2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
- Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
- La Défense Arena — Paris, France
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Full Swimming Schedule
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Day 1 Prelim Heat Sheets
Swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games starts today, which means the rush of relay start lists starts today. This morning’s prelims session features the 4×100 freestyle relay for both men and women, promising some exciting fireworks to close out the session.
This will be the first look we’ll get at most of these athletes’ form for these Games.
In the first heat of the women’s event, Team USA has the center lane. Their prelims lineup includes 3/4 of their Tokyo finals lineup, as Abbey Weitzeil, Simone Manuel, and Erika Connolly (neé Brown) all return from their bronze medal performance. The newcomer is Kate Douglass, who won the 100 free at U.S. Trials but withdrew from the individual event here in Paris. Typically, the fastest two performers in freestyle events are saved for the finals relay.
Canada, who earned the silver in Tokyo, swims in heat 2 with Penny Oleksiak leading off. Despite winning the 100 free at Canadian Trials, she did not get under the OQT and will not swim the event individually. She is joined by teammates Mary-Sophie Harvey, Brooklyn Douthwright, and Taylor Ruck.
Top-seed Australia is leading off with 18-year-old Olivia Wunsch, making her Olympic debut. She is followed by veteran Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, and Emma McKeon. Harris and McKeon are in the same positions as they were in 2023 on Australia’s world record-setting relay. The front-half of that relay will likely swap in for finals; the question is who will join them. McKeon is also pulling a double this morning; she’ll swim the 100 butterfly earlier in the session.
Moving over to the men’s event, the eye is immediately drawn to Australia and USA in adjacent lanes. Australia has only won this event once in the history of the games, but they’re the top seed from their Fukuoka performance. Kyle Chalmers and Caeleb Dressel are anchoring their respective relays, so while we won’t see them clash individually this summer, this is the closest we’ll get.
There likely won’t be a flat-start 46 this morning, but 100 free world record-holder Pan Zhanle will still be in action anchoring China’s relay. He’ll be handed the baton by teammates Wang Haoyu, Chen Juner, and Ji Xinjie, nearly an identical team to what won the world title earlier this year.
2023 Worlds silver medalists Italy have the center lane in the first heat of the men’s event. Lorenzo Zazzeri, Leonardo Deplano, Paolo Conte Bonin, and Manuel Frigo will swim here, with Alessandro Miressi and Thomas Ceccon to likely swap in for tonight.
Some quick hits:
- 100 free world record-holder Sarah Sjostrom is swimming second on Sweden’s relay. She was a surprise entry in the individual 100.
- Hong Kong is not using Siobhan Haughey this morning, sinking their already outside shot of vying for a finals spot.
- Rafael Fente-Damers is swimming second on France’s relay. He dislocated his shoulder celebrating at French Trials last month.
See the complete list of relay line-ups below, ordered by heat and lane.
Women’s 4×100 Free Relay Prelims Line-ups:
Heat 1 (ordered by lane):
- Denmark
- Poland
- Kascia Wasick
- Kornelia Fiedkiewicz
- Julia Maik
- Zuzanna Famulok
- Netherlands
- USA
- Abbey Weitzeil
- Simone Manual
- Erika Connolly
- Kate Douglass
- Great Britain
- Italy
- Sofia Morini
- Chiara Tarantino
- Sara Curtis
- Emma Menicuci
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
Heat 2:
- Hungary
- France
- Beryl Gastaldello
- Mary-Ambre Moluh
- Lison Nowacyzk
- Charlotte Bonnet
- Sweden
- Michelle Coleman
- Sarah Sjostrom
- Sara Junevik
- Sofia Aastedt
- Australia
- China
- Canada
- Brazil
- Slovenia
Men’s 4×100 Free Relay Prelims Line-ups:
Heat 1:
- France
- Hadrien Salvan
- Rafael Fente-Damers
- Guillaume Guth
- Amazigh Yebba
- Spain
- Sergio de Celis Montalban
- Luis Dominguez
- Cesar Castro Valle
- Mario Molla Yanes
- Great Britain
- Italy
- China
- Hungary
- Germany
- Poland
- Matuesz Chowaniec
- Dominik Dudys
- Bastosz Piszczorowicz
- Kamil Sieradzki
Heat 2:
- Serbia
- Greece
- Andreas Vazaois
- Panagiotis Bolanos
- Stergios Marios Bilas
- Odyssefs Meladinis
- Canada
- Australia
- USA
- Brazil
- Israel
- Tomer Frankel
- Gal Cohen Groumi
- Denis Loktev
- Alexey Glivinskiy
- Sweden
I would’ve had Guiliano in prelims instead of Dressel 🤷♂️
The guy who clocked faster than dressel in all his 3 rounds????….
Dressel always delivers on the big stage 😈
Yes he diliverd in 48.19 anchor just now
Ugh why is Douglass on the prelims relay? I get they are trying to rest Walsh and Huske, but I feel like Walsh needs to be on the prelims relay.
Huske deserve that final spot in the relay..she got individual spot
They don’t want her to have 4 swims on day 1. I get it. But obviously a risk if she doesn’t perform
Probably because after today Douglass gonna have a few day rest until her individuals 200 breast so it makes sense for her to swims even in the prelims .
Wonder if this is a test for finals
NOT RYAN HELD
WHYYYYYYY
He is leading off
Makes sense because this is only heats and of course he is swimming .