Bill Sweetenham, one of the elders of world swimming, has urged coaches and swimmers to “prioritise the Olympics first and foremost” now the dates of Tokyo 2020 have been set for 2021, “as historically no-one, but no-one, recognises or remembers any other result or competition”.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today named July 23-August 8, 2021 as the news dates of Tokyo 2020, the Games that will continue to be branded with the dateline of this year.

The Meaning Of It All For Swimming

It is not yet known what that will mean for the World Championships that would have taken place on the same dates in Fukuoka, also in Japan. As FINA, the international federation, talks to Fukuoka organisers (see statement in full below) who will stage the global gathering 20 years after first hosting the World titles, early suggestions hold that Worlds will follow straight on the back of Olympics.

While that may make some financial sense, it also raises instant and obvious choices and challenges for many swimmers. Distance freestyle specialists such as double World champion Florian Wellbrock, of Germany, would face an impossible schedule if peak form is what he hopes to deliver in pursuit of Olympic glory and the defence of his global titles.

His schedule would be something like:

• Week 1: Olympic 800m (inaugural event), 1500m freestyle
• Week 2: Olympic marathon
• Week 3-4: World 10km (swim marathon title defence)
• Week 4-5: 800m, 1500m freestyle (1500m title defence)

Sweetenham, former head of national programs in Australian Britain and mentor to a generation of Olympic podium placers, told me that his advice to those he works with is a message he hopes they hear ‘loud and clear’:

“The Olympics is the only competition that matters, the rest are pretenders! They should prioritise the Olympics first and foremost as, historically, no-one, but no-one, recognises or remembers any other result or competition.”

“Now is the first day of that journey (not tomorrow). Today matters! Commence strength and conditioning at home; invest in a home gym; given that Gyms are closing left right and centre there will be cheap gym weights and rowing machines etc going extremely cheap.”

The Australian’s words grant the Olympics the status they have long held in swimming, a sport in which only Olympic gold has guaranteed lasting status, recognition and financial rewards. No other prizes in swimming, a sport yet in the infancy of turning professional, have come close to having the impact on athlete lives of the biggest of Olympic results.