2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
- Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
- La Défense Arena — Paris, France
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- Olympic Swimming Entries as of July 12th
The Americans have made a rare last-minute change to their Olympic roster, with Kate Douglass ceding her spot in the women’s 100 meter freestyler to her University of Virginia teammate Gretchen Walsh for this summer’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Douglass won the 100 free in 52.56 at the US Olympic Trials in June, a time that would have made her the 6th seed. Walsh instead enters as the #9 seed with her time of 53.13 that originally placed her 3rd at the Olympic Trials.
Top 10 Seeds, Women’s 100 Free
| Seed | Swimmer | Country | Seed Time |
| 1 | Siobhan Haughey | Hong Kong | 52.02 |
| 2 | Mollie O’Callaghan | Australia | 52.08 |
| 3 | Sarah Sjostrom | Sweden | 52.24 |
| 4 | Marrit Steenbergern | Netherlands | 52.26 |
| 5 | Shayna Jack | Australia | 52.28 |
| 6 | Junxuan Yang | China | 52.68 |
| 7 | Torri Huske | USA | 52.9 |
| 8 | Anna Hopkin | Great Britain | 53.09 |
| 9 | Gretchen Walsh | USA | 53.13 |
| 10 | Michelle Coleman | Sweden | 53.41 |
That gives Walsh a 3rd individual event along with the 50 free, where she placed 2nd at Trials, and the 100 fly, where she won and broke the World Record. With as many as three relays seeming possible for her (though the mixed medley is always a bit of a mystery choice), she will have a big load at the Olympic Games – and a big platform to become a star.
In spite of that World Record in the 100 fly, Walsh only shaved .01 seconds off her personal best time in this 100 free versus the 53.14 that she swam
Meanwhile for Douglass, this reduces her individual events to the 200 breaststroke and 200 IM, with swims in the women’s 400 free relay and women’s 400 medley relay. As the fastest woman in the 100 free, the best American mixed medley relay would also likely include her services. This withdrawal eliminates an unusual 100 free/200 breast double.
While the drop for Douglass is not surprising given her event load, the timing is unusual. Most Americans announce these event choices much earlier in the process – like Katie Ledecky dropping the 200 free, which pulls in her former NCAP teammate Erin Gemmell to the event.
In prior years, USA Swimming might have pulled in the 7th place finisher in the 100 free to add to the 400 free relay, but officials explicitly closed that gap in the rules for these Olympic Games. The 7th place finishers was Catie DeLoof, who loss a swim-off to her teammate Erika Connolly for a spot on the Olympic Team.
i realy hope Walsh is have a really train at camp hopefully she can drop a low 52 in the 100 free
Honestly question, how can the “all relay swimmers must swim at least once” be reinforced if individual spot swimmers (if injured or very ill) can just drop out of the meet without swimming anything.
If selectors fee a relay swimmer won’t cut it, can’t they just claim Illness/injury and take them out of the meet?
They can’t do that. If a swimmer is listed on a roster and eligible for a relay they have to compete in the meet or the relay gets disqualified.
Medical or injury will get a “leave pass” but one suspects that in most cases, ie other than the swimmer in question being admitted to hospital/quarantined, this would need to be passed by the meet medical team rather than just the team’s word given the potential for abuse.
That could work for many injuries &maladies. But providing proof for conditions such as gastroenteritis could prove tricky.
Is this all swimmers or only those who did not qualify for an individual event?
I think it should be Huske who opened the relay because he has already shown that he opens the relays very well, maintaining all his concentration and focus very well as seen in his start and Douglass should undoubtedly close it, no one closed it like her until now.
Manuel and Walsh in the intermediate posts.
Walsh is in a doubt position..Will she be able to do double..no doubt about the huske..if witzel throw down a 52.5 split in heats I can see huske witzel Manuel and Douglas being on the final
Not sure why ya referenced Torri repeatedly as a man 😂 sorry it’s all I can focus on
Exactly. Bot or AI written?
So confused!
Often a sign English isn’t their native language.
A few commenters don’t speak English fluently so use translators and the translators don’t always get gender correct because it works different in different languages.
Many languages do not have separate pronouns for different genders. The OP is likely not a native English speaker.
Torri Huske should lead off due to questionable relay exchanges in the past. Oh, Torri Huske is a female not a male.
Welcome to the Mollie O Show.
Douglass was not a factor anyway
Agreed. Mollie, Sjostrom, Haughey, Steenbergen, and Jack all have faster PB and entry time. Douglas absolutely made the right decision where she can now focus on events where she has a chance at winning gold: 200 breast/IM.
Obviously drug Walsh convinced team to steal more gold
What are you smoking?
Phelps would never.
Phelps did multiple times
Others have said it but I really wish Simone qualified for the individual 100 too. Her 50 and that relaxed 53 flat in the heats says to me that she was in (at least) 52 high shape at trials. I think she got in her own head in the race and that affected her usual pacing poise— seems she overswam the first 50. Really looking forward to her relay splits
It is what it is.
This seems like a very sound decision.
She’s a strong contender in the 2Br and 2IM, and this gives her more room to focus in on them.
Cannot wait to see what KD will accomplish in Paris.