The Duel We Missed is a 1-hour and 29-minute documentary made in the United States and directed by Ilnur Rafikov and Edward Staroselsky. The film explores the world of competitive swimming in the 1970s and 1980s, recounting one of the most compelling duels that never truly took place: that between the world's strongest swimmers, determined to break the 15-minute barrier in the 1,500-metre freestyle.
The film's central subject is sporting competition, experienced not only as a physical challenge but also as a confrontation with personal limits and external pressures, in a context marked by the international political tensions of the Cold War.
Its protagonists include leading Olympic swimmers: John Phillips Naber, gold and silver medallist at Montreal 1976; Brian Stuart Goodell, a double gold medallist at the same Games; Ambrose “Rowdy” Gaines IV, three-time gold medallist at Los Angeles 1984; and Vladimir Salnikov, winner of four Olympic gold medals between 1976 and 1988. Alongside them, the documentary presents Mark Schubert, the historic coach of the US swimming team between 1984 and 2008. All the athletes appear as themselves, through interviews and archive material.
The film draws on unique news footage from the 1970s and 1980s, evoking the competitive and human atmosphere of an era in which sport was inevitably intertwined with world politics. Its message is one of the perseverance and sacrifice required to overcome not only sporting but also personal and historical barriers.
Produced by Ilnur Rafikov and Edward Staroselsky in collaboration with the production company School of Executioners, The Duel We Missed is not a student project and is not the directors' first film. It was completed on 22 November 2024 and involved filming in several countries, including the United States, Australia, Croatia and the Russian Federation.
Film Information
Title: The Duel We Missed
Original title: The Duel We Missed
Direction: Ilnur Rafikov, Edward Staroselsky
Production: Ilnur Rafikov, Edward Staroselsky – School of Executioners
Country: United States
Language: English
Running time: 89 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Sport featured: Swimming (1,500m freestyle)
Main subject(s): John Naber, Brian Goodell, Rowdy Gaines, Vladimir Salnikov, Mark Schubert
Completion date: 22 November 2024
Premiere: [Not specified]
Distributor: [Not specified]
Shooting format: Digital, 16:9, colour
Director's first film: No
Student project: No