2024 Paris Olympics: Day 8 Prelims Live Recap

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
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• How To Watch
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• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6| Day 7

DAY 8 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

Welcome to the final prelims session of the 2024 Paris Olympics! Today is the penultimate day of the meet, however, there will be no prelims session tomorrow (Sunday). As such, the schedule gets a little wonky the rest of the way. There are 4 events this morning: the women’s 50 free, men’s 1500 free, men’s 4×100 medley relay, and women’s 4×100 medley relay. The trick is that the final of all 4 events this morning will be swum at tomorrow night’s finals session. Semifinals of the women’s 50 free will be during tonight’s finals session.

DAY 8 PRELIMS SCHEDULE

• Women’s 50 Freestyle – Prelims
• Men’s 1500 Freestyle – Prelims
• Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay – Prelims
• Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay – Prelims

After winning her first gold of her career in the 100 free a few days ago, all eyes will be on Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the women’s 50 free. One of the most legendary sprinters we’ve ever seen in the sport, the 30-year-old is still the fastest woman on the planet in the event. She set the World Record of 23.61 at last year’s World Championships, and, as such, enters as the top seed by a solid margin this morning. Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick, who is 32, is the #2 seed with a 23.95, while Australia’s Shayna Jack is #3 with a 23.99.

There are 4 heats of the men’s 1500 free this morning, which will take a little over an hour to complete. This is a loaded field of the 1500, however, so these guys will have to be at least pretty sharp this morning to ensure they make it into the final tomorrow night. American Bobby Finke enters as the top seed, coming in with a 14:31.59. Of note, that time is just 0.57 seconds off the longstanding World Record, which is held by China’s Sun Yang from 2012. The field also features Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, who won gold in the 800 free a couple days ago. Wiffen is the #2 seed coming into the event, entering with a 14:34.07.

WOMEN’S 50 FREESTYLE – PRELIMS

• World Record: 23.61 – Sarah Sjostrom, SWE (2023)
• World Junior Record: 24.17 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• Olympic Record: 23.81 – Emma McKeon, AUS (2021)
• 2021 Winning Time: 23.81 – Emma McKeon, AUS
• 2021 Time to Advance to Semifinals: 24.82

1. Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden) – 23.85
2. Katarzyna Wasick (Poland) – 24.27
3. Gretchen Walsh (United States) – 24.37
4. Shayna Jack (Australia) – 24.38
5. Meg Harris (Australia) – 24.50
6. Zhang Yufei (China) – 24.54
7. Michelle Coleman (Sweden) – 24.55
8. Wu Qingfeng (China)/Taylor Ruck (Canada) – 24.57 (TIE)
9. –
10. Beryl Gastaldello (France) – 24.60
11. Julie Jensen (Denmark)/Neza Klancar (Slovenia) – 24.64 (TIE)
12. –
13. Sara Curtis (Italy) – 24.67
14. Florine Gaspard (Belgium) – 24.69
15. Anna Hopkin (Great Britain)/Valerie van Roon (Netherlands) – 24.72 (TIE)
16. –

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom was magnificent in the heats of the 50 free this morning. The 30-year-old superstar won the final heat of the morning with a 23.85, getting her hands on the wall 1st in the heat by a massive margin. Sjostrom was 0.52 seconds ahead of American Gretchen Walsh, who touched 2nd in the heat. With her prelims performance, Sjostrom was just 0.04 seconds off the Olympic Record in the event.

Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick, 32, was 2nd this morning with a 24.27. Wasick was 1 of 3 swimmers in this field entered under 24 seconds in the event.

The other swimmer who was entered under 24 seconds is Shayna Jack. The Aussie came in 4th this morning with a 24.38. She was entered with a 23.99.

Sweden saw their 2nd swimmer make it through as well, as Michelle Coleman took 7th this morning with a 24.55.

American Simone Manuel, the American Record holder in the event, did not advance to the semifinals tonight. Manuel clocked a 24.87, which tied for 18th this morning.

MEN’S 1500 Freestyle – PRELIMS

• World Record: 14:31.02 – Sun Yang, CHN (2012)
• World Junior Record: 14:46.09 – Franko Grgic, CRO (2019)
• Olympic Record: 14:31.02 – Sun Yang, CHN (2012)
• 2021 Winning Time: 14:39.65 – Bobby Finke, USA
• 2021 Time to Advance to Finals: 14:52.66

1. Daniel Wiffen (Ireland) – 14:40.34
2. Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy) – 14:42.56
3. Ahmed Jaouadi (Tunisia) – 14:44.20
4. David Aubry (France) – 14:44.90
5. Kuzey Tuncelli (Turkey) – 14:45.27
6. Bobby Finke (United States) – 14:45.31
7. Damien Joly (France) – 14:45.52
8. David Betlehem (Hungary) – 14:45.59

After winning the 800 free earlier in the meet, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen looked terrific this morning in the men’s 1500 free prelims. Wiffen clocked a 14:40.34, winning the 3rd heat this morning and posting the fastest time overall by 2 seconds. His pacing was phenomenal this morning, as he actually improved his pace as he went through the race. That sets him up well for tomorrow night’s final.

Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri wasn’t far behind Wiffen, clocking a 14:42.56. The veteran looked as steady as ever, and will be a very real threat tomorrow night.

This raucous French crowd had something to cheer for this morning, as both French swimmers, David Aubry and Damien Joly made it through to the final. Aubry clocked a 14:44.90 for 4th, while Joly was 14:45.52 for 7th.

Defending Olympic Champion Bobby Finke came in 6th this morning with a 14:45.31.

Turkey’s Kuzey Tuncelli, just 16 years old, wasn’t even in one of the circle seeded heats this morning, but made it through to the final, The youngster swam a 14:45.27, which was good for 5th.

MEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:26.78 – USA (2021)
• Olympic Record: 3:26.78 – USA (2021)
• 2021 Winning Time: 3:26.78 – USA
• 2021 Time to Advance to Finals: 3:32.37

1. France (Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, Leon Marchand, Clement Secchi, Rafael Fente-Damers) – 3:31.36
2. China (Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang, Wang Changhao, Pan Zhanle) – 3:31.58
3. United States (Hunter Armstrong, Charlie Swanson, Thomas Heilman, Jack Alexy) – 3:31.62
4. Netherlands (Kai van Westering, Caspar Corbeau, Nyls Korstanje, Stan Pijnenburg) – 3:31.80
5. Great Britain (Oliver Morgan, Adam Peaty, Joe Litchfield, Matt Richards) – 3:32.13
6. Australia (Isaac Cooper, Joshua Yong, Ben Armbruster, Kyle Chalmers) – 3:32.24
7. Canada (Blake Tierney, Finlay Knox, Ilya Kharun, Javier Acevedo) – 3:32.33
8. Germany (Ole Braunschweig, Lucas Matzerath, Luca Armbruster, Josha Salchow) – 3:32.51

France put on a show for their home crowd in the first heat of the men’s 4×100 medley relay this morning. Leon Marchand, who hadn’t been swimming on relays up to this point, joined the fold this morning, giving the French team a 59.03 breaststroke split. Combine that with Yohann Ndoye-Brouard‘s 52.99 on the backstroke leg, and France was out to a great start. A 51.39 from Clement Secchi on fly, and a 47.95 from Rafael Fente-Damers on free got France into the finish 1st with a 3:31.36. This French relay could make some noise tomorrow night in the final, as Maxime Grousset will probably enter the fold as well. France’s time from the 1st heat would stand as the fastest of the morning.

China put their strongest relay forward this morning, seeing Xu Jiayu (53.58), Qin Haiyang (58.51), Wang Changhao (51.75), and Pan Zhanle (47.74) combine for a 3:31.58. Qin’s breast split was notable, as he’d been struggling a bit here in Paris. China also knows they can get faster legs out of Xu and Pan, so this relay is looking good for tomorrow night.

The Americans had a nice showing this morning as well. Hunter Armstrong clocked a 53.26 on the lead-off, then Charlie Swanson was 59.73 on breaststroke. Thomas Heilman provided a 51.15 fly split, and Jack Alexy anchored in 47.48. The US won the 2nd heat, but ended up 3rd overall.

Italy did not make it through to the final, which is shocking, since they were one of the strongest gold medal contenders in this event. Thomas Ceccon (53.56), Nicolo Martinenghi (59.54), Luca Armbruster (51.01), and Alessandro Miressi (48.17) combined for a 3:32.71, which was good for 9th. You never want to point fingers when it comes to relays, however, it’s worth noting that Ceccon and Martinenghi, who won gold in their individual events here in Paris, were not nearly as fast this morning.

WOMEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – PRELIMS

• World Record: 3:50.40 – USA (2019)
• Olympic Record: 3:51.60 – AUS (2021)
• 2021 Winning Time: 3:51.60 – AUS
• 2021 Time to Advance to Finals: 3:57.70

1. Australia (Iona Anderson, Ella Ramsay, Alexandria Perkins, Meg Harris) – 3:54.81
2. Canada (Ingrid Wilm, Sophie Angus, Mary-Sophie Harvey, Penny Oleksiak) – 3:56.10
3. China (Wang Xueer, Tang Qianting, Yu Yiting, Wu Qingfeng) – 3:56.34
4. United States (Katharine Berkoff, Emma Weber, Alex Shackell, Kate Douglass) – 3:56.40
5. Japan (Rio Shirai, Satomi Suzuki, Mizuki Hirai, Rikako Ikee) – 3:56.52
6. Sweden (Hanna Rosvall, Sophie Hansson, Louise Hansson, Sarah Sjostrom) – 3:57.33
7. France (Emma Terebo, Charlotte Bonnett, Marie Wattel, Mary-Ambre Moluh) – 3:57.40
8. Netherlands (Maaike de Waard, Tes Schouten, Tessa Giele, Marrit Steenbergen) – 3:57.48

Australia’s ‘B’ team was pretty dominant this morning in the women’s 4×100 medley relay. Iona Anderson, the 5th-place finisher in the 100 back earlier in the meet, led the team off in 58.67, putting Australia in the lead on the 1st heat. Ella Ramsey, who didn’t race the 100 breast individually at this meet, split 1:06.79 on the breast leg this morning. Alexandria Perkins clocked a very nice 56.59 on the fly leg, and Meg Harris anchored in 52.76. The Aussies clocked a 3:54.81 this morning. They’ll be scary in the final tomorrow night, as they can swap out all 4 of their legs for faster swims.

Canada won the 2nd heat with a 3:56.10. Ingrid Wilm (59.42), Sophie Angus (1:06.07), Mary-Sophie Harvey (57.68), and Penny Oleksiak (52.93) combined to get it done. They were leading the race, then American anchor Kate Douglass pulled into the lead coming off the final turn, but Oleksiak found another gear to close and pulled back into the lead.

Speaking of the Americans, they posted the 4th-fastest time overall. Katharine Berkoff led the team off in 58.98, then Emma Weber clocked a 1:07.39 on the breast leg. Alex Shackell swam fly for the US, posting a 57.32, then Douglass anchored in 52.71. The US swam a 3:56.40.

France made it through once again as well, giving the crowd something to cheer for.