Australia will be hoping gold flows at the Paris La Défense Arena over the coming fortnight, with the nation’s Olympic success resting heavily on the Dolphins.
Olympic swimming events in the French capital kick off the morning after the Opening Ceremony, with Australia’s medal hunt getting underway on Saturday.
Heats will occur during morning sessions in Paris — coinciding with Australia’s evening — while finals races commence at 4.30am AEST each morning from July 28 to August 5.
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US RIVALRY APPROACHES BOILING POINT
Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel spearhead the United States’ bid to retain supremacy in the Olympic pool against a formidable and confident Australian squad.
The mighty USA have long dominated Olympic swimming, collecting 30 medals, including 11 gold, to top the table at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, ahead of Australia with nine gold and 20 in total.
The last time Australia beat the United States in the swimming medal tally was the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
“Sixty-eight years of them topping the Olympic medal tally,” Australian swimming coach Rohan Taylor declared last month.
“It’s like an America’s Cup type of thing, no one has been able to take them down.”
The USA’s swimmers are unbeaten on the gold medal front since 1988, but Australia stunned them by doubling their gold medal tally at last year’s world championships, setting up a blockbuster showdown over an intense nine days in La Defense Arena.
Adding spice, the US contested that they won the duel at the worlds in Fukuoka, claiming they were best courtesy of their higher overall medal count.
That saw recently-retired Australian legend Cate Campbell brand them “sore losers”, which prompted 23-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps to encourage his compatriots to “make them eat every word” in France. Channel 9 presenter Karl Stefanovic fanned the flames by calling Phelps a “tosser” on national television.
The deep-seated rivalry dates back to a war of words at the 2000 Sydney Olympics when Gary Hall Jr. claimed the Americans would “smash them like guitars” ahead of the 4x100m freestyle relay final. Australian quartet Michael Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus and Ian Thorpe celebrated their unforgettable triumph by mimicking playing guitars on the pool deck.
Asked by an American journalist overnight whether the current Australian team had shown that moment to their swimmers to motivate them, Bronte Campbell had a hilarious response.
“There’s people on our Olympic team who weren’t even born yet – to them, it’s like ancient history and I had to dig it out and show them,” she said.
“We’ve been an incredibly successful team and I’m proud to have been part of that team for a really long time and I think the reason we have been successful for a really long time is because we focus on ourselves.
“That’s what we have done and that’s what we will continue to do. I really respect American competitors, I’ve known a lot of them for many years and raced against a lot of them for many years and looking forward to doing it again.”
Meanwhile, Aussie swimmer Cameron McEvoy said ahead of the Olympics: “You always want a healthy rivalry in sport.
“We did get one up on them in Fukuoka (at the world championships), which I think it’s going to make for very good entertainment for Paris and beyond.
“We are probably the strongest we’ve ever been as a team across the board. Depth wise, and just how young the team is as well, there’s going to be a little bit of longevity to that too. So I think it’s really good for both teams and the sport.”
USA’s 2016 Olympic champion Lilly King told Olympics.com: “It’s super funny because we like the Aussies — they’re cool people and we do get along, but we also want to win and we want to win more medals.
“So it’s a really healthy rivalry. Sometimes I wish it was a little less healthy.
“But yeah, the Aussies are a fun group to race and a fun group to beat. We take a lot of pride in that, and does it motivate the team? Yeah, I think it definitely does.”
OPENING NIGHT’S MOUTH-WATERING THREE-WAY CLASH
You might want to set your alarms for 4.55am AEST on Sunday morning.
A three-way clash between Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, America’s Katie Ledecky and Canadian prodigy Summer McIntosh looms as one of the defining swimming races at this year’s Olympics.
The trio are so dominant in the 400m freestyle event, they share the 27 fastest times in history with New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather the only other current swimmer that has managed to breach four minutes.
Their showdown headlines the opening night of action at Paris La Défense Arena, with defending champion Titmus considered the favourite after clocking the event’s second-fastest time ever last month.
The Queenslander also set the current world record at last year’s world championships, snatching the record from McIntosh.
Ledecky’s best time of the year is nearly three seconds slower than Titmus, but the seven-time Olympic gold medallist fancies her chances of causing an upset this weekend.
“I’m looking forward to the 400 free, day one. I like my chances,” Ledecky told reporters in Paris on Wednesday.
“I feel like I’m prepared and ready to race and that’s all you can ask for.
“So I’m gonna give it my best shot and it’s obviously a great field, top to bottom. Lots of people that have a chance so I’m just gonna put up a great race in the morning and at night and see where that lands me.
“They’re great athletes and I’ve had the chance to race them quite a few times over the years now, especially Summer being in the US training in the US and we’ve raced a lot the last couple of years.
“It’s always fun to race the best and we have the top three times ever in that race so that just makes for a great field, great race.
“Those two have continued to raise the game, raise my game.
“I know that I have to bring my best. I think they know that they have to bring their best.”
DOLPHINS DROWNING IN ‘EXPECTATION AND PRESSURE’
The Dolphins arrive in Paris with the weight of expectations on their shoulders.
After winning 13 gold medals at last year’s 2023 FINA World Championships, Australia’s swimmers will be desperate to replicate that dominant performance in Paris.
In London 12 years ago, the Dolphins were left suffocated by the pressure of carrying Australia’s medal tally, with their underwhelming results making the 2012 Games a disappointment.
However, Chef de Mission Anna Meares has emphasised there is no expectation for Australia’s swimmers to break records over the coming fortnight, encouraging the Dolphins not to let others define their Olympic legacy.
“I went from my first Games loving trying to win to my last Games fearing what happened when I didn’t,” Meares said in Paris on Monday.
“A lot of that was what you guys were going to write and what those headlines were, and what that failure was going to be perceived as.
“I came home from my last Games with a sixth medal, a bronze medal, and I was actually greeted by people back home saying we’re sorry, we’re disappointed you didn’t win gold in your last campaign.
“Sometimes we forget how many people are in the competition and how hard it is to win and how rare the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games and be an Australian is, let alone being able to bring home a medal, let alone being able to bring home gold.
“That has probably shaped my philosophy around what the measure of success is for this team.”
Meares delivered a reassuring message to the Dolphins after they arrived in Paris on Wednesday.
“I know that just being a Dolphin carries a lot of expectation and pressure, and I hope that here you feel like a member of this Australian Olympic team, this is your space to feel comfortable and safe, and know that whatever happens out there, know that we’re in your corner,” Meares told the 44 athletes.
“We’re here to support you and do as much as we can in that process. The rest of the time we’re going to get out of the way.
“We know that you have been preparing extremely hard.
“We know that you’re ready to battle and the fights that are coming, and we’re also really excited about that.”
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MEN?
In Tokyo, only six of Australia’s 21 swimming medals were won by the men.
Although there will be plenty of attention on the women’s squad, the Dolphins will feel confident their men’s athletes can improve on their output from three years ago.
Of the Australian men heading to Paris, Sam Short and Elijah Winnington loom as the leading medal contenders, along with Cameron McEvoy.
Short and Winnington will go head-to-head in the men’s 400m freestyle, but Germany’s Lukas Martens remains the favourite for the middle-distance event.
That Aussie duo were caught up in controversy this week when Dolphins coach Michael Palfrey delivered a bizarre interview with Korean media where he said he hoped South Korea’s Kim Woo-min would win that event.
Palfrey has coached Woo-min this year alongside his duties with the Australian team, but his comments – which included saying “Go Korea” were labelled “Un-Australian” by Dolphins head coach Rohan Taylor.
Following the withdrawal of Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui, the reigning world champion, Short is also a podium chance in the 800m freestyle, topping the seedings.
Meanwhile, McEvoy has notched five of the nine fastest times in the 50m freestyle this year, including the two fastest.
Elsewhere, Zac Stubblety-Cook will need to produce something special to defend his 200m breaststroke crown against China’s Qin Haiyang.
PARIS 2024 SWIMMING SCHEDULE
All times AEST. Heats typically begin at 7pm, Finals at 4.30am.
Saturday, July 27
Heats (from 7pm)
Women’s 100m Butterfly (Emma McKeon, Alexandria Perkins)
Women’s 400m Freestyle (Ariarne Titmus, Jamie Perkins)
Men’s 100m Breaststroke (Sam Williamson, Josh Yong)
Men’s 400m Freestyle (Elijah Winnington, Sam Short)
Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay (Australia)
Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay (Australia)
Saturday, July 28
Finals
4:30am: Women’s 100m Butterfly semis (Emma McKeon, Alexandria Perkins)
4:42am: Men’s 400m Freestyle [Medal Event] (Elijah Winnington, Sam Short)
4:55am: Women’s 400m Freestyle [Medal Event] (Ariarne Titmus, Jamie Perkins)
5:15am: Men’s 100m Breaststroke semis (Sam Williamson, Josh Yong)
5:37am: Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay [Medal Event] (Australia)
5:50am: Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay [Medal Event] (Australia)
Heats from 7pm
Men’s 200m Freestyle (Max Giuliani, Tommy Neill)
Men’s 400m Individual Medley (Brendon Smith, William Petric)
Women’s 100m Breaststroke (Jenna Strauch)
Men’s 100m Backstroke (Isaac Cooper, Brad Woodward)
Women’s 200m Freestyle (Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan)
Monday, July 29
Finals
4:30am: Men’s 400m Individual Medley Final [Medal Event] (Brendon Smith, William Petric)
4:45am: Women’s 100m Butterfly Final [Medal Event] (Emma McKeon, Alexandria Perkins)
4:51am: Men’s 200m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Max Giuliani, Tommy Neill)
5:15am: Women’s 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals (Jenna Strauch)
5:37am: Men’s 100m Backstroke Semi-Finals (Isaac Cooper, Brad Woodward)
5:54am: Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final [Medal Event] (Sam Williamson)
6:00am: Women’s 200m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan)
Heats from 7pm
Women’s 400m Individual Medley (Ella Ramsay, Jenna Forrester)
Women’s 100m Backstroke (Kaylee McKeown, Iona Anderson)
Men’s 800m Freestyle (Sam Short, Elijah Winnington)
Tuesday, July 30
Finals
4:30am: Women’s 400m Individual Medley Final [Medal Event] (Ella Ramsay, Jenna Forrester)
4:43am: Men’s 200m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Max Giuliani, Tommy Neill)
5:00am: Women’s 100m Backstroke Semi-Finals (Kaylee McKeown, Iona Anderson)
5:22am: Men’s 100m Backstroke Final [Medal Event] (Isaac Cooper, Brad Woodward)
5:32am: Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final [Medal Event] (Jenna Strauch)
5:48am: Women’s 200m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan)
Heats from 7pm
Men’s 200m Butterfly (Matt Temple)
Men’s 100m Freestyle (Kyle Chalmers, William Yang)
Women’s 1500m Freestyle (Lani Pallister, Moesha Johnson)
Women’s 100m Freestyle (Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack)
Men’s 200m Breaststroke (Zac Stubblety-Cook, Josh Yong)
Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay (Australia)
Wednesday, July 31
Finals
4:30am: Men’s 100m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Kyle Chalmers, William Yang)
4:41am: Men’s 200m Butterfly Semi-Finals (Matt Temple)
4:57am: Women’s 100m Backstroke Final [Medal Event] (Kaylee McKeown, Iona Anderson)
5:03am: Men’s 800m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Elijah Winnington, Sam Short)
5:25am: Women’s 100m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack)
5:46am: Men’s 200m Breaststroke Semi-Finals (Zac Stubblety-Cook, Josh Yong)
5:59am: Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final [Medal Event] (Australia)
Heats from 7pm
Women’s 200m Breaststroke (Ella Ramsay, Jenna Strauch)
Men’s 200m Backstroke (Brad Woodward, Se-Bom Lee)
Women’s 200m Butterfly (Lizzy Dekkers, Abbey Connor)
Thursday, August 1
Finals
4:30am: Women’s 100m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack)
4:36am: Men’s 200m Butterfly Final [Medal Event] (Matt Temple)
4:42am: Women’s 200m Butterfly Semi-Finals (Lizzy Dekkers, Abbey Connor)
5:04am: Women’s 1500m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Lani Pallister, Moesha Johnson)
5:34am: Men’s 200m Backstroke Semi-Finals (Brad Woodward, Se-Bom Lee)
5:46am: Women’s 200m Breaststroke Semi-Finals (Ella Ramsay, Jenna Strauch)
6:08am: Men’s 200m Breaststroke Final [Medal Event] (Zac Stubblety-Cook, Josh Yong)
6:15am: Men’s 100m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Kyle Chalmers, William Yang)
Heats from 7pm
Women’s 200m Backstroke (Kaylee McKeown, Jaclyn Barclay)
Men’s 50m Freestyle (Cameron McEvoy, Ben Armbruster)
Men’s 200m Individual Medley (William Petric, Tommy Neill)
Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay (Australia)
Friday, August 2
Finals
4:30am: Women’s 200m Butterfly Final [Medal Event] (Lizzy Dekkers, Abbey Connor)
4:37am: Men’s 200m Backstroke Final [Medal Event] (Brad Woodward, Se-Bom Lee)
4:44am: Men’s 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Cameron McEvoy, Ben Armbruster)
5:03am: Women’s 200m Breaststroke Final [Medal Event] (Ella Ramsay, Jenna Strauch)
5:10am: Women’s 200m Backstroke Semi-Finals (Kaylee McKeown, Jaclyn Barclay)
5:34am: Men’s 200m Individual Medley Semi-Finals (William Petric, Tommy Neill)
5:48am: Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final [Medal Event] (Australia)
Heats from 7pm
Men’s 100m Butterfly (Matt Temple, Ben Armbruster)
Women’s 200m Individual Medley (Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay)
Women’s 800m Freestyle (Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister)
Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Australia)
Saturday, August 3
Finals
4:30am: Men’s 50m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Cameron McEvoy, Ben Armbruster)
4:39am: Women’s 200m Backstroke Final [Medal Event] (Kaylee McKeown, Jaclyn Barclay)
4:49am: Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final [Medal Event] (William Petric, Tommy Neill)
5:09am: Men’s 100m Butterfly Semi-Finals (Matt Temple, Ben Armbruster)
5:34am: Women’s 200m Ind. Medley Semi-Finals (Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay)
Heats from 7pm
Women’s 50m Freestyle (Shayna Jack, Meg Harris)
Men’s 1500m Freestyle (Sam Short)
Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Australia)
Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay (Australia)
Sunday, August 4
Finals
4:30am: Men’s 100m Butterfly Final [Medal Event] (Matt Temple, Ben Armbruster)
4:39am: Women’s 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals (Shayna Jack, Meg Harris)
4:59am: Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final [Medal Event] (Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay)
5:09am: Women’s 800m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister)
5:33am: Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final [Medal Event] (Australia)
Monday, August 5
Finals
2:30am: Women’s 50m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Shayna Jack, Meg Harris)
2:36am: Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final [Medal Event] (Sam Short)
3:12am: Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final [Medal Event] (Australia)
3:35am: Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final [Medal Event] (Australia)
DOLPHINS TEAM
Women
50m freestyle: Shayna Jack, Meg Harris
100m freestyle: Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack
200m freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan
400m freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Jamie Perkins
800m freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister
1500m freestyle: Lani Pallister, Moesha Johnson
100m backstroke: Kaylee McKeown, Iona Anderson
200m backstroke: Kaylee McKeown, Jaclyn Barclay
100m butterfly: Emma McKeon, Alexandria Perkins
200m butterfly: Lizzy Dekkers, Abbey Connor
100m breaststroke: Jenna Strauch
200m breaststroke: Ella Ramsay, Jenna Strauch
200m individual medley: Kaylee McKeown, Ella Ramsay
400m individual medley: Ella Ramsay, Jenna Forrester
Relay: Bronte Campbell, Olivia Wunsch, Brianna Throssell
Men
50m freestyle: Cameron McEvoy, Ben Armbruster
100m freestyle: Kyle Chalmers, William Yang
200m freestyle: Max Giuliani, Tommy Neill
400m freestyle: Elijah Winnington, Sam Short
800m freestyle: Elijah Winnington, Sam Short
1500m freestyle: Sam Short
100m backstroke: Isaac Cooper, Brad Woodward
200m backstroke: Brad Woodward, Se-Bom Lee
100m butterfly: Matt Temple, Ben Armbruster
200m butterfly: Matt Temple
100m breaststroke: Sam Williamson, Josh Yong
200m breaststroke: Zac Stubblety-Cook, Josh Yong
200m individual medley: William Petric, Tommy Neill
400m individual medley: Brendon Smith, William Petric
Relay: Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor, Zac Incerti, Jack Cartwright
AUSTRALIA’S OLYMPIC SWIMMING RECORD
Tokyo 2020 — 9 gold, 3 silver, 9 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Rio 2016 — 3 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
London 2012 – 1 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze (7th on medal tally)
Beijing 2008 — 6 gold, 6 silver, 8 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Athens 2004 — 7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Sydney 2000 — 5 gold, 9 silver, 4 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Athens 1996 — 2 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze (5th on medal tally)
Barcelona 1992 — 1 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze (6th on medal tally)
Seoul 1988 – 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze (5th on medal tally)
Los Angeles 1984 – 1 gold, 5 silver, 6 bronze (5th on medal tally)
Moscow 1980 – 1 gold, 5 bronze (4th on medal tally)
Montreal 1976 – 1 bronze (8th on medal tally)
Munich 1972 – 6 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Mexico City 1968 – 3 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Tokyo 1964 – 4 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Rome 1960 – 5 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze (2nd on medal tally)
Melbourne 1956 – 8 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze (1st on medal tally)
Helsinki 1952 – 1 gold (4th on medal tally)
London 1948 – 2 silver, 2 bronze (4th on medal tally)
Berlin 1936 – no medals
Los Angeles 1932 – 1 gold, 1 silver (3rd on medal tally)
Amsterdam 1928 – 2 silver (8th on medal tally)
Paris 1924 – 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze (3rd on medal tally)
Antwerp 1920 – 1 silver, 1 bronze
Source Agencies
