The Duel We Missed: Swim Documentary Examines Political Influence on Olympic Games (Trailer Included)
The United States-led boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow robbed hundreds of elite athletes of lifelong dreams, and a superb documentary by Bravo Film & Media has emphasized the impact that politics played on Olympic sports during the 1970s and 1980s. “The Duel We Missed,” directed by Ilnur Rafikov and Edward Staroselsky, specifically focuses on the showdown that never took place between distance-freestyle legends Brian Goodell of the United States and the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Salnikov in the 1500-meter freestyle.
At the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Goodell stormed to the gold medal in the 1500 freestyle with a world-record performance. After placing fifth in the event in 1976 as a 16-year-old, Salnikov continued to emerge as an elite force in the distance events on the road to the 1980 Games in Moscow. But when United States President Jimmy Carter announced an American boycott of the Moscow Games, the much-anticipated duel between Goodell and Salnikov was put on hold.
Through numerous interviews, “The Duel We Missed” examines the political environment that led to the cancellation of the Goodell-Salnikov showdown in 1980 and the Soviet Union’s retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Additionally, the film focuses on the chase of the American and Soviet stars to become the first man under the 15-minute barrier in the 1500 freestyle and their personal experiences in the sport, including their mental state, training and health issues.
Along with commentary from Goodell and Salnikov, who are both inductees of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, “The Duel We Missed” features interviews with Olympic gold medalists John Naber and Rowdy Gaines, and Hall of Famer Mark Schubert, who was the coach of Goodell. All provide noteworthy analysis of the sporting landscape of the time, and Gaines discusses how the boycott affected him as both an athlete and a person.
Note: Swimming World will have a comprehensive review of the film in the coming days.
