Negative Split Synopsis

Young Rick DeMont explores swimming as a relief for his asthma in the sleepy town of San Rafael, California in the late 1960’s. Rick excels in long distance swimming and soon is competing at unexpected levels. Despite his battle with asthma and his developing allergies, with the help of medication, he is able to train and persevere.

Early on, Rick catches the eye of a local swim coach, Don Swartz, who sees unlimited potential in Rick’s tenacity, not just his strength. Together they train and create an original program that takes advantage of Rick’s ability to come from behind in a race. They take this method, which Don Swartz observes on the track field, and adopt it as Rick’s new competitive method. They call it the Negative Split. Thanks in part to this method and thanks to Rick’s ability to read his opponents in the other lanes, Rick quickly excels in local and national swim meets.

In 1972, Rick goes to Chicago for the Olympic trials. Not only does Rick make the team, but he shatters the world record in the 1500 meter freestyle. The swimming world begins to take notice of this quiet kid from Northern California.

Rick arrives at the ‘72 Olympic games in Munich, Germany, full of hope and determination. Rick wakes up earlier than any of the other team members to prepare for his races. Despite his efforts to pace himself, Rick trains too hard the day before the 400-meter race and that night suffers a debilitating asthma attack. Thanks to his medication, the attack subsides and he is able to rest before the race. The next morning Rick gets into the pool with Australian Brad Cooper and American Steve Genter, and no one is certain, even Rick, of who will take the 400 meter race. Rick swims a Negative Split, coming from behind, and takes the gold. He beats Brad Cooper by a stunning 1/100th of a second.

The next day, Rick is quietly but persistently pursued by the International Olympic Committee, who are concerned with the urine test results that Rick produced after winning the 400 meter. Rick’s failed drug test is due to his asthma medication, Marax, which contains ephedrine. Although Rick has provided a list of his medications, the Olympic Village doctors failed to warn him that his medication might disqualify him. Rick is allowed to warm up before the 1500, but is suddenly pulled from pool and told that he would not be permitted to race. His gold medal is renounced and he is stripped of his title. His coaches argue that his medication only helps him to overcome his disabilities to achieve normalcy, but their arguments fall on deaf ears. Rick returns home to California, devastated.

Rick struggles with whether or not to return to the pool. It takes help, support and time to heal his wounds before Rick would reenter the water to train for the upcoming 1973 World Championships. Rick returns stronger and wiser than before and swims an incredible race. Rick beats Brad Cooper again, and sets the world record title in the 400-meter freestyle, becoming the first swimmer to break the 4-minute barrier.

Rick used the difficult lessons of the ‘72 Olympics to rebuild his path to his new world record. He continues to use those lessons today, now to teach other Olympic hopefuls about the true meaning of determination and will.