Titanic tussle between swimming powerhouses in the Olympic pool

PARIS – Expect a fiery encounter between powerhouses Australia and the United States when the arch-rivals battle once again for Olympic dominance in the swimming pool.

The gloves are off ahead of the clash at the Paris La Defense Arena, with athletes and supporters from both camps – including former swimmers like Michael Phelps and Cate Campbell – entering the fray.

On day six of the 2023 world championships, American broadcaster NBC raised eyebrows when it put the US top of its own medal tally ahead of Australia based on more medals won (25 to 16), despite the latter claiming more golds (10 to three).

This led to Australia’s Campbell, who retired after failing to qualify for Paris 2024, to label the Americans “sore losers”.

When American legend Phelps heard the comments, he urged his compatriots to make the Aussies “eat every word they just said”, setting the stage for a titanic duel from July 27 to Aug 4.

US v Australia

Since Antwerp 1920, the US have topped the swimming charts in 19 out of 24 editions, including the last eight.

However, since Australian Francis Gailey was out-touched by American Charles Daniels in the 220- and 440-yard freestyle at St Louis 1904, the Dolphins have emerged as their biggest rivals.

At Melbourne 1956, they became the most successful swim team for the first time with eight golds to the Americans’ two, but have since played second fiddle.

Australia coach Rohan Taylor acknowledged that the US are the favourites because of their depth and experience, but said his team can outperform them, if they are clinical.

After the Australian Olympic trials in June, he said: “Whatever the athletes swim here, we want them to swim either on time or improve. If they do that and they’re highly-ranked, chances are they will get on the podium. If we can get a lot of highly-ranked athletes there, and then they perform well, the medal tally will fall our way.”

After a shambolic performance at London 2012, where they won only one gold, the Australians managed to rebuild and surprised with a record nine at Tokyo 2020, just two shy of the Americans.

Eight of these were from their star-studded women’s team, who are expected to do the heavy lifting again in Paris.

Nicknamed Arnie or The Terminator for her relentless attitude, defending 400m freestyle champion Ariarne Titmus won the event at the Australian trials in 3min 55.44sec, just 0.06 of a second off her world record, to set up a Paris showdown with American great and Rio 2016 winner Katie Ledecky and Canadian teen Summer McIntosh.

At the meet, Titmus also broke the 200m free world record with a blistering 1:52.23 and will also push Ledecky in the 800m free.

Dominating the freestyle would appear to be the Australians’ best chance of toppling their rivals, as other than Titmus, Shayna Jack (women’s 50m), Cameron McEvoy (men’s 50m), Mollie O’Callaghan (women’s 100m) and Elijah Winnington (men’s 400m and 800m) have faster times than their competitors in 2024.

Elsewhere, the Americans have the edge, especially in the men’s events, having won eight golds in Tokyo.

In the women’s competition, Gretchen Walsh will be the hot favourite to win the 100m butterfly after setting a new world mark of 55.18sec at the US trials. Teammate Regan Smith followed suit in the 100m backstroke in 57.13sec to set up another intriguing battle with Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, who held the previous 100m world record and still holds the 200m mark.

Comeback Kids

The Americans are boosted by the return of Caeleb Dressel, who won five golds at Tokyo 2020 but took an eight-month hiatus for mental health reasons.

The 27-year-old could be their trump card in the men’s 50m free, 100m fly and 4x100m free relay.

After the US trials in June, he said: “I don’t know if I’ll ever swim a best time ever again. (But) I’m really good at racing. You put me in a race, I will make it close, as close as I possibly can, even if I have to try to kill myself to get there.”

He is not alone in his mental health struggles – other swimmers on the comeback trail include Briton Adam Peaty (men’s 100m breaststroke) and Hungarian Kristof Milak (men’s 200m fly).

Cloud over China

After bagging 28 of the 41 golds at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, and with world record holders Pan Zhanle (100m free) and Qin Haiyang (200m breaststroke) and 100m breaststroke upstart Tang Qianting in tow, China should be heading to Paris with optimism.

They could still match or surpass their record of five golds from London 2012, but suspicion will follow the Asian giants.

In April, it was reported that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine in 2020 and 2021, only for the World Anti-Doping Agency to clear them of wrongdoing and allow them to compete in Tokyo.

Eleven of them are on China’s 31-strong roster in Paris, including Olympic champions Zhang Yufei (200m fly) and Wang Shun (200m individual medley).

Home hope

France, with just eight golds in the Olympic pool, could surprise.

Leon Marchand, 22, has established himself as the world’s best individual medley swimmer, winning two world titles in the 200m and claiming the 400m world record. He will also be a contender in the 200m butterfly.

Besides the US and Australia, 10 other countries pocketed golds in Tokyo, and they will be on the hunt for the 37 on offer in Paris.

While Singapore are not expected to win medals, Jonathan Tan (50m, 100m free), Letitia Sim (100m, 200m breaststroke), Gan Ching Hwee (800m, 1,500m free) and the women’s 4x100m medley relay team of Letitia and Levenia Sim, Quah Jing Wen and Gan will be aiming for national records.