Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
2024 Olympic Games
Swimming
Paris La Defense Arena
Paris, France
27 July - 4 August 2024
Swimming is one of the most-watched
Olympic sports and the pool events are expected to draw more large crowds at the Paris La Defense Arena from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, August 4.
The aquatic sport has seen a surge in popularity since a 15-year-old Michael Phelps emerged on the scene at Sydney 2000, with the American going on to become the most decorated Olympian in history.
Phelps won six gold medals at Athens 2004, another eight at Beijing 2008, four more at London 2012 and an additional five at Rio 2016 before retiring with a grand haul of 28 (including 3 silver and 2 bronze).
Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
USA dominated in the men's events at Tokyo 2020, with Caeleb Dressel winning the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly, while Robert Finke took gold in the 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle.
Dressel also helped his country triumph in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay and the 4 x 100m medley relay - the latter resulting in a new world record.
Australia shone in the women's events as Emma McKeon won the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke as well as being part of the team that claimed gold in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay and 4 x 100m medley relay.
Ariarne Titmus added another two gold medals in the 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle as Australia finished second in the medals table (21) behind the United States (30).
Dressel has been working on just enjoying swimming again after walking away from the sport for eight months when he withdrew midway through the 2022 world championship meet in Budapest, having been obsessed with being a perfectionist.
"I've been trying to not be so fixated on results and just simply enjoying racing and training - those are the two parts of the sport that I really enjoy," he told the Athletic.
"There are parts of the sport that I really dislike, that I really hate. But it's worth putting up with for the moments that I really do enjoy. It's going to be a balance; I'm not expecting every part of the sport to just be the best thing ever for me. But I've really leaned into the parts of the sport that I do enjoy.
"That's been the main difference for me. I've always loved training. I've always loved being around the team. The actual racing portion, I do really, really enjoy - as soon as the gun goes off, it's just simply fun. So, I've just been trying to keep it just simply swimming. Simply swimming this year."
McKeon recently announced that she will retire after the 2024 Games, where Australia's most decorated athlete in Olympics history could break into the top 10 for all-time medals, with 11 to her name at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
"Those kinds of things don't enter my mind," she told Vogue. "How I want to be in Paris is just as prepared as I possibly can be.
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