SwimSwam Pulse is a routine function monitoring and examining the result of our periodic A3 Efficiency Polls. You’ll solid your vote in our latest ballot at the SwimSwam homepage, about midway down the web page at the proper facet.
Our most up-to-date polls requested SwimSwam readers who rounds out their “starting five” swimming group for the primary quarter of the twenty first century:
Query: Who cracks your top-5 swimmers of the quarter century (2000-2024) if Phelps, Ledecky, Lochte and Thorpe are the primary 4?
RESULTS
During the last month, the Nationwide Hockey League (NHL) has been freeing their quarter-century groups for various franchises, as the tip of 2024 marked 25 years since we entered into the yr 2000 (although the change into the twenty first century formally passed off on Jan. 1, 2001).
Since 2000, Michael Phelps has turn out to be the best Olympian of all-time, so his standing as the most productive swimmer of the ultimate 25 years is unquestioned.
The similar can also be stated for Katie Ledecky at the girls’s facet, as, with 9 gold and 14 general Olympic medals, maximum would imagine her the best feminine swimmer ever.
Phelps and Ledecky had been evident alternatives as the highest two swimmers of the primary quarter century, with Ryan Lochte and Ian Thorpe most probably being penciled in as the following two through maximum.
Lochte used to be one of the vital global’s preferrred swimmers for a longer time frame, from 2004 till 2016, profitable 12 Olympic medals and a blended 39 global titles between brief route and lengthy route.
Thorpe had a a lot more abbreviated profession on the height, and it began sooner than 2000, however he used to be dominant in his top. The Australian received 5 gold and 9 general medals between the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, and claimed 9 of his 11 LC global titles in both 2001 or 2003, together with environment particular person global data within the males’s 200, 400 and 800 unfastened on the 2001 Worlds in Fukuoka.
However past the ones 4, the swimmer to spherical out the highest 5 swimmers of the previous 25 years didn’t appear as uncomplicated. There used to be no scarcity of applicants, so we introduced it to the SwimSwam ballot to peer who lovers consider to be a top-five swimmer of the previous quarter century.
Within the most-voted ballot since simply after the Olympics, Sarah Sjostrom led the best way with 34% of votes, and it’s simple to peer why.
Sjostrom reached the highest of the game in 2009, profitable an international name and breaking the sector report within the girls’s 100 fly on the age of 15, and 15 years later, received a couple of Olympic gold medalists within the 50 and 100 unfastened simply sooner than her thirty first birthday.
Throughout the 15 years between, Sjostrom had some disappointments, such because the 2012 Olympics in London, however used to be in large part dominant at each and every main championship meet from there. She received Olympic gold in Rio within the 100 fly, breaking the sector report, and in addition received minor medals within the 100 and 200 unfastened.
She bounced again from a damaged elbow early within the yr to win silver within the 50 unfastened on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, after which reeled off a shocking double ultimate summer season in Paris with a sweep within the 50 and 100 unfastened.
The Swede has additionally received 14 lengthy route global titles all over her profession, together with six instantly within the 50 fly (2015-2024) and 3 instantly within the 50 unfastened (2022-2024), and these days owns global data within the 50 unfastened, 100 unfastened and 50 fly in lengthy route (and in the past held the 100 fly in LC and the 50 unfastened, 100 unfastened, 200 unfastened and 100 fly in SC).
Trailing Sjostrom used to be the just lately retired Katinka Hosszu, whose profession resume we defined in ultimate week’s SwimSwam Pulse article.
Like Sjostrom, Hosszu had a longer reign of dominance basically all the way through the 2010s, although her Olympic luck handiest got here in 2016—to be honest, she would’ve been a favourite for 2 golds on the Tokyo Olympics in the event that they went ahead in 2020.
Hosszu earned 16.6% of votes, whilst the 2 male swimmers who exceeded 10% within the polls had been Leon Marchand and Caeleb Dressel.
Marchand has had a brief, however unbelievable, reign atop the game. After putting sixth within the 400 IM on the Tokyo Olympics, he’s step by step turn out to be extra dominant each and every yr since, profitable two global titles and one silver in 2022, claiming 3 global titles and breaking Phelps’ longstanding 400 IM global report in 2023, after which turning in one of the vital largest Olympic performances of all-time along with his particular person 4 gold medals (and a relay bronze) on the 2024 Olympics on house soil in Paris.
Dressel kicked off his Olympic profession with a couple of relay gold medals in Rio, after which he reeled off 3 dominant performances on the 2017 International Championships, 2019 International Championships and the Tokyo Olympics, profitable a blended 18 gold medals between the ones 3 meets. That integrated particular person golds within the males’s 50 unfastened, 100 unfastened and 100 fly each and every day out, and a 50 fly name in 2019 besides.
Dressel received a couple of global titles in 2022 sooner than finishing his meet early, and he hasn’t returned to height shape since, although he used to be getting shut in 2024, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic group and profitable 3 relay medals, together with two gold, which supplies him 9 general to tie for #2 all-time amongst all athletes at the back of Phelps’ 23.
Dressel additionally these days owns two global data within the males’s 100 fly (LC) and 100 IM (SC), and in the past held SC marks within the 50 unfastened and 100 fly as neatly.
From there, 12 different swimmers had been featured within the ballot, 8 of whom earned a minimum of 1% of the vote.
Natalie Coughlin received 12 Olympic medals between the 2004 and 2012 Video games, 11 of which got here in Athens and Beijing. That integrated going back-to-back within the 100 again in 2004 and 2008, and she or he additionally received particular person medals within the 100 unfastened and 200 IM. She held global data within the LCM 100 again and the SCM 100 again, 200 again, 100 fly and 100 IM all over her profession.
Kaylee McKeown swept the ladies’s 100 and 200 again at two instantly Olympics in 2021 and 2024, and in 2023, become the primary feminine swimmer to brush the 50, 100 and 200 global titles in the similar stroke within the backstroke occasions. She has 9 profession Olympic medals, together with a person bronze within the 200 IM, and these days holds the LCM 50 and 200 again global data, and in the past held the LCM 100 again and SCM 100 and 200 again marks.
Aaron Peirsol received 5 gold and 7 Olympic medals from 2000 till 2008, together with sweeping the lads’s 100 and 200 again in 2004, and repeating within the 100 again in 2008. He additionally received 4 global titles within the 200 again from 2001 till 2009, handiest settling for silver in 2007, and claimed 3 instantly 100 again gold medals at Worlds from 2003 till 2007. He these days owns the 200 again global report in LCM and in the past held the 100 again report and the SCM 200 again mark.
Grant Hackett received seven Olympic medals between 2000 and 2008, together with repeating within the 1500 unfastened in Athens after first profitable on house turf in Sydney. He then received silver in Beijing. Hackett additionally received 4 instantly global titles within the 1500 from 1998 to 2005, shattering the sector report in 2001, and received back-to-back titles within the 800 unfastened (2003/2005) and went wire-to-wire with titles within the 400, 800 and 1500 in 2005. He previously held global data within the LC 200, 800 and 1500 unfastened, and the SC 400, 800 and 1500.
Laszlo Cseh used to be thought to be the second-best all-around male swimmer on this planet for years all over the Phelps generation, profitable six Olympic medals spanning from 2004 to 2016—4 silver and two bronze. Phelps received gold in 5 of the ones races, and within the different, the 100 fly in 2016, the 2 tied for silver (with Chad le Clos). Cseh did win two global titles all over his profession, coming within the 400 IM (2005) and 200 fly (2015), and in the past held global data within the 200 and 400 IM in SCM.
Pieter van den Hoogenband received seven Olympic medals from 2000 till 2008, together with scary Thorpe within the males’s 200 unfastened at Sydney 2000. van den Hoogenband additionally went back-to-back on the Olympics within the 100 unfastened in 2000 and 2004, and used to be the runner-up to Thorpe within the ‘Race of the Century’ within the Athens 200 unfastened ultimate. He interestingly by no means received a LC global name, however did dangle the sector report within the LC 100 and 200 unfastened all over his profession.
Kosuke Kitajima received seven Olympic medals from 2004 to 2012, together with finishing the breaststroke double-double, profitable the lads’s 100 and 200 breast on the 2004 Video games in Athens after which repeating in each races in 2008. He additionally helped propel Japan to 3 Olympic medals within the males’s medley relay, received 3 LC global titles, and held LC global data within the 100 and 200 breast all over his profession.
Missy Franklin used to be the most productive feminine swimmer on this planet from 2011 till 2013, profitable 13 gold medals around the 2011 Worlds, 2012 Olympics and 2013 Worlds. That integrated a six gold medal haul on the 2013 Worlds, and claiming 5 medals on the London Olympics, together with 4 golds and a sweep of the backstroke occasions. Franklin held global data within the LC and SC 200 again all over her profession, and even if she persevered to win medals on the 2015 Worlds (5 medals, two particular person) and 2016 Olympics (prelim relay), harm lower her profession brief.
We additionally noticed just about 2% vote for “other” within the ballot—if that used to be you, tell us your select within the feedback underneath.
Additionally, if you happen to’ve were given any fascinating ballot questions you’d like to peer someday, tell us within the feedback.
Under, vote in our new A3 Efficiency Ballot, which asks: Who would be the maximum impactful midseason addition:
Loading …
ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
A3 Efficiency is an independently-owned, efficiency swimming wear corporate constructed on a keenness for swimming, athletes, and athletic efficiency. We inspire swimmers to swim higher and quicker at every age and ranges, from learners to Olympians. Pushed through a real chief and trustworthy body of workers which can be captivated with swimming and repair, A3 Efficiency strives to encourage and enrich the game of swimming with leading edge and impactful merchandise that inspire swimmers to be their perfect – an A3 Performer.
The A3 Efficiency Ballot is courtesy of A3 Efficiency, a SwimSwam spouse.
