TOKYO — Michael Phelps is now in a broadcast seat, a mere observer rather than the driving force of U.S. swimming.
Yet there is no need to fret about what he left behind.
The Americans are off to a flying start at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, earning six of 12 medals on the first morning of finals.
They showed no signs of slipping even without the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.
From Chase Kalisz winning the 400-meter individual medley to Kieran Smith pulling out a bronze in his first major international competition, there was plenty of red, white and blue on the medal podium.