In a quadrennial swim meet in Nanterre, France, American swimmers achieved success despite a relative decline in gold medals compared to previous competitions. Bobby Finke set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle, maintaining a streak of American men winning individual gold medals in every Olympics since 1904. The U.S. women’s team also set a world record in the 4×100 medley relay. While the U.S. won the most medals and had the most podium finishes, they only claimed eight gold medals, which was slightly below their usual high standards. This was in contrast to previous Olympics where American swimmers consistently won more gold medals. Despite this, American swimmers like Caeleb Dressel acknowledged the increasing competitiveness from countries like Italy, France, and China in the sport. The overall success of American swimmers, as well as the strong performances by other nations, indicated the global growth and competitiveness in swimming. Dressel emphasized the positive impact of having a more diverse group of countries succeeding in the sport, highlighting the positive direction of swimming on the world stage.
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