Olympics great Marc Spitz believes Michael Phelps' record of 23 gold medals will be broken by a future swimming sensation.
For the first time since 2000, the Games will happen without Phelps as a factor in the pool, and it will be the likes of Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel who draw much of the global focus.
Phelps landed six golds at the Athens 2004 Games, then a record eight in Beijing four years later, surpassing Spitz's all-time best haul of seven in a single Olympics, which dated back to Munich in 1972.
Another four gold medals followed at London 2012, before Phelps signed off from the Olympics with five triumphs in 2016 at Rio.
"Records are made to be broken, a point in case being Michael breaking my record that took over 30 years to do. Stories will still continue to be written about athletes that will challenge those that came before them," Spitz said.
Spitz described Phelps' contribution as "overwhelming".
"I don't want to diminish the value of any one of Michael's medals, but the young swimmers are looking at that as a benchmark," Spitz said, speaking courtesy of Laureus.
"They shouldn't consider themselves a failure because they can't quite stay on a career for as long as he did. But someday, someone will break that record unless they change the sport of swimming where some of those events aren't competed in and they make the programme so it has less events.
"Michael took what I had done and concentrated on how he could make and create his own journey. That became the gold standard then.
"The reason people think maybe my seven gold medals were so great were that somebody actually challenged it and then broke that record. Michael’s record will go down in the same way and somebody else will be inspired by what he’s done."
According to Spitz, Tokyo 2020 is unlikely to see such feats achieved, but he highlighted freestyle and butterfly maestro Dressel as a swimmer capable of great things at the Aquatics Centre.
Dressel won two relay gold medals five years ago in Rio but topped the podium six times at the 2019 World Championships, including four individual wins.
Spitz also earmarked Ledecky, already a five-time Olympic champion, as another American swimmer who could enjoy a golden Games.
"From a swimming point of view, there's some outstanding names," Spitz told Stats Perform.
"Katie Ledecky comes to mind in women's swimming. She's going to go down as one of the greatest swimmers of all time. The margins of her victories are enormous, it's incredible, it's epic in some of these performances.
"She was there during the Michael Phelps era, and there's also Caeleb Dressel who is ... I don't want to say a replacement for Michael Phelps. He's his own man and rightfully so he should be.
"He's dominated the distances and the strokes he's participated in over the last number of years. There's other people from around the world that will give those two athletes certainly a run for their money.
"The point is that I think we won’t be void in the sport of swimming with names and stories to tell."
T&T's Dylan Carter cops gold in men's 50m freestyle at Swimming World Cup
Trinidad and Tobago’s ace swimmer Dylan Carter secured his second gold of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup Series as he produced a breathtaking performance to land win the men’s 50-metre freestyle in Singapore on Thursday.
Carter, a three-time Olympian, won the event in a brisk 20.82 seconds and left the field in his wake as he was the only swimmer under the 21-second barrier in the final. He won ahead of Australia’s Isaac Cooper (21.01s) and Germany’s Marius Kusch (21.04s).
The 28-year-old Carter is expected to line up in the heats of the men’s 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle on Thursday’s evening session before bringing the curtains down on his campaign in the men’s 50m butterfly on Friday.
Samuda empathizes with Comm Games Federation over scaled-down 2026 event; urges possible compensation for excluded sports
Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) president, Christopher Samuda, has expressed understanding and empathy toward the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) as they face the challenge of hosting a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
With the event, traditionally a grand celebration of sport, culture, and unity, being reduced in size due to economic pressures, Samuda acknowledges the difficulties facing the CGF while also stressing the need to find ways to address the impact this decision will have on several sports that have been cut from the programme.
Diving, rugby, squash, badminton, table tennis, hockey, triathlon, and cricket are among the sports that will not feature in the 2026 edition.
The CGF initially struggled to find a host after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year, before Glasgow, known for its rich sporting history as a host city—including hosting the 2014 edition of the game—stepped in to save the 2026 Games. However, this comes with the reality of hosting a more compact edition than previous iterations.
For Samuda, the situation is an unfortunate but understandable outcome in a global landscape.
“The circumstances in which the Commonwealth Games Federation unavoidably found itself inevitably led to a scaled-down edition of the games. I regret the exclusion of badminton, table tennis, squash, and hockey; for those sports, the Jamaica Olympic Association has earmarked for real transitioning. The CGF’s decision was clearly influenced by commercial factors and the economy of a diminished sporting agenda, for at the end of the day, the games must be viable to ensure sustainability,” Samuda said.
However, Samuda also noted that the decision to reduce the scope of the Games, which will see several sports omitted from the 2026 programme, raises important questions about the future of those disciplines within the Commonwealth sporting family.
He argued that the CGF must find ways to compensate the sports that have been excluded, as they are integral to the diversity and spirit of the Commonwealth Games.
“Going forward, however, the CGF has to develop a strategy that will compensate those sports that are being excluded so as not to lose the interest and confidence of their international federations, commercial partners, and most importantly, the players and athletes for whom sports exist,” he reasoned.
Despite the current challenges, Samuda remains optimistic about the future of the Commonwealth Games and the role it plays in uniting nations through sport. He sees the 2026 edition in Glasgow as an opportunity to innovate and adapt, ensuring that the Games remain relevant in a changing world.
The Games will feature a 10-sport programme across four venues within an eight-mile corridor, with more than 500,000 tickets made available for spectators.
Athletics and swimming are included as compulsory sports for 2026, while there will also be track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, and 3x3 basketball.
“It is critical that the next games, while being an economic reinvention, should retain that unique traditional value that has given many sports and invaluable space on the Commonwealth sporting agenda and which have made it competitive as a sporting and commercial product amidst growing competition for the partnership dollar and public viewership and appeal,” Samuda said.
Former Sportsmax presenter Alex Jordan, Carlos Brathwaite honoured with special sports award at Barbados Labour Party ceremony
Accomplished athlete and sports commentator Alex Jordan was recognized with a Special Sports Award on Friday night at the 85th Annual Conference of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) Awards Ceremony. The prestigious event, held at the Christchurch Foundation School, also saw former West Indies cricketer Carlos Brathwaite receiving an award, with Barbados Prime Minister The Honourable Mia Mottley and President of Guyana Dr. Irfaan Ali in attendance.
Jordan, a versatile broadcaster and beloved sports commentator across the Caribbean, was celebrated for her outstanding contributions to sports journalism. The citation highlighted her dynamic career, which spans over 20 years, and her representation of Barbados in squash, golf, and swimming. Fluent in four languages, Jordan has also played diplomatic roles for the Government of Barbados on several United Nations bodies, further demonstrating her multi-faceted talents.
“Kaitlin Alexandra Jordan is a dynamic athlete, broadcaster, and sports commentator, who has proudly represented Barbados in squash, golf, and swimming. Fluent in four languages, Alex has played key diplomatic roles for the Government of Barbados on several UN bodies. With over 20 years of experience in radio and TV broadcasting, she has focused her career on sports journalism,” the citation read.
Jordan’s career has seen her grow into a prominent figure in Caribbean sports broadcasting. After returning to Barbados to help launch the Alex Jordan Morning Show on SLAM 101, she transitioned into sports broadcasting, eventually commentating for the Caribbean Premier League. She has since earned a global audience, covering major sporting events like the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, winning fans across the Caribbean for her knowledge and passion.
Jordan and fellow awardee Carlos Brathwaite at the rostrum on Friday where they received their awards.
In an emotional acceptance speech, Jordan expressed her deep pride in being a Barbadian and her admiration for the leadership of Prime Minister Mottley and President Ali.
“May I just say how proud I am to be a Barbadian. We are from such a unique place, and what has distinguished us in the region and the world is our government. I am so grateful for the productivity, the professionalism, the decision-making, and action of this government,” said Jordan.
She also spoke about the importance of regional unity and the strong relationship between Barbados and Guyana: “I am so happy to see these two leaders from Barbados and Guyana, their relationship, their regional and global vision reinforcing how important it is to our identity to understand that we are part of a collective. They are so smart and vibrant and making waves around the world; wherever I go in the world, people tell me how much they admire Mia Mottley, and it makes me deeply proud.”
Jordan’s recognition underscores her significant contributions to sports and Caribbean culture, continuing to inspire through her engaging presence in sports media.
Meanwhile, Brathwaite, best known for his match-winning four consecutive sixes in the 2016 T20 World Cup final, was also honoured during the ceremony, adding another highlight to a night dedicated to celebrating the BLP's finest talents.
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