Olympic Swimming Predictions, Day 3: Summer time McIntosh, David Popovici Favored to Attain Gold-Medal Podium
After 100 years, the world’s premier sporting occasion returns to Paris. The 2024 Summer time Olympics will start July 26, and there can be 329 occasions in 32 sports activities, with roughly 10,500 athletes from 184 international locations. This yr’s Video games mark the third time that Paris may have hosted the occasion, turning into solely the second metropolis to take action. Swimming’s 35 pool occasions will start on Saturday, July 27, and can proceed for 9 days by means of Aug. 4 on the Paris La Défense Area. Following is how Swimming World sees the motion unfolding.
WOMEN’S 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Summer time McIntosh may win Olympic gold within the 400 freestyle, but when not, her first time atop the medal stand will certainly come within the 400 IM, an occasion wherein McIntosh is a two-time world champion and the world document holder, having clocked a time of 4:24.38 in Could that’s two seconds faster than every other swimmer in historical past.
Just one different swimmer in Paris has ever damaged 4:30—Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, however McKeown plans to skip the longer medley. Thus, the second-fastest finest time within the race (4:31.41 from Fukuoka) belongs to American Katie Grimes, who received silver at Worlds in each 2022 and 2023. Freya Colbert was the world champion this yr, whereas Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko has made large strides in 2024. Hungary’s Vivien Jackl, Japan’s Mio Narita and the USA’s Emma Weyant, the silver medalist 4 years in the past, ought to all contend.
World Report: 4:24.38 Summer time McIntosh, CAN (Toronto 5-16-24)
2024 World Rankings:4:24.38 1. Summer time McIntosh, CAN (5-16)4:28.22 2. Kaylee McKeown, AUS (4-18)4:34.01 3. Freya Colbert, GBR (4-4)4:34.87 4. Anastasia Gorbenko, ISR (6-1)4:34.96 5. Vivien Jackl, HUN (4-11)
Crew USA:4:35.00 6. Katie Grimes (6-17)4:35.56 8. Emma Weyant (6-17)
Gold: Summer time McIntosh, CanadaSilver: Katie Grimes, USABronze: Anastasia Gorbenko, Israel
MEN’S 200 FREESTYLE
David Popovici — Photograph Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Two years in the past, David Popovici grew to become the primary swimmer because the ban on full-body polyurethane fits to interrupt 1:43 within the 200 freestyle. He additionally broke a long-standing 100 free world document in 2022. After a down 2023, Popovici is again, having clocked 1:43.13 on the European Championships to take a seat one second away from the remainder of the world.
In the meantime, it may take sub-1:45 simply to make the ultimate in Paris. Nice Britain’s Matt Richards received the world title within the occasion final yr, and he can be joined by Duncan Scott, who locked defending gold medalist Tom Dean out of the occasion this yr. South Korea’s Hwang Sunwoo has change into a podium common, and Germany’s Lukas Martens will attempt to prolong his freestyle expertise all the way down to the 200. American Luke Hobson is a wild card.
World Report: 1:42.00 Paul Biedermann, GER (Rome 7-28-09)
2024 World Rankings:1:43.13 1. David Popovici, ROU (6-21)1:44.14 2. Lukas Martens, GER (4-27)1:44.69 3. Matthew Richards, GBR (4-7)1:44.75 4. Duncan Scott, GBR (4-7)1:44.75 4. Hwang Sunwoo, KOR (2-13)
Crew USA:1:44.89 6. Luke Hobson (6-17)1:45.38 11. Chris Guiliano (6-17)
Gold: David Popovici, RomaniaSilver: Matt Richards, Nice BritainBronze: Hwang Sunwoo, South Korea
MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE
Thomas Ceccon stole the world document away from Ryan Murphy on the 2022 World Championships, however Murphy got here again one yr later to nip the Italian for the world title. With Russian swimmers largely banned from competing in Paris, Murphy would be the solely swimmer within the area to have ever received an Olympic medal, having taken bronze in 2021 after a gold in 2016.
These two are the headliners whereas Hunter Armstrong, Murphy’s fellow American, was the bronze medalist at Worlds in 2022 and 2023 earlier than successful a watered-down international closing in February. Apostolos Christou blasted a time of 52.23 on the latest European Championships, and China’s Xu Jiayu, the world champ in 2017 and 2019, can’t be forgotten. Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez is best on the 200 again, however a possible finalist right here.
World Report: 51.60 Thomas Ceccon, ITA (Budapest 6-20-22)
2024 World Rankings:52.23 2. Apostolos Christou, GRE (6-23)52.34 3. Miron Lifintsev, RUS (4-15)52.39 4. Xu Jiayu, CHN (4-21)52.43 5. Thomas Ceccon, ITA (6-21)52.70 7. Oliver Morgan, GBR (4-3)52.70 7. Hugo Gonzalez, ESP (2-13)
Crew USA:52.22 1. Ryan Murphy, USA (6-17)52.68 6. Hunter Armstrong (2-13)
Gold: Ryan Murphy, USASilver: Thomas Ceccon, ItalyBronze: Hunter Armstrong, USA
WOMEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE
Huge names similar to Yuliya Efimova and Lydia Jacoby, the defending Olympic champion, didn’t make the minimize for Paris, however Lilly King is again and aiming to reclaim the gold medal she first received in 2016. King stays the world document holder, however China’s Tang Qianting almost swiped the mark when she clocked 1:04.39 earlier this yr to determine herself as gold-medal favourite.
Ruta Meilutyte, the Lithuanian swimmer who received Olympic gold in 2012, made a triumphant return to gold-medal standing with a world title in 2023, however she has struggled to this point in 2024. South Africa’s Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) is trying sturdy to return to the Olympic podium within the occasion, whereas Italy’s Benedetta Pilato is in search of her first Olympic medal after successful the world title in 2022. Veterans Reona Aoki, Tes Schouten and Sophie Hansson will contend as effectively.
World Report: 1:04.13 Lilly King, USA (Budapest 7-25-17)
2024 World Rankings:1:04.39as 1. Tang Qianting, CHN (4-21)1:05.11 2. Evgeniia Chikunova, RUS (4-17)1:05.41p 3. Tatjana (Schoenmaker) Smith, RSA (4-12)1:05.44 5. Benedetta Pilato, ITA (6-21)1:05.54 6. Angharad Evans, GBR (5-26)
Crew USA:1:05.43 4. Lilly King (6-17)1:06.10 15. Emma Weber (6-17)
Gold: Tang Qianting, ChinaSilver: Lilly King, USABronze: Tatjana Smith, South Africa
WOMEN’S 200 FREESTYLE
Australia can be closely favored for a 1-2 end right here after Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan every swam beneath the earlier world document on the nation’s Olympic Trials final month. O’Callaghan had damaged Federica Pellegrini’s mark (1:52.98) that stood for 14 years with a 1:52.85 on the 2023 Worlds earlier than Titmus snatched it away from her Aussie teammate, clocking 1:52.23 in June. These ladies may change into the primary to go 1:51 within the occasion in Paris.
Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey was the silver medalist behind Titmus three years in the past, and he or she received the world title in Doha earlier this yr. Katie Ledecky, the 2016 Olympic champion, and Summer time McIntosh, final yr’s World Championships bronze medalist, have each opted out of this race to deal with different occasions, so China’s Yang Junxuan, the 2022 world champion, may contend for a medal.
World Report: 1:52.23 Ariarne Titmus, AUS (Brisbane 6-12-24)
2024 World Rankings:1:52.23 1. Ariarne Titmus, AUS (6-12)1:52.48 2. Mollie O’Callaghan, AUS (6-12)1:53.69 3. Summer time McIntosh, CAN (5-14)1:54.37 4. Yang Junxuan, CHN (4-21)1:54.52 5. Siobhan Haughey, HKG (4-12)
Crew USA:1:55.86sf 12. Claire Weinstein (6-16)1:56.53sf 21. Erin Gemmell (6-16)
Gold: Mollie O’Callaghan, AustraliaSilver: Ariarne Titmus, AustraliaBronze: Siobhan Haughey, Hong Kong
