Michael Phelps observed from the stands in Paris as the Team USA men’s swimming team concluded the 2024 Olympic Games with a single individual gold medal, marking their worst performance in terms of individual golds since the 1956 Melbourne Games.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Phelps shared his thoughts with USA Today earlier this week. “For me, as a whole, I was pretty disappointed to see the U.S. swimming results,” Phelps admitted. “One of the things that I’ve always said over the last few years is that the rest of the world is catching up. A lot of the things that we’ve done as a country for so long, other people are catching up. They’re doing the same thing. Hopefully, we’re able to make that transition leading into 2028.”
Caeleb Dressel, who had been anticipated to be the team’s standout after winning five gold medals in the 2020 Tokyo Games, fell short of expectations. He did not secure individual medals in either the 100-meter butterfly or the 50-meter freestyle, events where he had previously excelled.
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Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete in history with 28 total medals and 23 golds over five Olympic appearances, offered praise where it was due.
He highlighted Bobby Finke’s performance in the 1,500-meter freestyle race. Finke won gold by nearly four seconds, setting a new world record with a time of 14:30.67.
“Finke last night, swimming that was unbelievable. I have chills right now talking about it,” Phelps remarked. “That was one of the best swims in the entire Olympics. Being able to break that world record in the manner that he did it, just taking it out, challenging the other guys to make a move—he was prepared. Hopefully, the other athletes will be more prepared heading into ’28.”
Looking ahead, the Team USA men’s swimming squad will aim to build momentum and improve their performance as they prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Phelps’ insights underscore the importance of adaptation and preparation in maintaining competitive excellence on the world stage.
