![](https://i.imgur.com/CLvY2jA.png")
31-07-2021, 10:32 AM
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/com...s-15339062
Our reigning Olympic champion took part in the men’s 100m butterfly heats. Less than 54 seconds later, he was no longer the reigning champ.
Schooling clocked 53.12s. He was last in his heat. His time was almost three seconds slower than his Olympic record of 50.39s.
He eventually ranked 44th out of 55 swimmers. China's Sun Jiajun took the 16th and final semi-final spot with his time of 51.74s.
Judging from social media, Singaporeans are divided over the result. Keyboard warriors have been out in full force, hurling all sorts of invective and hurtful words.
But are you surprised Schooling didn't make the final? I'm not.
After the euphoria of winning gold in 2016, the manner of his exit on Thursday left me feeling more deflated than anything else.
However, if you have been tracking Schooling's performances and timings over the past four years after the Rio Games, you could have seen this coming.
In 2017, the first threat to his title defence emerged at the World Championships. That was where Caeleb Dressel first announced his arrival on the world stage.
The American clocked 49.86s in the 100m butterfly final. Hungary’s Kristof Milak came after him in 50.62s. Schooling was third in 50.83s.
And since then, Schooling's times have been regressing. He won gold at the 2018 Asian Games in 51.04s. At the 2019 FINA World Championships, he clocked 52.93s in the heats and didn't qualify for the semi-finals. He was 24th out of 77 swimmers.
At the 2019 SEA Games, he finally clawed back to win gold in 51.84s.
But this year, at the ISCA International Senior Cup in Florida in March, Schooling clocked 52.93s again to finish second behind Dressel, who cruised in at 51.69s.
And so this much was clear as we approached the Olympics - Schooling was not going to win a medal, much less successfully defend his gold.
Perhaps, our sports officials knew it too but chose to be diplomatic.
At a press conference before the Olympics in early July, Singapore Sports Institute chief Toh Boon Yi said there were no medal targets for Schooling or any of Singapore's contingent.
Our reigning Olympic champion took part in the men’s 100m butterfly heats. Less than 54 seconds later, he was no longer the reigning champ.
Schooling clocked 53.12s. He was last in his heat. His time was almost three seconds slower than his Olympic record of 50.39s.
He eventually ranked 44th out of 55 swimmers. China's Sun Jiajun took the 16th and final semi-final spot with his time of 51.74s.
Judging from social media, Singaporeans are divided over the result. Keyboard warriors have been out in full force, hurling all sorts of invective and hurtful words.
But are you surprised Schooling didn't make the final? I'm not.
After the euphoria of winning gold in 2016, the manner of his exit on Thursday left me feeling more deflated than anything else.
However, if you have been tracking Schooling's performances and timings over the past four years after the Rio Games, you could have seen this coming.
In 2017, the first threat to his title defence emerged at the World Championships. That was where Caeleb Dressel first announced his arrival on the world stage.
The American clocked 49.86s in the 100m butterfly final. Hungary’s Kristof Milak came after him in 50.62s. Schooling was third in 50.83s.
And since then, Schooling's times have been regressing. He won gold at the 2018 Asian Games in 51.04s. At the 2019 FINA World Championships, he clocked 52.93s in the heats and didn't qualify for the semi-finals. He was 24th out of 77 swimmers.
At the 2019 SEA Games, he finally clawed back to win gold in 51.84s.
But this year, at the ISCA International Senior Cup in Florida in March, Schooling clocked 52.93s again to finish second behind Dressel, who cruised in at 51.69s.
And so this much was clear as we approached the Olympics - Schooling was not going to win a medal, much less successfully defend his gold.
Perhaps, our sports officials knew it too but chose to be diplomatic.
At a press conference before the Olympics in early July, Singapore Sports Institute chief Toh Boon Yi said there were no medal targets for Schooling or any of Singapore's contingent.
![[+]](https://sgtalk.net/images/bootbb/collapse_collapsed.png)
