Swimmer Joseph Schooling will not participate in the men’s 200m butterfly at the Olympic Games, choosing to put his focus on the 100m events.
The 21-year-old will compete in his pet 100m fly as well as the 100m freestyle event.
The decision, made to capitalise on his chances of making the final in both 100m events, was made known on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning, Singapore time).
Schooling, who won a bronze at last year’s world championships in the 100m fly, had qualified for four events, with the 200m free taken out of consideration much earlier on.
Team-mate Quah Zheng Wen will participate in all three events that he qualified for – 100m backstroke and 100m and 200m fly.
His older sister, Ting Wen, is swimming in the 100m fly.
Swimming head coach Sergio Lopez said the decision for Schooling to focus on two events was made with the swimmer and Eddie Reese, Schooling’s coach at the University of Texas and a three-time head coach of the American men’s swimming team.
Said Lopez, an Olympic bronze medallist (1988) himself: “After a lot of thinking by Joseph and discussions between Eddie Reese and I, we have come to the decision to drop the men’s 200m butterfly.
“Joseph will be swimming the 100m freestyle instead where we believe he has a very good chance to be in the final.”
The swimming competition begins on Saturday.
Reuters
maychen@sph.com.sg
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