Having a laugh: Gold beats total medals, unless you’re American
By Tom Decent
Fukuoka: USA Swimming head coach Bob Bowman has refused to concede that Australia will top the medal tally at this year’s world swimming championships as an American broadcaster put its own spin on a poor meeting for a team normally considered the world’s best.
It came as Australian sprint king Kyle Chalmers and head coach Rohan Taylor laughed off any suggestion that the Dolphins weren’t the best team of these world championships in Japan.
After seven nights of competition in Fukuoka, Australia have an unassailable lead at the top of the medal tally, with 13 golds, five silvers and two bronze medals (total 20) from a phenomenal campaign.
According to the official World Aquatics website on Saturday evening, with one more day of competition left, China was in second place with five gold medals.
The USA is next with four golds, 16 silvers and 11 bronze medals (total 31). It is the first time since the 2001 world championships, coincidentally also in Fukuoka, that Australia have beaten the USA on the medal table.
Kyle Chalmers celebrates winning gold in the 100m freestyle.Credit: Getty
However, the Americans will finish the week with more overall medals than their Australian rivals.
There have been occasions where the USA, at a major event like an Olympics, considers total medals won as the measurement of success on a medal table.
In Australia and just about every other country in the world, it’s done on total gold medals.
Bowman, who coached Michael Phelps, was asked on Sunday who topped the medal tally - and he wasn’t willing to concede that Australia had come out on top.
“There are a number of ways to calculate it,” Bowman said. “Total number, USA. Gold medals, pick which one you like. Which one do you like?”
On NBC’s coverage, the broadcaster had the United States sitting above Australia on a medal table shown to viewers.
Chalmers was quizzed about the broadcaster’s decision to consider total medals won as a superior metric to the number of gold medals.
“They’ll always probably try and find a way to sneak it to make it look like they’re the better team,” Chalmers said. “But I think this year we’ve done it, so hopefully they let us enjoy our moment.
NBC’s medal tally after day seven, which shows the USA ahead. Credit: NBC
“It’s always been gold medals, so I think this year will be no different.”
Chalmers, who won individual gold in the men’s 100m freestyle as well as several medals in relays this week, said he was immensely proud of the squad.
“It’s always satisfying standing on the podium and at times not have to listen to the American anthem and listen to our own,” Chalmers said. “It’s very proud when you get to see your Australian flag come up and stand with your teammates.”
Australian Kaylee McKeown (centre) after one of her victories over American Regan Smith. Credit: Reuters
Taylor said that it wasn’t a question.
“The gold medals [count]. That’s how I look at it,” Taylor said. “For us, [former Australian coach] Don Talbot always said the only thing that mattered was gold. I was brought through the system that way. When you look at the World Aquatics medal table, it has the gold medals [first]. At an Olympics ... it’s golds.
“At the end of the day, it’s just a reflection of how well this team has performed. Let people decide what they want to decide. Internally, we’re really proud.”
In front of a large contingent of reporters from around the world, Bowman defended the USA’s overall performances in Fukuoka and doesn’t believe it will be a problem heading into the Olympic Games in Paris next year.
“We lost some close races. We haven’t won as many but I do think we’ve had great effort and by and large the racing has been good compared to individual standards,” Bowman said. “Obviously, we’d like to win more gold medals and I think we will.”
“As a team [Australia] have swum amazing. Their depth, particularly in some of the women’s sprinting, is beyond belief. It’s quite good. They have covered all the bases.”
Bowman also answered questions about perceived conflicts of interests, given that he is personally coaching swimmers at these world championships from other countries.
France star Leon Marchand, who is part of Bowman’s training program at Arizona State University, has won gold medals in the 200m and 400m individual medley events, plus the 200m butterfly.
“It’s ethically OK to me,” Bowman said. “The bottom line is I get paid to coach these guys at ASU [Arizona State University]. I’m not taking away from the US guys to say, ‘Nice job Leon, make your breaststroke a little better’.
“If you look at swimming, every coach in the US team is coaching an international swimmer. There’s always that dynamic of the people you’re coaching at home, the people on the national team.”