Top things to know about swimming at the 2022 Commonwealth Games

Schedule, preview and stars to watch in Birmingham, including the likes of Adam Peaty, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Summer McIntosh, and Cody Simpson.

7 minBy Olympics.com
Canada's Summer McIntosh won the women's 200m butterfly and 400m medley titles at the 2022 FINA World Championships

(2022 Getty Images)

Swimming is set to be one of the most exciting events of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with Adam Peaty, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Duncan Scott, and Tatjana Schoenmaker set for their first major international meet of the year.

Those Olympic gold medallists will be joined by a host of recently-crowned world champions in Birmingham like Canada’s Summer McIntosh, while Australia’s popstar-turned-swimmer Cody Simpson will be making his international debut.

With so much star power on show, expect records to be broken, stars to be unearthed, and history to be made at the brand new Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

Below, we take a deeper look at the athletes expected to light up the competition, the schedule, and how to watch the action.

MORE: Commonwealth Games 2022: Preview, schedule, how to watch the global stars in action

You can follow all the action via our live update blog article on Olympics.com.

(2022 Getty Images)

Top swimmers at 2022 Commonwealth Games

When breaststroke king Adam Peaty broke his foot in May meaning that he’d miss Worlds, returning for the Commonwealth Games became his focus.

The men’s 100m world record holder is fuelled by emotion, so expect fireworks when he lines up in the colours of England.

Australia’s Ariarne Titmus took a well-earned break after winning women’s 200 and 400 freestyle gold and 800m silver at Tokyo 2020, and is the heavy favourite to win those three events in Birmingham.

Despite not competing at the World Championships the 21-year-old is in the form of her life, having broken the 400 freestyle world record in May this year at the Australian National Champs.

Emma McKeon won a record seven medals at Tokyo 2020, and it will be fascinating to see the 100m freestyle reigning Olympic champion lock horns with her Aussie compatriot, and freshly-crowned world champion in the event, Mollie O’Callaghan.

Another star of the 2022 World Championships to keep an eye out for is Summer McIntosh. Canada’s 15-year-old sensation won the 200m butterfly and 400 medley, and will look to challenge Titmus in the 400 free.

McIntosh will be joined in Birmingham by other 2022 world champions Kylie Masse of Canada, Englishman Ben Proud, and Australians Zac Stubblety-Cook, Kaylee McKeown.

Elsewhere, Scotland’s versatile Duncan Scott will be looking to make up for lost time after missing Worlds with COVID, and his anticipated battle in the men’s 200m freestyle with England’s reigning Olympic champion Tom Dean should be one for the ages.

It is yet to be seen if Scott will defend his 100m freestyle title against Rio 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers.

Olympic champion Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa is odds on to do the breaststroke double, while her teammate Chad le Clos is on the cusp of history.

The Rio 2016 Olympic champion needs one more medal to match Australia's Philip Adams and Englishman Michael Gault as the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete of all time. Le Clos is a 50, 100 and 200 men's butterfly medal favourite for Birmingham 2022.

Canada’s women’s 100m butterfly Olympic champion Maggie Mac Neil is set to compete in individual events, after focussing on relays at Worlds.

But the Commonwealth Games are also a breeding ground for new talent, so watch out for popstar-turned-swimmer Cody Simpson who will be making his international debut for Australia.

Swimming schedule at 2022 Commonwealth Games

All times are British Summer Time (GMT/UTC+1)

Friday 29 July

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Men’s 400m Freestyle Heats
  • Women’s 400m Individual Medley Heats
  • Women’s 200m Freestyle Heats
  • Men’s 50m Butterfly Heats
  • Women’s 50m Breaststroke Heats
  • Men’s 100m Backstroke Heats
  • Women’s 100m Butterfly Heats
  • Men’s 200m Breaststroke Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Women’s 400m Individual Medley Final
  • Women’s 200m Freestyle Final
  • Men’s 400m Freestyle Final
  • Men’s 50m Butterfly Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 50m Breaststroke Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 100m Backstroke Semi-Final
  • Women’s 100m Butterfly Semi-Final
  • Men’s 200m Breaststroke Final
  • Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final

Saturday 30 July

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Men’s 200m Freestyle Heats
  • Women’s 50m Freestyle Heats
  • Men’s 100m Breaststroke Heats
  • Women’s 100m Backstroke Heats
  • Men’s 400m Individual Medley Heats
  • Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heats
  • Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Men’s 50m Butterfly Final
  • Women’s 50m Breaststroke Final
  • Men’s 200m Freestyle Final
  • Women’s 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 100m Backstroke Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 400m Individual Medley Final
  • Women’s 100m Butterfly Final
  • Men’s 100m Backstroke Final
  • Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final
  • Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final

Sunday 31 July

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Men’s 200m Butterfly Heats
  • Women’s 200m Breaststroke Heats
  • Men’s 50m Backstroke Heats
  • Women’s 50m Butterfly Heats
  • Men’s 100m Freestyle Heats
  • Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Women’s 50m Freestyle Final
  • Men’s 200m Butterfly Final
  • Women’s 200m Breaststroke Final
  • Men’s 50m Backstroke Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 50m Butterfly Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 100m Freestyle Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 100m Backstroke Final
  • Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final
  • Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final

Monday 1 August

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Women’s 200m Backstroke Heats
  • Men’s 50m Breaststroke Heats
  • Women’s 100m Freestyle Heats
  • Men’s 100m Butterfly Heats
  • Women’s 200m Individual Medley Heats
  • Women’s 100m Breaststroke Heats
  • Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Heats
  • Women’s 800m Freestyle Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Men’s 100m Freestyle Final
  • Women’s 200m Backstroke Final
  • Men’s 50m Breaststroke Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 100m Freestyle Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 100m Butterfly Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 50m Backstroke Final
  • Women’s 50m Butterfly Final
  • Women’s 100m Breaststroke Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Final

Tuesday 2 August

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Men’s 200m Backstroke Heats
  • Women’s 200m Butterfly Heats
  • Men’s 50m Freestyle Heats
  • Women’s 50m Backstroke Heats
  • Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Heats
  • Men’s 1500m Freestyle Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Women’s 100m Freestyle Final
  • Men’s 100m Butterfly Final
  • Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final
  • Men’s 200m Backstroke Final
  • Women’s 200m Butterfly Final
  • Men’s 50m Freestyle Semi-Finals
  • Women’s 50m Backstroke Semi-Finals
  • Men’s 50m Breaststroke Final
  • Women’s 800m Freestyle Final
  • Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final

Wednesday 3 August

10.30am-12.30pm

  • Men’s 200m Individual Medley Heats
  • Women’s 400m Freestyle Heats
  • Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay Heat
  • Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay Heats
  • Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Heats

7pm-10pm

  • Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final
  • Women’s 400m Freestyle Final
  • Men’s 50m Freestyle Final
  • Women’s 50m Backstroke Final
  • Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final
  • Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final
  • Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final
  • Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay Final

How to watch swimming at 2022 Commonwealth Games

UK: BBC TV, Radio, iPlayer

Canada: CBC Sports, CBC Sports app

Australia: Channel 7, 7Plus

New Zealand: Sky, TVNZ

India: Sony LIV

Further streaming details can be found on the Commonwealth Games website here.

You can follow all the action via our live update blog article on Olympics.com.

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