Rookies made up about two-thirds of the 47-strong U.S. Olympic Swim Team, and much was made about what their lack of Games-time experience would mean for the team. The first-timers proved to the country and the world that from now on, they should let their medals do the talking: U.S. swimmers brought home 33 total medals (16 gold, eight silver and nine bronze).
A total of 24 of those U.S. swimmers making their Olympic debuts in Rio, or 77 percent, are coming home from Rio with medals:
U.S.’ first-time Olympians coming home from Rio with medals:
Maya DiRado: 2 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Lilly King: 2 golds
Simone Manuel: 2 golds, 2 silvers
Melanie Margalis: 1 gold
Katie Meili: 1 gold, 1 bronze
Cierra Runge: 1 gold
Leah Smith: 1 gold, 1 bronze
Olivia Smoliga: 1 gold
Abbey Weitzeil: 1 gold, 1 silver
Kelsi Worrell: 1 gold
Gunnar Bentz: 1 gold
Jack Conger: 1 gold
Kevin Cordes: 1 gold
Caeleb Dressel: 2 golds
Townley Haas: 1 gold
Ryan Held: 1 gold
Chase Kalisz:: 1 silver
Cody Miller: 1 gold, 1 bronze
Ryan Murphy: 3 gold
Blake Pieroni: 1 gold
David Plummer: 1 gold, 1 bronze
Josh Prenot: 1 silver
Tom Shields: 1 gold
Clark Smith: 1 gold
And even when they didn’t win any medals, the first-timers still proved they made the team to do a job. Four additional first-time Olympic swimmers made the final, even if they didn’t land on the podium.
Best finishes for first-time Olympians without medals:
Hali Flickinger: seventh (200m butterfly)
Jay Litherland: fifth (400m individual medley)
Jacob Pebley: fifth (200m backstroke)
Jordan Wilimovsky: fourth (1500m freestyle) and fifth (open water 10k)
And rookies Molly Hannis and Sean Ryan made statements with their swims. Hannis made the semifinals of the 200m breaststroke while Ryan placed 14th in the open water 10k from a field of 26 swimmers.