Paris Olympics: Australia's swimming stars dominate with double gold wins
Gold medallist Ariarne Titmus of Australia celebrates with her gold medal in Women's 400m Freestyle in Paris Olympics at Paris La Defense Arena, France, July 27, 2024. Photo Reuters
Ariarne Titmus kicked off Australia's success at the Paris Olympic swimming meet by winning the 400 metres freestyle on the opening night at La Defence Arena on Saturday.
Titmus, defending her title, triumphed in a thrilling race against Canada's Summer McIntosh and American legend Katie Ledecky. McIntosh, a 17-year-old prodigy, took silver, marking her first Olympic medal, while Ledecky settled for bronze.
The highly anticipated race, reminiscent of the 2004 "Race of the Century" between Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe, and Pieter van den Hoogenband, captivated the crowd from the start. Despite the immense pressure, Titmus expressed relief and satisfaction after her victory.
In the men's 400 metres freestyle, Elijah Winnington earned Australia a silver medal, finishing behind Germany's Lukas Maertens. South Korea's world champion Kim Woo-min claimed bronze. Maertens celebrated his first Olympic gold, noting his determination and resilience in the race.
Australia's women's team secured another gold in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay. The team, comprising Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris, outperformed the United States and China, maintaining Australia's dominance in the event with their fourth consecutive Olympic gold.
The American men, led by Caeleb Dressel, captured their country's first gold of the Games in the 4x100 freestyle relay, beating Australia and Italy. Dressel, now with eight Olympic golds, praised his teammates for their performance.
In the 100m butterfly semi-finals, American Gretchen Walsh set an Olympic record with a time of 55.38 seconds, while Torri Huske was the fastest in the other semi-final.
Britain's Adam Peaty, aiming for his third consecutive 100m men's breaststroke gold, advanced to Sunday's final with the fastest qualifying time. Peaty embraced the pressure, expressing his desire to finish with a smile and a flawless performance.