading to fifth. Still, the year as a whole was a big success, and he had an Olympic gold medal and appearances in three individual Olympic finals to show for it.
At the Short Course World Championships, Andrew returned to competition. He did not race in the ISL or any other competitions this fall, and he had taken an extended break from training as well. And he was beginning with an event, the 100 breast, that featured one of the strongest fields of the meet. Adam Peaty was absent, but Olympic silver medalist Arno Kamminga and bronze medalist Nicolo Martinenghi were there, along with world-record holder Ilya Shymanovich and ISL final winner Nic Fink.
Indeed, that quartet finished within four tenths of each other in the 100 breast semifinals on day one in Abu Dhabi, with Germany’s Fabien Schwingenschlogl joining them as the likely candidates to win medals in the final. Andrew, meanwhile, ended up 14th, his time of 57.83 leaving him more than a second behind the lead pack and well out of the mix for Friday’s final.
Throughout the swim, Andrew’s stroke looked off, a long way from the efficient form he showed off when he twice broke the American record in the long course version of the event at Olympic Trials. He was fine through 50 meters with his 26.75 split, but his second 50 was clocked at 31.08, the slowest mark of all 16 semifinalists.
The likely conclusion is that Andrew is not yet back to his best form following the Olympics, which would be perfectly understandable after a much-deserved break from training. And given his recent track record, it’s not too concerning: he followed up a poor ISL season and early spring last fall with breakout performances in May and June that set him up to become an Olympic gold medalist on August 1.
Expect to see Andrew back in top form by the time the long course championships roll around, with the U.S. World Championship Trials in late April 2022. And he’s likely to have some success at this meet over the next five days of competition. He still has the 50 free, 50 breast, 50 fly, 100 fly and 100 IM to go, and in all of those events minus the 100 fly, he can rely on his raw speed and power to propel himself toward medal contention. He will also factor heavily into the four different 200-meter relays on the program, freestyle and medley in both the men’s and mixed categories.
So despite his disappointing start, Andrew may will likely himself a few medals this week in Abu Dhabi.
DeepBlue Media is Swimming World’s official supplier of photos from the Short Course World Championships.
So… it’s NOT disappointing then, since his performance is relative to where he is in his training?
I don’t get the negativity laced throughout articles regarding this swimmer.
Why give him air time. He did his best scm time who h was 14th in this field. Enough said other than he has to be much faster if he is going to compete at this level. At least he got a trip out of it. If he doesnt prepare better, it may be his last!
Let’s follow his performances and wish he the best.
So he can actually come home slower than 30.69?
If he isn’t in good shape. and since his training builds no background to rely on I don’t understand why he is entered in the the 100 of anything. Maybe since this is still a world championship, although of lesser importance by far than a long course worlds, especially coming off of an Olympics, he should be reserving his best for relay duties and maybe two 50 meter events where he has a decent chance to medal for the U.S.
Gweat Engwish – by a negat8ve twit…waken up!
So despite his disappointing start, Andrew may will likely himself a few medals this week in Abu Dhabi.
I’m sure he is fine with 57. as his first race since the olympics. The media love to push a negative rhetoric on MA – maybe the author can respond & tell me why.