The men's 800 freestyle overall was faster this year than it was in Tokyo. The women's 100 back podium was also faster this year. Current photo via Jack Spitser/Spitser Photography
All three swimmers on the men’s 800 freestyle podium tonight swam faster than the winning time in Tokyo. Bobby Finke of the US won in a 7:41.87 in Tokyo while Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri won bronze in a 7:39.38 tonight.
The only other event that was faster tonight than the top time in Tokyo was the women’s 100 backstroke. Kaylee McKeown of Australia won in a 57.33 tonight, breaking her own Olympic Record of a 57.47 that she swam to win in Tokyo. Regan Smith was also faster tonight for silver than Kylie Maase swam for silver in 2020. The same can be said for bronze as Katharine Berkoff swam a 57.98 for bronze tonight compared to Smith who won bronze in Tokyo in a 58.05.
The rest of the events tonight saw the top spot in semifinals be slower than what the top seed was heading into finals in Tokyo. The 8th place finisher, the last spot to make finals, in three out of the four semifinals tonight was also slower in Paris than in Tokyo. The only semifinal where 8th was faster this year was the men’s 200 fly as it took a 1:54.62 to make the final compared to a 1:55.31 from Tokyo.
Ledecky can finish, get out the pool, find the nearest Starbucks, enjoying Macchiato Latte Venti, back to the arena, and the last swimmer is not finished.
Lpman
4 months ago
Wow, another event faster than Tokyo. So weird how the pool is fast for some events and not others, all in the same session. It’s almost like there are other factors at play 🤷
Thanks for confirming you had no idea what’s Tokyo was like.
Now, go compare Paris to Fukuoka. I dare you.
Spieker Pool Lap Swimmer
4 months ago
On the topic of waves, turbulence and “slow pools”:
I have always wondered why the touchpads in LCM cover the gutters vs their placement completely underwater in SCY meets. See pic related. Seems like an easy way to get rid of at least some of the waves & chop. Is there a reason other than “we’ve always done it this way”?
Most pools I’ve seen in Europe don’t have a gutter on the short sides so it wouldn’t make a difference. Come to think about I’ve only seen it in photos of American pools and wondered why you guys put the touchpads so low, so thanks for the explanation
MDE
4 months ago
The races that are ‘fast’ are not actually and are just getting faster results due to massive leaps in the event more generally over the past 3 years. 100 BK might be the main exception, but we will see, Kaylee not much faster than her in season swims so may have had a big drop incoming, and Regan slower than her WR significantly.
The unoriginal Tim
4 months ago
Tokyo was more tactical as no-one forced the pace.
Paltrinieri tried to push the pace from the outside lane in Tokyo but he was sick and subpar.
Otherwise I completely agree with your point. It was situational influence. Paris was faster solely due to the other top guys reacting to Bobby Finke. They weren’t going to dawdle and allow him to sprint away again. Wiffen judged it just right. He didn’t feel capable of a long extended push. It was almost a tag team with Paltrinieri, like a runner taking advantage of a pacer.
Owlmando
4 months ago
Just a laymans assessment, but I would expect distance free and backstroke to create less impediment than say sprint free or the other strokes
Barty’s Bakery
4 months ago
Considering how slow this pool is that really shows how mid the times were in Tokyo
Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned how much slower the women’s 1500m got this Olympics.
Ledecky can finish, get out the pool, find the nearest Starbucks, enjoying Macchiato Latte Venti, back to the arena, and the last swimmer is not finished.
Wow, another event faster than Tokyo. So weird how the pool is fast for some events and not others, all in the same session. It’s almost like there are other factors at play 🤷
U must be new. Was faster than tokyo because tokyo was very very slow, strategy wise, not pool related.
Thanks for confirming you had no idea what’s Tokyo was like.
Now, go compare Paris to Fukuoka. I dare you.
On the topic of waves, turbulence and “slow pools”:
I have always wondered why the touchpads in LCM cover the gutters vs their placement completely underwater in SCY meets. See pic related. Seems like an easy way to get rid of at least some of the waves & chop. Is there a reason other than “we’ve always done it this way”?
💲💲🤑🤑💲💲
This is the correct answer
I was thinking about that today too. Anyone have an answer?
Most pools I’ve seen in Europe don’t have a gutter on the short sides so it wouldn’t make a difference. Come to think about I’ve only seen it in photos of American pools and wondered why you guys put the touchpads so low, so thanks for the explanation
The races that are ‘fast’ are not actually and are just getting faster results due to massive leaps in the event more generally over the past 3 years. 100 BK might be the main exception, but we will see, Kaylee not much faster than her in season swims so may have had a big drop incoming, and Regan slower than her WR significantly.
Tokyo was more tactical as no-one forced the pace.
Paltrinieri tried to push the pace from the outside lane in Tokyo but he was sick and subpar.
Otherwise I completely agree with your point. It was situational influence. Paris was faster solely due to the other top guys reacting to Bobby Finke. They weren’t going to dawdle and allow him to sprint away again. Wiffen judged it just right. He didn’t feel capable of a long extended push. It was almost a tag team with Paltrinieri, like a runner taking advantage of a pacer.
Just a laymans assessment, but I would expect distance free and backstroke to create less impediment than say sprint free or the other strokes
Considering how slow this pool is that really shows how mid the times were in Tokyo
I guess it showed the interruptions in the preparations for some of the athletes with the lockdown and everything going on at the time
And paltrinieri had mono.