As trash talk between American and Australian swimmers escalates ahead of the Paris Olympics later this month, let’s take a look at how the rivals currently stack up based on last month’s Trials.
U.S. swimmers went faster in 18 of 28 individual events at their qualifying meet, including a huge 11-3 advantage on the men’s side. The women’s side is split 7-7.
U.S. vs. Australia, 2024 Olympic Trials Results
| Men’s | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 50 free | Cam McEvoy – 21.35 | Caeleb Dressel – 21.41 | Chris Guiliano – 21.69 |
Ben Armbruster – 21.84
|
| 100 free | Chris Guiliano – 47.38 | Jack Alexy – 47.47 |
Kyle Chalmers – 47.75
|
|
| 200 free | Luke Hobson – 1:44.89 | Chris Guiliano – 1:45.38 |
Maximillian Giuliani – 1:45.83
|
|
| 400 free | Elijah Winnington – 3:43.26 | Sam Short – 3:43.90 | Aaron Shackell – 3:45.46 |
Kieran Smith – 3:45.76
|
| 800 free | Bobby Finke – 7:44.22 | Elijah Winnington – 7:44.90 | Luke Whitlock – 7:45.19 |
Sam Short – 7:46.52
|
| 1500 free | Bobby Finke – 14:40.28 |
David Johnston – 14:52.74
|
||
| 100 back | Ryan Murphy – 52.22 |
Hunter Armstrong – 52.72
|
||
| 200 back | Ryan Murphy – 1:54.33 | Keaton Jones – 1:54.61 | Bradley Woodward – 1:56.22 |
Se-Bom Lee – 1:57.02
|
| 100 breast | Samuel Williamson – 58.80 | Nic Fink – 59.08 | Charlie Swanson – 59.16 |
Joshua Yong – 59.48
|
| 200 breast | Matt Fallon – 2:06.54 | Zac Stubblety-Cook – 2:07.40 | Joshua Yong – 2:08.08 |
Josh Matheny – 2:08.86
|
| 100 fly | Caeleb Dressel – 50.19 | Thomas Heilman – 50.80 |
Matt Temple – 51.15
|
|
| 200 fly | Thomas Heilman – 1:54.50 |
Luca Urlando – 1:55.08
|
||
| 200 IM | Carson Foster – 1:55.65 |
Shaine Casas – 1:55.83
|
||
| 400 IM | Carson Foster – 4:07.64 | Chase Kalisz – 4:09.39 | Brendon Smith – 4:10.18 |
Will Petric – 4:11.78
|
| Women’s | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| 50 free | Shayna Jack – 23.99 | Simone Manuel – 24.13 | Gretchen Walsh – 24.15 |
Meg Harris – 24.26
|
| 100 free | Mollie O’Callaghan – 52.33 | Kate Douglass – 52.56 | Shayna Jack – 52.72 |
Torri Huske – 52.93
|
| 200 free | Ariarne Titmus – 1:52.23 | Mollie O’Callaghan – 1:52.48 | Katie Ledecky – 1:55.22 |
Claire Weinstein – 1:56.18
|
| 400 free | Ariarne Titmus – 3:55.44 | Katie Ledecky – 3:58.35 | Paige Madden – 4:02.08 |
Lani Pallister – 4:02.27
|
| 800 free | Ariarne Titmus – 8:14.06 | Katie Ledecky – 8:14.12 | Lani Pallister – 8:18.46 |
Paige Madden – 8:20.71
|
| 1500 free | Katie Ledecky – 15:37.35 | Lani Pallister – 15:53.79 | Katie Grimes – 15:57.77 |
Moesha Johnson – 15:57.85
|
| 100 back | Regan Smith – 57.13 | Kaylee McKeown – 57.41 | Mollie O’Callaghan – 57.88 |
Katharine Berkoff – 57.91
|
| 200 back | Kaylee McKeown – 2:03.30 | Regan Smith – 2:05.16 | Phoebe Bacon – 2:06.27 |
Jaclyn Barclay – 2:07.88
|
| 100 breast | Lily King – 1:05.43 |
Emma Weber – 1:06.10
|
||
| 200 breast | Kate Douglass – 2:19.46 | Lily King – 2:21.93 |
Ella Ramsay – 2:22.87
|
|
| 100 fly | Gretchen Walsh – 55.31 | Torri Huske – 55.52 |
Emma McKeon – 56.85
|
|
| 200 fly | Regan Smith – 2:05.70 | Elizabeth Dekkers – 2:06.01 | Alex Shackell – 2:06.69 |
Abbey Connor – 2:06.82
|
| 200 IM | Kaylee McKeown – 2:06.63 | Kate Douglass – 2:06.79 | Alex Walsh – 2:07.86 |
Ella Ramsay – 2:09.32
|
| 400 IM | Katie Grimes – 4:35.00 | Emma Weyant – 4:35.56 | Ella Ramsay – 4:36.56 |
Jenna Forrester – 4:38.16
|
The Aussies collected 13 gold medals, seven silvers, and five bronze at the 2023 World Championships, marking just the second elite international meet since the Melbourne 1956 Olympics where Australia has finished above the U.S. in the medal table. They’re looking to carry that momentum into Paris later this month and snap a 68-year Olympic drought against Team USA, but the Americans made a strong statement of their own with two world records at Lucas Oil Stadium last month.
Americans currently own world-leading times in six individual events: Ryan Murphy in the 200 back (1:54.33), Matt Fallon in the 200 breast (2:06.54), Carson Foster in the 400 IM (4:07.64), Katie Ledecky in the 1500 free (15:37.35), Regan Smith in the 100 back (world record 57.13), and Gretchen Walsh in the 100 fly (world record 55.18). Australians are right behind them with world-leading times in five events: Cam McEvoy in the 50 free (21.13), Ariarne Titmus in the 200 free (world record 1:52.23) and 400 free (3:55.44), and Kaylee McKeown in the 200 back (2:03.30) and 200 IM (2:06.63).
The U.S. swimming rivalry with Australia was reinvigorated last August when Cate Campbell talked about how much sweeter it is to beat America.
“There were a couple of nights, particularly the first night of competition, where we did not have to hear the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ring out through the stadium and I cannot tell you how happy that made me,” said Campbell, who failed to qualify for her fifth Olympics last month. “If I never hear that song again it will be too soon. Bring on Paris, that’s all I have to say. U.S., stop being sore losers.
“When we’re right next to each other in the warm-up area, the U.S. has this infernal cowbell that they ring, and as someone leaves to go to the competition pool, they ring out ‘U-S-A, U-S-A’ and I have never wanted to punch someone more and steal that cowbell,” Campbell added.
The most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, saw Campbell’s comments for the first time last month.
“If somebody said that to me, I would lose it,” Phelps said. “I would literally make them eat every word they just said about me.”
Last week, three-time Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Rice wrote an editorial agreeing with Phelps.
“The trash-talking only fuels the Americans’ drive to take us down so let’s stop giving them extra motivation,” Rice said. “I believe our swim team is capable of taking the top spot, so let’s let the swimming do the talking.”
“We’re all bringing the cowbell,” U.S. Olympian Abbey Weitzeil said at Trials. “Whenever comments are made about your country or your jobs, it’s all competitive, and I think we all are competitive, our competitive side comes out. So we’re all bringing the cowbell, extra loud.”
Yup! that sounds about right. Aside the 200free on both the men’s and women sides and 400 gree, team USA is a legit medal threat in all the events. No other country can say that.
US men are faster than the rest of the world in only one event.
Also, Sam Short will (almost certainly) be swimming the 1500. He didn’t need to race it at Trials as he was sick, on the team from the 800 and confident there wouldn’t otherwise be two A/AQTs that would push him out.
The times in the US Trials are always going to be faster than the Aussie ones, since The US Trials are more cut-throat. At the very top Australia is very competitive with the US and even better in some cases, however, since the depth is not as much as the US, the top swimmers do not need to taper for the trials – maybe they can get away with just some rest or reduced work.
The US , however, is a different story. Other than one or two swimmers, everyone has to taper to make the team.
At least that’s my theory. We’ll see what happens in Paris.
Let’s not forget what may be a very important underrated stat. One reason the aussies did so well last couple of years is the time zone change. They were in Tokyo I 2021 (1 hour time zone difference whereas usa was about 14) and 2023 worlds also in Japan. USA had the tougher travel schedule by far.
This year, usa is about a 6 hour distance from Paris which Australia is 8 hours. While that might seem like an even distance, it’s also 8 hours less for team USA while it’s 7 hours more for team Australia.
USA has swam quite well in Europe which I think is a huge bonus mentally. Not that Australia hasn’t but I do think… Read more »
I don’t buy into time difference theory as I think teams nowadays camp for a very long time in the target country to overcome any jetlag issues. I think, up until recently, Team Aus had some team culture issues which I think they managed to resolve (mostly at least). These issues peaked in Rio and then especially with the new blood coming in, it got resolved.
In any case, as you said, we’ll see in about 10 days.
May the country that put in the most yards over the past four years win 🙂 teehee
So how many Australians swim for American colleges? Aren’t we basically training them?
Very few train in the NCAA, and virtually none of their Olympic-level swimmers. Sam Hawke might be the closest, but his uncle is an NCAA coach so that’s a special situation.
The Australia-to-US pipeline never really developed because Australian Trials often conflicted with the NCAA in ways that were less surmountable than, say, Canada. While that conflict has now changed, the culture doesn’t seem to have shifted much.
Australia has enough really good coaches to keep the best-of-their-best at home. I suspect that we might see a few more from that second tier in the NCAA in the future, but there’s not a ton of motivation for the Olympian types to come over.
Do you mean Charlie Hawke?
I was surprised at not seeing him at any of the Aussie Trials.
Yes sorry, I meant Charlie.
He was at Aussie trials and didn’t make any A finals.
Is his dad mike?
This is hilarious.
Meg Bailey made the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games team. Thats about the most recent success
As some of the best coaches in the world are Australians, there is no need for the top talent to go and train in the US.
Every Australian NCAA swimmer bombed at trials. So you’re doing something to them lol
BH is an ncaa product, so america can take responsibility for his behaviour
What a dumb comment
Americans will win the table NBC will just change it during the meet if necessary
Gold, silver and Bronze and the
Chocolate frog will be decided in
The call room before every final.
Which swimmer will handle it the best.
I’m an Aussie 100 percent.
But it going to be cut throat for
Every finalist on the blocks.
Good luck to everyone who is an Olympic swimmer.
This feels like some kind of freeform poetry
Thanks man