Former Olympic 100m backstroke champion Matt Grevers predicts world records could fall as swimmers enjoy being in the spotlight as the inaugural grand finale of the International Swimming League moves ever closer in Las Vegas, United States.
Matt Grevers believes that swimmers are thriving on being the stars of the show as the countdown continues to the first grand finale of the International Swimming League in Las Vegas.
The four-time Olympic champion guided LA Current to victory in the American derby in November from which they qualified with Cali Condors for the showdown at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from 20-21 December.
There they will face Energy Standard and London Roar who took the top two European spots after the equivalent derby at the London Aquatics Centre with one club set to be crowned champions for the first time.
Grevers, who won the 100m backstroke title at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has no doubt the athletes will take the final very seriously, to the point of preparing for it as they would any top international competition.
But he also believes the quality of racing is encouraged by the fact swimmers take centre stage among all the lights.
He said: “I love it. It does feel like a different event. It’s a high-quality performance, the production value is not what we are used to. Even just having the blinds all around: I know that probably cost a lot of money but it gives a certain intimacy to the environment and really allows the lights to just shine on us instead of daylight.
“It’s just cool to be a part of that high-production value because it does feel like you are a star. You feel that everyone is watching you in the light and it’s cool.
“I think it’s extra adrenalin and a lot of people are very surprised at how fast they are racing.
“A lot of people are very tired and they are going incredible times so I think that is a lot of the atmosphere that they are creating with these events.
“It is drawing in the spectators but it is also helping the performance-level of the athletes.”
Grevers captained LA Current on the last outing at College Park but Energy Standard are the only undefeated club coming into Vegas.
They twice defeated Cali Condors in Indianapolis and Naples before topping the table in London with 2012.
And they can turn to London 2012 50m freestyle champion Florent Manaudou for the skins - back-to-back, eliminator 50m freestyle races which culminate in two swimmers in a head-to-head final worth up to triple points.
The skins promise to be a showcase of sprinting royalty with Manaudou joined by Olympic 100m freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers of London Roar, eight-time Olympic medallist Nathan Adrian and the might of Caeleb Dressel.
Dressel, the two-time Olympic champion, won both his outings in Naples, Italy, and College Park, Maryland and is among the favourites to be named MVP with Energy Standard’s Sarah Sjostrom currently topping the rankings ahead of team-mate Chad le Clos.
Dressel won the 50m and 100m freestyle double at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships and sustains a remarkable level of consistency, to which Grevers nodded, saying: “I don’t know if anyone in the world can ever beat that guy in this type of event – I mean, he’s Caeleb Dressel.”
While believing that the quality of racing is encouraged by taking centre stage, Grevers has no doubt there will be some very fast racing in Las Vegas.
He even goes as far as to predict history will be made, saying: “It’s so interesting because you are getting these swims and people are swimming four events in one session.
“We don’t do that. Maybe Caeleb Dressel or Katinka Hosszu but most people don’t four events in one session but a lot of people are doing a lot of events. I got to swim 50 breaststroke in Budapest – it was amazing, I loved it – and it’s incredible people are swimming at such a high level with that many events and such short rest.
“It is awesome and I think we are probably going to see some world records there, there’ll be some really fast swimming. Everyone in there has a chance of winning: it’s anyone’s game.
“It depends who shows up shaved and tapered and that shows who wants it bad enough. Who is willing to adjust their seasonal plan to swim their fastest at this meet and what are they sacrificing to do that? Is it adjusting their Olympic plan? A lot of people won’t do that but some people are like hey I want to win and I don’t think it will affect me.
“For me personally, I don’t think it will affect my Olympic plan to try and be my best in Vegas. I think whatever team shows up with all their rested and shaved swimmers, that is going to be a hard team to beat.”
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17 December 2019
