Paris 2024 Olympics: Five must-watch showdowns in swimming
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 could see some of swimming's greatest-ever showdowns.
Over the course of nine days at the La Defense Arena, Ariarne Titmus of Australia and the United States' Katie Ledecky will renew their epic rivalry over multiple events, while Canada's Summer McIntosh looks to crash their Olympic party.
Elsewhere, returning champions like Great Britain's Adam Peaty will look to reassert his dominance over a stacked men’s breaststroke field, while Kaylee McKeown of Australia and USA's Regan Smith’s backstroke duels will likely produce fireworks.
Below, we take a look at five potentially iconic battles in the pool in the French capital this summer.
Women’s 400m freestyle: Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus, Summer McIntosh, Erika Fairweather
Arguably the most anticipated swimming final at Paris 2024 will take place on the first night in the women’s 400 freestyle, where reigning Olympic champion Titmus, Rio 2016 gold medallist Ledecky, Canadian phenom McIntosh and a new challenger in New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather could lock horns.
Australia’s Titmus is the early favourite to defend her title after setting a new world record at the 2023 World Championships, but will have to be at her very best to stave off Ledecky, who is a four-time world champion in the event and will be keen to avenge her narrow losses at Tokyo 2020 and the 2023 worlds.
McIntosh, 17, broke the 400 free world record in 2023 and, as a double 400m medley world champion, will feel she has the finishing power to win gold.
Fairweather, meanwhile, won the 2024 world title in the event in the absence of the other three competitors, after edging out McIntosh to take bronze in a race for the ages in Fukuoka a year earlier.
Men’s 100m breaststroke: Adam Peaty, Qin Haiyang, Nic Fink, Nicolo Martinenghi, Arno Kamminga
One of the biggest stories in men’s swimming is the return of the men’s two-time reigning Olympic champion and world record holder in Peaty.
The Brit suffered a well-publicised dip in form after Tokyo 2020 due to injuries and a mental health break. But he has consistently dropped time since his return in 2024, and is determined to become the first male swimmer to win three consecutive 100 breaststroke Olympic titles.
In his way stands Qin Haiyang of the People’s Republic of China, who announced his arrival at the top table of swimming at the 2023 worlds, where he took out the 50m, 100m and 200m titles in Peaty's absence.
Elsewhere, USA’s Nic Fink is in the form of his life, taking gold at the 2024 worlds, while Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, the 2022 world champ, has been a consistent figure on major podiums in this cycle.
Rounding off this epic quintet is flying Dutchman Arno Kamminga, a double silver medallist at Tokyo 2020 who has won medals at every world championships since.
Women’s 100m backstroke: Kaylee McKeown, Regan Smith
Australia’s McKeown and USA’s Smith have dominated the women's backstroke sprints for some time, consistently pushing the sport’s boundaries.
McKeown is the Olympic champion over 100m and 200m, and is the strong favourite to defend her title over the latter as the world record holder.
The 100m, however, is set to be a fascinating contest, with a rejuvenated Smith hitting form at the perfect time, breaking McKeown’s world record in June’s US Olympic Trials.
Both swimmers are multi-eventers, but with the 100m back being at the top of both of their schedules in Paris, they will be fully charged for an epic clash.
Regan Smith (L) and Kaylee McKeown (C) and Katharine Berkoff (R) on the women's 100 backstroke podium at the 2023 World Championships on July 25, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan.
Women’s 200m freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan
The two clear favourites for the women’s 200m free in Paris are Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan, both from Australia and both of whom have broken the world record in the past year.
Titmus is the current holder, thanks to the blistering 1:52.23 that saw her to first place at the Australian Olympic Trials in June.
However, there are two other very strong candidates to keep your eye on: Hong Kong’s reigning world champion Siobhan Haughey and the versatile Canadian McIntosh, who have both achieved times under 1:55 this year.
Relays: USA vs. Australia women’s 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay
The star–studded Australian women’s team bested the second-placed USA team in both freestyle relays at the 2023 world championships, setting world records in both events thanks to the likes of O’Callaghan, Titmus and Shayna Jack, who swam in both finals.
Despite this dominance, the USA will be hopeful of reversing the result in the 100m, with firepower like 100m fly world record holder Gretchen Walsh, Olympic champions Ledecky and Olivia Smoliga, plus 200m medley world champion Kate Douglass to call upon.
The USA did manage to better their rivals in the women’s 4x100m medley, thanks to the brilliance of Smith, Lilly King, Walsh and Douglass, who pipped a team featuring McKeown, O’Callaghan and Emma McKeon by just over a second, and a rematch between the teams would have fans on the edge of their seats again.