Tom Shields Completes World Cup Sweep of 100 Butterfly; Continues Under-the-Radar Excellence
With his victory in the 100-meter butterfly on the opening day of the Kazan stop of the FINA World Cup, American Tom Shields completed a series sweep of the event. From Berlin to Budapest and Doha to Kazan, Shields was perfect in the 100 fly, his latest triumph registered behind an effort of 49.20. In Berlin and Budapest, Shields twice cracked the 49-second barrier.
En route to his unbeaten World Cup run, Shields notched victories over the likes of South African Chad Le Clos and Hungarian star Kristof Milak. More, his performances followed up a strong showing during the regular season of the International Swimming League. Racing for the L.A. Current, Shields once again emerged as one of his team’s most-reliable performers.
During this 2021 campaign, much has been made – and rightfully so – about the efforts of Caeleb Dressel, who produced an epic performance at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Meanwhile, athletes such as Katie Ledecky and Lydia Jacoby have received their proper due. As for the 30-year-old Shields, he also deserves recognition.
A longtime member of the United States National Team and a veteran of international action, Shields continues to have an impact on the sport. After earning a second trip to the Olympic Games, Shields picked up a gold medal in the 400 medley relay, due to his butterfly leg in the prelims of the event. Now, he prepares to wrap up a highly successful World Cup circuit, with the ISL playoffs on tap for next month.
Outside of the pool, Shields has been open about dealing with depression and a suicide attempt during his darkest days. This willingness to show his human side will only help others in their battles with depression.
Put the complete picture together and Tom Shields has enjoyed a superb year, one for which he deserves a round of applause.