Swimming
5 swimmers who will be major contenders at the Tokyo Olympics
We'll discuss the careers of the five swimmers who could prove to be the major contenders at the Tokyo Olympics
![American swimmer Caeleb Dressel will be a major favourite for gold at the Tokyo Olympics [Source: Swimming World]](https://thebridge.in/h-upload/2021/06/03/6686-american-swimmer-caeleb-dressel-will-be-a-major-favourite-for-gold-at-the-tokyo-olympics-source-swimming-world.webp "American swimmer Caeleb Dressel will be a major favourite for gold at the Tokyo Olympics [Source: Swimming World]")
American swimmer Caeleb Dressel will be a major favourite for gold at the Tokyo Olympics [Source: Swimming World]
With the Tokyo 2020 Olympics fast approaching, the spotlight will be on the swimming events this year. In the men's events, the void left by Olympic great Michael Phelps will provide several swimmers the opportunity to rise to the mantle.
The likes of Katie Ledecky and Sarah Sjostrom will also try to script history in the women's events.
Let's take a look at the major contenders for the top prizes at the Tokyo Olympics:
5. Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
Swedish competitive swimmer Sarah Sjostrom specializes in sprint freestyle and butterfly events. She won the Overall Swimming World Cup in 2017 and 2018 and has 10 individual World Championship gold medals to her name!
Sjostrom has won more individual medals (16) at long course World Championships than any other female swimmer in history. Only Olympic great Michael Phelps has won more individual medals.
Sarah Sjostrom also holds the current world records in the 50m freestyle (long course), 100m freestyle (long course), 200m freestyle (short course), 50m butterfly (long course) and 100m butterfly (short course and long course). She also became the first Swedish woman to win an Olympic gold in 2016.
4. Daiya Seto (Japan)
Japanese competitive swimmer Daiya Seto specializes in individual medley, butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle events. He ended up winning the gold medal in 400m individual medley at the World Short Course Championships in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He also won gold at the World Long Course Championships in 2013 and 2015.
The 27-year-old holds the world records in the 200m butterfly short course as well as the 400m individual medley short course events. With the Olympics being at his home in Japan this year as well as the suspension towards the end of 2020 following an extramarital affair, there will be plenty of attention on Daiya Seto.
3. Katie Ledecky (United States of America)
In her short career so far, American competitive swimmer Katie Ledecky has won five Olympic gold medals already. She shocked everyone as a 15-year-old after unexpectedly winning the gold medal in the 800m freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics.
Ledecky was the most decorated female athlete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. She won four gold medals, one silver and scripted two world records!
The 24-year-old has won 15 World Championship gold medals, the most in history for a female swimmer. Ledecky also holds the world record in the Women's 400m, 800m as well as 1500m long course freestyle events.
2. Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
Adam Peaty won the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
British competitive swimmer Adam Peaty specializes in the breaststroke category. He won the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2016 Rio Olympics. That was the first gold medal for a male British swimmer in over 24 years.
Peaty is also an eight-time World Champion, a sixteen-time European Champion, and a three-time Commonwealth Champion. He has broken world records 13 times during his career so far.
At 2019 World Championships in South Korea, Adam Peaty became the first man to swim under 57 seconds in the semi-final of the 100m breaststroke event. He's also the first man to swim under 26 seconds in the 50m breaststroke category.
1. Caeleb Dressel (United States of America)
Caeleb Dressel is a two-time Olympic Champion and 13-time World Champion.
American competitive swimmer Caeleb Dressel is a two-time Olympic Champion and 13-time World Champion. He specializes in short sprint events and perfectly nailing starts is an art where Dressel excels. Dressel holds the world records in the 100m butterfly (both long course and short course), 50m freestyle (short course), and 100m individual medley (short course). He will be the gold medal favourite in several categories at Tokyo 2020 and much of USA's hopes will rely on Caeleb Dressel.
