Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Swimming Training - Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo, Japan - July 22, 2021 A swimmer during training REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
TOKYO (Reuters) - America's traditional dominance in the pool faces a double threat at the Tokyo Games with a new wave of East European men and Australian women looking to end any chance of a repeat of the U.S. successes in Rio and London.
The Americans amassed 16 swimming gold medals in each of the past two Games but with Michael Phelps now watching from the television commentary position, having retired with 23 golds, there is a real sense that the competition, which gets under way with heats on Saturday, could be the most open since the end of the Cold War.
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