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)
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- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
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Kaylee McKeown of Australia defended her title in the women’s 100 backstroke swimming a new Olympic Record of a 57.33. McKeown previously held the World Record after swimming a 57.33 last October until Regan Smith swam a 57.13 at US Trials to set a new World Record. McKeown got the win tonight, touching ahead of Smith.
“Regan pushes me to the best of my abilities,” McKeown said. “We had a special moment after the race, just thanking one another. I wouldn’t be the athlete I am if it wasn’t for her.”
Smith also spoke of the two and their competition after she won silver. “The thing that is most important is that we are pushing the sport in the right direction. Our rivalry is great for attention in the sport. We have so much respect for each other, and I have so much respect for Katherine as well. It’s a great situation.”
Winning bronze in the women’s 100 back was Katharine Berkoff of the US who captured her first Olympic medal with her time. “It’s good to not be totally satisfied. It keeps you hungry,” Berkoff said. “It’s not quite the peak of what I want yet; but it’s still so very special.”
Also highlighting the evening was Daniel Wiffen of Ireland who captured the country’s first gold medal on the men’s side in history. Wiffen won the 800 freestyle.
“Lights, camera, action! Amazing. I always knew I had it in my head, I just had to put it in the pool,” Wiffen said. “I’ve done so much work in the past four years. I’ve been training so hard, I knew something was coming, something special.”
Wiffen was able to hold off Bobby Finke of the US who charged on the final 50 to earn silver. Finke won the event in Tokyo but came up just short here. “I’d be lying If I said I wasn’t disappointed… I like winning. It sucks not to win. I did the best I could and I’ve got to be proud of that. The silver is nothing to be disappointed in. I’ve got to take it as motivation going into the mile.”
2016 Rio Olympic Champion in the men’s 100 freestyle Kyle Chalmers will look to be at the top of the podium in the event once again tomorrow night. He is the #2 seed and will swim out of lane 5, the lane that has been home to the last five Olympic Champions in the event.
“I feel like I’m in as good a shape as I can possibly be for the Olympic Games,” Chalmers said. “Definitely better than I was in Tokyo.”
Kaylee is a class act.
“Better than Tokyo” is very ominous for everyone else in the 100free
These three young ladies are the embodiment of what good sportsmanship is all about.
They’re champions, pure and simple – each representing our sport and their countries with distinction!
I think her dad passing gave her this unbeatable spirit. She finds another gear
it’s nice to see the sportsmanship. I’m beginning to like the Aussies a lot more especially MOC, Harris, and Kaylee. Great ambassadors for the sport.
Dang Regan got smoked though on that last 10 meters. She needs to come through when it counts.
I love their rivalry; they’re so humble and respect each other so much
As an American, I’ll always be rooting for Smith, but you have to say that McKeown is always a class act. Respect.
It’s so hard to root against any of the Australian swimmers, honestly! There’s certainly some bad eggs (sounds like Isaac Cooper is a Michael Andrew-lite) but all the swimmers currently on the team are super classy and fun to watch. Seeing Kaylee and Mollie surge through a world-class field like it’s nothing is so thrilling!
Exactly, it’s the same for US swimmers, Ledecky is such a GOAT, she’s just so amazing & so humble on the very odd occasion she loses.
on current form Katie gonna go down in the 800
She will not let the 800 go without a fight but can she and Titmus actually tie in the 800.
I want Titmus to get another individual gold as that is the Aus in me and I want her to finally do something special in the 800 free, but I also want Katie to be the first to get the 5 peat in LA in the 800 free. She deserves it.
Maybe if summer was swimming it. Titmus is a bit off here.
The video of Ledecky which Channel 9 showed was quite nice actually – you could tell how easy going and fun Ledecky can be. Great role model.
I respect both as amazing swimmers and people.
Dang, she makes it so tough to root against her when she is so classy :/
Yeah I wanted Regan to win but have immense respect for McKeown. Once Regan didn’t build a lead I knew the race was over. Strength dictated this result. I’ve seen all the weight training foundation from McKeown for years on Instagram. Regan would have been better served with an extremely fast gliding pool. The slower ones favor power.
It’s amusing the Australians knock short course meanwhile their best swimmers benefit from the lessons. McKeown didn’t emphasize underwaters until Curzan was dominating that aspect at 2022 short course worlds.
The 200 figures to be wider margin
Not all Aussies knock SC. You are right in that Kaylee and MOC have worked on their underwaters to make it a strength and in Kaylee’s case it probably does date from Melbourne in December 2022 when she had to out swim Curzan on the surface each lap to make up for the turn and underwaters.
I would not be surprised if she beats McKeown or vice versa. It’s not a given she might pull a “Huske”.