Doubts Cast Aside, Team USA Leaves Rio In Familiar Territory: Atop Mount Olympus

When are we going to learn? When are we going to put doubt away, and trust a system that has rarely – if ever – failed? When are we going to not go doomsday with our attitude?

Flash back six weeks, to the end of the United States Olympic Trials. It was a solid eight days in Omaha, American depth on full display in a competition more cutthroat – from a U.S. perspective – than the Olympic Games. Put the results from Trials in a spreadsheet with the rest of the world, and there is no comparison: What American swimming produces in a five-deep, 10-deep, 16-deep look cannot be matched by any other nation.

Yet, the top was concerning. There were a handful of No. 1 global performances, but nothing like the 10 Australia would take into the Olympic Games in Rio. Sure, Katie Ledecky left no question she’d roar in Brazil, but what of the rest? Even Michael Phelps appeared vulnerable. How would this collection of veterans and rookies come together, and would several weeks of preparation yield what history has taught?

Yes, and resoundingly so.

For eight days at the Rio Aquatics Centre, Team USA frolicked in the water, playing the splashing bully to the rest of the world. More precisely, the Americans took the opposition and dunked them. There were no lifeguards to boot them out, either. No one to stop the roughhousing. This was the United States’ pool, and its athletes made the rules.

“I think I got chills every time a U.S. (athlete) swam,” said rookie Kathleen Baker, who won silver in the 100 backstroke and gold as the leadoff leg of the 400 medley relay. We’ve had an incredible week and to be part of such great history with Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps has been such a great experience, as well as carrying on a great tradition.”

It’s the last word of Baker’s statement that resonates greatest. Tradition. It’s been around USA Swimming for eons, each group picking up where the previous left off. It’s easy for a coaching staff to throw the word around in an attempt to generate momentum, but unless it truly is an ingrained characteristic, words will ring hollow. They do not do so with any American squad, and this latest edition will go down in history, too.

The opening night of action in Rio was not a poor showing by the United States. It claimed three silver medals out of four finals, an American record by the women’s 400 freestyle relay capping the evening. But Australia stood on the top of the podium twice, a Mack Horton triumph in the 400 freestyle and a world …

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