Paris 2024, North America Day 3: Team USA Is Getting Hits And Misses By The Closest Of Margins

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)
• Meet Central
• Full Swimming Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick ’em Contest
• How To Watch
• Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

It started off on day two with Nic Fink, who missed out on gold in the 100 breast by just 0.03 seconds, but got on the podium by just 0.06 seconds. But the amount of close finishes increased exponentially for Team USA on day three and became a full-on trend.

In the men’s 200 free, Luke Hobson won an unexpected bronze medal, but was 0.07 seconds away from gold. However, just a wrong move or two and he would have been off the podium, as he finished just 0.08 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher Duncan Scott. Not counting 2024 Worlds, he became the first American man to medal at an Olympic Games or World Championships in the 200 free since Townley Haas in 2017.

Then it was Ryan Murphy, who was 0.07 seconds away from silver but also just 0.02 seconds away from fourth place in the men’s 100 back.

Some swimmers weren’t on the good side of these close finishes, such as Lilly King, who missed the podium by 0.01 of a second in the women’s 100 breast — her third consecutive fourth-place finish in this event at a major international meet. Had she swam just 0.33 seconds faster, she would have won gold.

These finishes for the Americans are bittersweet. On one hand, getting on the podium at the Olympics is a lifetime achievement, particularly for swimmers like Hobson who were seen as outside shots to do so anyways. On the other hand, it’s bittersweet when these bronze medals could have been silvers or golds, especially when the United States is trying to reclaim the top of the medal table after Australia won it at the 2023 World Championships. But then again, it’s hard not to be appreciative when swimming a few hundredths slower meant missing the podium in its entirety.

More than anything though, these close finishes are a testament to the highs and lows of the Olympics. Although the times coming out of these games haven’t been fast, the racing has come down to the wire and there’s been some unpredictable results. And right now, Team USA is reaping both the benefits and drawbacks that come with close competition.

Other Highlights:

• Canada’s Summer McIntosh was dominant in the women’s 400 IM, winning by 5.69 seconds. That margin of victory was the greatest margin of victory in a women’s 400 IM Olympic race since 1984, when the United States’ Tracy Caulkins won by 9.06 seconds. The United States’ Katie Grimes and Emma Weyant took silver and bronze respectively in the event.
• Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey posted an unexpected fourth place finish in the 200 free, clocking a new best time of 1:55.29. Meanwhile, the United States’ Claire Weinstein placed eighth in the same race.

North American Medal Table: