10 Events at the Olympics American swimmers haven't won since at least 2012

The US Olympic swimming team has fostered a rich history of its own over the years. It has dominated the global tournament in various events such as the men's 100m and 200m backstroke in which the US swimmers have clinched six consecutive gold medals from 1996 to 2016.

However, there are certain events in which the USA has failed to leave a mark since 2012. Considering the 28 individual events in the Olympics swimming schedule, the US has won 18 at least once in the last two editions. This means the American swimmers have failed to win a gold medal in the other 10 events since 2012.

An Instagram page Swimming Stats shared the list of events in which American swimmers have failed to win since the 2012 London Olympics.

"U.S. swimmers have won 18 of the Olympic swimming individual events at least once in the last two Olympics Games. Which means there are 10 events the U.S. swimmers haven’t won since at least 2012. The last time American swimmers won the men’s 400 freestyle and the women’s 200 IM was in 1984 - 40 years ago," read the caption.

The longest gold medal drought in the men's category is in the 400m freestyle event. The last time George Dicarlo won a medal in the category was at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics - 40 years ago. However, this was not the longest dry spell for the US swimming team as they went through 48 years without winning the women's 200m breaststroke from 1924 to 1968.

The fate of the event is concerning even this time around as not a single US swimmer has clinched a podium finish in the last three editions of the World Aquatics Championship.

The men's 100m and 200m breaststroke medal tally for the USA has also been devoid of a gold medal since 1992 Barcelona - 32 years ago. The last winners of the events were Nelson Diebel and Mike Barrowman in the 100m and 200m breaststroke respectively.

Since the legendary Michael Phelps clinched the gold medal in the men's 200m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, no American swimmer has been able to replicate that feat.

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A challenge for the US Olympics women's swimming team

Besides the men's team, the women's US swimming side will also have their task cut out. The women swimmers have been without a gold medal in multiple events since 2012.

The Women's 200 Individual Medley hasn't found an American gold medalist ever since Tracy Caulkins in 1984. However, the chances seem bright for them this time around with Alex Walsh and Kate Douglass (silver and bronze medalists at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics) going full throttle in the last few years.

Walsh won both the events in the 2022 World Championships while Walsh and Douglass won them in the 2023 and 2024 editions.

The Women's 400 Individual Medley too, has not seen an American gold medalist since Janet Evans in 1988 Seoul. The women's 50m freestyle and 200m freestyle haven't found an American winner since 1996 and 2000 respectively.

Missy Franklin and Rebecca Soni won gold medals in the Women's 100m backstroke and 200m breaststroke respectively at the 2012 London edition. Since then, the gold medal tallies in the respective disciplines haven't seen any rise.