There is no time, there is no time.
One star jumps and another emerges. It cannot be otherwise, because sport is nourished by references, by legends that mark an era and focus the attention of the curious and young people.
Michael Phelps disappeared, perhaps bored of adding Olympic feats (28 podiums between Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, more than anyone ever), it was interpreted that this was going to be the time of Caeleb Dressel: not only has he won seven Olympic titles and 21 world golds in the last five years, but two of those triumphs had occurred these days in Budapest.
And more successes were expected, more wood, perhaps three more feats.
However, on Tuesday Dressel jumped into the pool, played the first round of the 100m freestyle, set the second record (47.95, compared to 47.60 by David Popovici) and then faded away. He did not appear in the semifinals and then the American Federation launched a first notice:
Dressel has medical problems. Let's see if he contests the rest of the show.
And so, to wait.
The wait has ended in the last few hours.
Lindsay Mintenko, head of the American team, has announced that Dressel is giving up the 50m freestyle and the 100m butterfly, tests that were to be held in the coming days, although she has not specified the cause. She has only spoken of "medical reasons."
–He is simply not feeling well to compete and we had to make a decision as soon as possible. It will be he who publicly clarifies what is happening to him.
Dressel turned off, David Popovici has grown, a Romanian teenager who these days had already broken the junior world record in the 200 m free and who this Wednesday added his second gold, now in the 100 free, by winning in 47.58.
The work of his parents, a salesperson and a psychologist who in their day had knocked on dozens of doors in Romania, seeking sponsors for their son, now the new myth of universal swimming, has received an award.
