The Paris La Defense Arena has become a hub of Olympic dreams these last few days — including a statistics student applying classroom theories to shatter records and a lone swimmer carrying the hopes of an entire island nation.
Australia’s relay power and America’s quest for medal history complete the picture of the swimming competition so far, while we wait for the next finals. Let’s take a look at the latest updates, results, and next events in the programme.
Statistics Student Wins Gold in Women’s 200m Breaststroke
Kate Douglass, a statistics master’s student from the USA, obtained gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:19.24, breaking her own record. Douglass outpaced South Africa’s Tatjana Smith (2:19.60) and the Netherlands’ Tes Schouten (2:21.05).
Douglass’ unique approach of applying statistical analysis to her swimming technique has paid off. She co-authored an academic paper titled “Swimming in Data” with fellow students under the guidance of mathematics and data science professor Ken Ono. The paper analyses Olympic swimmers’ techniques using inertial measurement units and sensor bands to calculate acceleration rates during each stroke.
“I’m definitely a numbers person,” Douglass said. “That’s something that I focus on and something I like to look at after my races.” Her strategy for the final was simple yet effective: stick to the plan, stay calm, and count strokes.
Smith, who announced her retirement after the race, praised Douglass: “She pushed me to be a better version of myself and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.” Smith hinted at a possible return to the Olympics, but on the staff side next time.
For Schouten, the bronze was a historic moment, making her only the second swimmer from the Netherlands to make an Olympic final in the 200m breaststroke.
Cayman Islands’ Crooks Makes History in 50m Freestyle
Jordan Crooks from the Cayman Islands became only the second athlete from his nation to ever make an Olympic final, after Cydonie Mothersille in 2008. Crooks outpaced eight-time Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel in the 50m freestyle semi-final, clocking 21.54 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Crooks swam a personal-best time of 21.51 in the heats, coming within a half-second of the 21.07 Olympic record set by Caeleb Dressel in Tokyo. The 22-year-old’s performance has ignited support back home, with Tokyo 2020 gymnast Raegan Rutty posting a video of her family watching the race.
“I’m grateful for all of the support so far through the meet, so thank you to everybody at home who has been doing an awesome job supporting, and hopefully I can make everyone proud tomorrow”, Crooks stated.
Crooks, the 2022 short-course world champion and 2023 NCAA champion in the event, remains focused on the final. If he medals, it will be the first time in Olympic history that the Cayman Islands flag is raised during a medal ceremony.
Australia Sets Olympic Record in Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay
The Australian team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell, and Ariarne Titmus dominated the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay, setting a new Olympic record of 7:38.08. They led from start to finish, chasing their world-record mark from the 2023 World Championships.
O’Callaghan, the Olympic champion in the women’s 200m freestyle at Paris 2024, set the tone with a first leg of 1:53.52. Pallister, who had recently recovered from COVID-19, swam the third fastest leg on the team. Throssell held off Team USA’s Katie Ledecky, before Titmus brought it home with a 1:52.95 split.
“It was really fun,” Titmus said. “I feel like a bit of redemption for us. Tokyo 2020 was definitely not the result we wanted.”
The USA team, featuring Katie Ledecky, Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden, and Erin Gemmel, took silver (7:40.86). Ledecky’s performance made her the most decorated female US Olympian of all time with 13 medals across four Olympic appearances.
China’s Liu Yaxin, Yang Junxuan, Li Bingjie, and Ge Chutong claimed bronze. Liu Yaxin commented, “Everyone has been great in the competition. I’ve done everything I could and taken care of the pressure pretty well.”
The electric atmosphere at the Paris La Defense Arena, with 15,000 spectators, has been a highlight for many athletes. As Throssell put it, “The atmosphere was just electric. And I just wanted to absorb all of that.”
What’s Next on the Schedule?
AUGUST 3
- Men’s 100m Butterfly Final
- Women’s 200m Individual Medley Final
- Women’s 800m Freestyle Final
- Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final
AUGUST 4
- Women’s 50m Freestyle Final
- Men’s 1500m Freestyle Final
- Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final
- Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final
READ MORE: A Comprehensive Guide to British Olympic Swimming Trials 2024
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