Paris Olympics, Day 1: Kate Douglass, Emma McKeon Get Morning Relay Swims
The battle in the women’s 400 free relay on the opening day of the Paris Olympics Saturday will likely come down to the United States and Australia. The morning appetizer between them features plenty of big names, and the men’s race isn’t hurting either.
Kate Douglass will anchor the U.S. women’s relay in the morning, while Australia opts for a veteran lineup that rests its top two freestylers but hands Emma McKeon a fly/free double.
On the men’s side, it’ll be a matchup of the last two 100 free individual champs, with Kyle Chalmers and Caeleb Dressel anchoring against each other.
Douglass, who won the event at U.S. Olympic Trials, will anchor the morning relay, with both Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh, who finished second and third respectively, in the 100 butterfly in the session. Simone Manuel, Erika Connolly and Abbey Weitzeil will battle it out in the other three gets to get the fourth and final spot. The U.S.’s performance at Trials made it a contender, with three swimmers under 53.25.
Australia will go without Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack in the morning. That leaves Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris and McKeon on the relay with youngster Olivia Wunsch leading off. McKeon, who won four gold and seven total medals in Tokyo in 2021, will have to earn her finals swim in at night, with two of the Aussie prelim four presumably progressing.
Australia is the reigning Olympic champion and prohibitive favorite. Campbell, Harris, McKeon and Cate Campbell went 3:29.69 to win gold in Tokyo, then a renewed group of O’Callaghan, Jack, Harris and McKeon were 3:27.96 to win the world title in 2023 nearly two seconds quicker (3:27.96).
China is close to full strength in the morning, with both Wu Qingfeng and Junxuan Yang in the relay. Zhang Yufei has the 100 fly and is likely to slot over after prelims. Sarah Sjostrom, not in the 100 fly, will be the Swedish relay with fellow 100 free qualifier Michelle Coleman. Canada, which has only Maggie MacNeil swimming the 100 free individually, has a veteran lineup with Penny Oleksiak leading off and handing to Mary-Sophie Harvey. Brooklyn Douthwright and Taylor Ruck round out the group.
On the men’s side, Australia and the United States will be next to each other in the final prelims heat of the morning. The Aussies are at pretty much full strength, with individual qualifiers William Yang and Chalmers in it. Jack Cartwright and Flynn Southam comprise the rest of the squad.
The U.S. withholds its top two from Trials in Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano. Dressel will anchor, with Ryan Held, Matt King and Hunter Armstrong.
China also has a strong squad, with Pan Zhanle on the anchor. Italy will hold in reserve its Trials winner in the 100 free, Alesandro Miressi.
Emma McKeon swam brilliantly in the heat, she should be in the relay final