Freestyle swimming has been included in every modern Olympics. Currently, freestyle is contested in more Olympic events than any other stroke, at distances of 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m.

At the U.S. National Championships just a month prior, he smashed the 100 backstroke world record with a time of 51.92. But after misjudging his semifinal swim in Rome, Peirsol was locked out of ...