Originally published July 25, 2022.
The revamped swimming schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris has been revealed, featuring several events that have been reshuffled under the new nine-day calendar.
Notably, a few common conflicts have been resolved thanks to the extended schedule.
The women’s 200-meter freestyle final will take place on Day 3 instead of Day 4, avoiding a clash with the women’s 1500 free. It figures to be good news for Katie Ledecky, who won the 1500 free in Tokyo but missed the podium in the 200 free. She skipped the 200 free at this year’s World Championships, but the new schedule may allow her to invest more energy in the event again.
The 400 IMs have been moved from Day 1 to prevent a conflict with the 400 free. The switch bodes well for Carson Foster, who could make the U.S. team in both events based on recent results. The versatile University of Texas star currently boasts the nation’s leading time in the 400 this season (3:45.29) and ranks second behind rising French star Leon Marchand in the 400 IM (4:06.56).
The men’s 200 IM/200 back double has also been largely fixed by moving the 200 IM from Day 6 to Day 7, meaning the 200 back final will only conflict with the 200 IM semis instead of the final. Shaine Casas could realistically make the finals of both events as the second-fastest 200 back performer this season (1:55.35) and fourth-fastest 200 IMer (1:56.70).
Caeleb Dressel will still be tasked with another 50 free/100 butterfly, but this time with a slight twist. He’ll take on both the 50 free final and 100 fly semis on Day 7 instead of the 50 free semis and 100 fly finals. Dressel seemed to pull off the feat with ease last summer as he brought home gold medals in each event.
The new schedule may not benefit everyone, however. The reshuffling of events results in a double for Michael Andrew on Day 7 between the 50 free and 200 IM. The 23-year-old American ranks as the second-fastest performer nationally in the 50 free (21.41) this season and No. 12 in the 200 IM (1:59.11).
Note: The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials schedule will be the same as Paris without the relays. See the full Trials schedule here.
Comparing the Past Two Olympic Swimming Schedules
| Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024, new scheduling spots in bold | |
| Day 1 Prelims | Men 400m Individual Medley | Women 100m Butterfly |
| Women 100m Butterfly | Women 400m Freestyle | |
| Men 400m Freestyle | Men 100m Breaststroke | |
| Women 400m Individual Medley | Men 400m Freestyle | |
| Men 100m Breaststroke | Women 4x100m Freestyle | |
| Women 4x100m Freestyle | Men 4x100m Freestyle | |
| Day 1 Finals | Men 400m Individual Medley Final | Women 100m Butterfly Semi-Final |
| Women 100m Butterfly Semi-Final | Men 400m Freestyle Final | |
| Men 400m Freestyle Final | Women 400m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 400m Individual Medley Final | Men 100m Breaststroke Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Breaststroke Semi-Final | Women 4x100m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 4x100m Freestyle Final | Men 4x100m Freestyle Final | |
| Day 2 Prelims | Women 100m Backstroke | Men 200m Freestyle |
| Men 200m Freestyle | Men 400m Individual Medley | |
| Women 100m Breaststroke | Women 100m Breaststroke | |
| Men 100m Backstroke | Men 100m Backstroke | |
| Women 400m Freestyle | Women 200m Freestyle | |
| Men 4x100m Freestyle | ||
| Day 2 Finals | Women 100m Butterfly Final | Men 400m Individual Medley Final |
| Men 200m Freestyle Semi-Final | Women 100m Butterfly Final | |
| Women 100m Breaststroke Semi-Final | Men 200m Freestyle Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Breaststroke Final | Women 100m Breaststroke Semi-Final | |
| Women 400m Freestyle Final | Men 100m Backstroke Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Backstroke Semi-Final | Men 100m Breaststroke Final | |
| Women 100m Backstroke Semi-Final | Women 200m Freestyle Semi-Final | |
| Men 4x100m Freestyle Final | ||
| Day 3 Prelims | Women 200m Freestyle | Women 400m Individual Medley |
| Men 200m Butterfly | Women 100m Backstroke | |
| Women 200m Individual Medley | Men 800m Freestyle | |
| Women 1500m Freestyle | ||
| Day 3 Finals | Women 200m Freestyle Semi-Final | Women 400m Individual Medley Final |
| Men 200m Freestyle Final | Men 200m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 100m Backstroke Final | Women 100m Backstroke Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Backstroke Final | Men 100m Backstroke Final | |
| Women 100m Breaststroke Final | Women 100m Breaststroke Final | |
| Men 200m Butterfly Semi-Final | Women 200m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 200m Individual Medley Semi-Final | ||
| Day 4 Prelims | Men 100m Freestyle | Men 200m Butterfly |
| Women 200m Butterfly | Men 100m Freestyle | |
| Men 200m Breaststroke | Women 1500m Freestyle | |
| Men 4x200m Freestyle | Women 100m Freestyle | |
| Men 800m Freestyle | Men 200m Breaststroke | |
| Men 4x200m Freestyle | ||
| Day 4 Finals | Men 100m Freestyle Semi-Final | Men 100m Freestyle Semi-Final |
| Women 200m Freestyle Final | Men 200m Butterfly Semi-Final | |
| Men 200m Butterfly Final | Women 100m Backstroke Final | |
| Women 200m Butterfly Semi-Final | Men 800m Freestyle Final | |
| Men 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final | Women 100m Freestyle Semi-Final | |
| Women 200m Individual Medley Final | Men 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final | |
| Women 1500m Freestyle Final | Men 4x200m Freestyle Final | |
| Men 4x200m Freestyle Final | ||
| Day 5 Prelims | Women 100m Freestyle | Women 200m Breaststroke |
| Men 200m Backstroke | Men 200m Backstroke | |
| Women 200m Breaststroke | Women 200m Butterfly | |
| Men 200m Individual Medley | ||
| Women 4x200m Freestyle | ||
| Day 5 Finals | Men 800m Freestyle Final | Women 100m Freestyle Final |
| Men 200m Breaststroke Final | Men 200m Butterfly Final | |
| Women 100m Freestyle Semi-Final | Men 200m Breaststroke Final | |
| Men 200m Backstroke Semi-Final | Women 1500m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 200m Butterfly Final | Men 200m Backstroke Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Freestyle Final | Women 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final | |
| Women 200m Breaststroke Semi-Final | Women 200m Butterfly Semi-Final | |
| Men 200m Individual Medley Semi-Final | Men 100m Freestyle Final | |
| Women 4x200m Freestyle Final | ||
| Day 6 Prelims | Women 800m Freestyle | Women 200m Backstroke |
| Men 100m Butterfly | Men’s 50m Freestyle | |
| Women 200m Backstroke | Men’s 200 IM | |
| Mixed 4x100m Medley | Women 4x200m Freestyle | |
| Day 6 Finals | Women 200m Breaststroke Final | Women 200m Butterfly Final |
| Men 200m Backstroke Final | Men 200m Backstroke Final | |
| Women 200m Backstroke Semi-Final | Women 200m Backstroke Semi-Final | |
| Men 200m Individual Medley Final | Women 200m Breaststroke Final | |
| Women 100m Freestyle Final | Men 200m Individual Medley Semi-Final | |
| Men 100m Butterfly Semi-Final | Men 50m Freestyle Semi-Final | |
| Women 4x200m Freestyle Final | ||
| Day 7 Prelims | Men 50m Freestyle | Men 100m Butterfly |
| Women 50m Freestyle | Women 200m Individual Medley | |
| Men 1500m Freestyle | Women 800m Freestyle | |
| Women 4x100m Medley | Mixed 4x100m Medley | |
| Men 4x100m Medley | ||
| Day 7 Finals | Men 100m Butterfly Final | Men 50m Freestyle Final |
| Women 200m Backstroke Final | Women 200m Backstroke Final | |
| Women 800m Freestyle Final | Men 200m Individual Medley Final | |
| Men 50m Freestyle Semi-Final | Men 100m Butterfly Semi-Final | |
| Women 50m Freestyle Semi-Final | Women 200m Individual Medley Semi-Final | |
| Mixed 4x100m Medley Final | ||
| Day 8 Prelims | No session | Women 50m Freestyle |
| Men 1500m Freestyle | ||
| Men 4x100m Medley | ||
| Women 4x100m Medley | ||
| Day 8 Finals | Men 50m Freestyle Final | Men 100m Butterfly Final |
| Women 50m Freestyle Final | Women 50m Freestyle Semi-Final | |
| Men 1500m Freestyle Final | Women 200m Individual Medley Final | |
| Women 4x100m Medley Final | Women 800m Freestyle Final | |
| Men 4x100m Medley Final | Mixed 4x100m Medley Final | |
| Day 9 Finals | No Day 9 | Women 50m Freestyle Final |
| Men 1500m Freestyle Final | ||
| Men 4x100m Medley Final | ||
| Women 4x100m Medley Final |
Swimming Schedule for Paris Only (Finals in Bold)
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | |
| Prelims | W 100 FLY W 400 FR M 100 BR M 400 FR W 4×100 FR M 4×100 FR |
M 200 FR M 400 IM W 100 BR M 100 BK W 200 FR |
W 400 IM W 100 BK M 800 FR |
W 200 FLY M 100 FR W 1500 FR W 100 FR M 200 BR M 4×200 FR |
W 200 BR M 200 BK W 200 FLY |
W 200 BK M 50 FR M 200 IM W 4×200 FR |
M 100 FLY W 200 IM W 800 FR Mixed 4×100 MR |
W 50 FR M 1500 FR M 4×100 MR W 4×100 MR |
Off |
| Finals/Semis | W 100 FLY SF M 400 FR W 400 FR M 100 BR SF W 4×100 FR M 4×100 FR |
M 400 IM W 100 FLY M 200 FR SF W 100 BR SF M 100 BK SF M 100 BR W 200 FR SF |
W 400 IM M 200 FR W 100 BK SF M 100 BK W 100 BR W 200 FR |
M 100 FR SF W 200 FLY SF W 100 BK M 800 FR W 100 FR SF M 200 BR SF M 4×200 FR |
W 100 FR M 200 FLY M 200 BR W 1500 FR M 200 BK SF W 200 BR SF M 200 FLY SF M 100 FR |
W 200 FLY M 200 BK W 200 BK SF W 200 BR M 200 IM SF M 50 FR SF W 4×200 FR |
M 50 FR W 200 BK M 200 IM M 100 FLY SF W 200 IM SF |
M 100 FLY W 50 FR SF W 200 IM W 800 FR Mixed 4×100 MR |
W 50 FR M 1500 FR M 4×100 MR W 4×100 MR |
With the extended swimming schedule, the 2024 Summer Games is slated to be the first Olympics since 1988 to feature swimming, track, and gymnastics finals on both middle weekend days. The lineup on Saturday, Aug. 3 will include the women’s 800 free final with Ledecky, the men’s 100 fly with Dressel, the men’s shot put, and women’s 100-meter dash along with the end of the decathlon and gymnastics apparatus finals.
With the release of the schedule, we also now have a clear idea of the timing of the events in Paris. Each preliminary session will begin at 11 a.m. local time in Paris, and daily finals will be at 8:30 p.m. That converts to prelims at 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT, and finals at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT.
The second schedule has men’s and women’s 200 fly semis switched, and everything bolded on day 6 finals.
In athletics, the most exciting event is the 100m dash which takes around 10 seconds. In swimming however we only have the 50m free which is twice that time. Stroke 50s make sense in terms of audience attention span but strokes in general do not. The general public loses patience with swimming contesting 4 different strokes when there is no analog in athletics. By this logic a 100m swim is like a 200m dash in athletics and a 200m swim is like a 400m race. For event durations above this the general public loses interest and networks cut to commercial. Relays over 4 x 100m are too long as are 800s and 1500s. Relays in general are uninteresting because the… Read more »
Have you seen race walking, hurdles, long jump and the steeplechase, just to name a few?
Some of us love the longer relays and if you lose interest during an 800 or 1500 them I think you should work on your attention span.
Race walking is boring AF. They never air it. Long jump is a raw feat like high jump. Those are seminal events in the Olympics dating back to Ancient Greece.
This is a forum of swimmers not the general public. Just trying to see the sport from the perspective of the general public.
I think you’re missing that swimming has a completely different appeal than track. The 100m is over so fast there’s barely time to build any tension. The 100m races in the pool, however, are tense the entire time, with front leaders getting chased down by even splitters and the underwater after the turn leaving you wondering who will pop up first.
It just sounds like you don’t really appreciate swimming as a sport. If you think that the audience loses interest in all 200m races (the slowest of which is W200 breast which goes for less than 2.5 minutes) then I just don’t think you’re in touch with reality.
I am personally not a fan of 800/1500 races but I… Read more »
If you’re looking for equivalents between athletics and swimming the rule is divide the athletic distance by 4 to get the swimming equivalent. Also, if you look at views on YouTube the 1500m race in swimming gets far more views than anything else so that suggests people don’t tend to agree with you
Let’s get real here titmus isn’t winning any individual gold in Paris she loses the 400 free to Macintosh, the 200free to either haughey or her teammate Mollie. Ledecky only does well in the 800 and 1500 doesn’t medal in the 400 or 200
I’ll take that bet. The WR holder is definitely not going to win?
Macintosh is gonna break it before Paris and break it again in Paris cmon je went under 4 minutes as a 15 year old titmmus was nowhere near that at that age.
As you should already know, progression in swimming is often not linear. Some swimmers, especially females, do not get much faster after age 17 or 18.
Lol
What if McIntosh only wins the IM’s? Two can play this game.
Do we have any actual confirmation that Dressel is training again and planning to compete in Paris?
He’s still suffering from Popovicitis, it has long term effects
Man 4 200s for the women on day 6. 200 fly, 200 back, 200 breast, and the 4×200 Free Relay. Might be rough for someone like Regan if she’s considering the 200 back, 200 Fly double again. Though I believe she might be focusing more on backstroke this time around, but what do I know. We’ll see what she decides.
Mcintosh could theoretically be in 3 of those 4 events if she wanted to be (she has a 2:07 200 back)
Macintosh wins 4 individual golds and one bronze 200free
I’ll give her the 400IM and 200 Fly. 200IM and 400 Free are possibilities I guess. She is not entering 5 events.
I’d love to see a 4×200 medley relay
It will only affect MA if he makes the team in the 2IM.
Take away the mixed medley and put in the 4×50 free!
Ewwww to 50 relays but I would prefer a mixed 4×100 free over a mixed medley relay
Agree on No to 4X50 but disagree regarding MFR replacing MMR. We already have sufficient freestyle relays and freestyle already has the full sheet of distances.
Am not averse to MFR being added but would keep the MMR on the score of equity; ie. widening the pool of opportunity to form stroke swimmers rather than just sprint freestylers.