Stranger things have happened

I have been telling swimmers to expect anything and not to be surprised.

Last year, as some may remember, a swimmer kicked a hole in the wall of the boom and they stopped swimming for 30 mins. When they recommenced, they did not use that lane and all the people due to swim in those lanes were put into a heat by themselves.

Expect anything.

When Michael Phelps was 16 (already an Olympian) Bob Bowman, his coach, decided he was getting a bit cocky and that everything was going his way a little too often. At a meet (a small meet, Nationals) Michael left his goggles on the ground. Bob saw them there and stomped on them. When Michael came to get his gear prior to the race, he saw his goggles and instantly panicked. Bob asked him how he was going to get around this little issue. Michael didn't wear any for the race.
That story is especially relevant as in Beijing, swimming the 200 fly, Michael's goggles filled up at the start of the race. Without panicking, he swam the race and stuck to the plan. If you remember, he got gold in every swim...