What a well set day for Aussies! Day 3 of the Paris Olympics swimming events featured a blend of gripping heats and electrifying finals that captivated audiences worldwide. The day began with a series of intense heats across various disciplines, setting the stage for the evening finals.
In the women’s 200m individual medley, the heats were a showcase of strong performances as swimmers jostled for positions in the finals. The heats of the men’s 100m butterfly also drew significant attention, with competitors pushing the limits to secure their spots in the final lineup. The morning’s activities highlighted the depth of talent and set up a dramatic evening of finals.
The third day of competition began with Ella Ramsay and Jenna Forrester competing in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley heats. Ella qualified for the finals with a time of 4:39.04, while Jenna just missed out by .15 seconds but secured a reserve spot.
Kaylee McKeown, a triple gold medalist, and up-and-coming teenager Iona Anderson participated in the Women’s 100m backstroke heats, both achieving strong times that allowed them to advance to the semi-finals.
Elijah Winnington finished fourth in the Men’s 800m Freestyle heats with a time of 7:42.86, securing a spot in the final. Sam Short finished just outside the qualifying time at 7:46.83, but managed to grab a reserve spot.
The Night Session featured the Finals of the competition. In her debut Olympic final, Ella Ramsay placed fifth in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley Final. In a highly competitive Men’s 200m Freestyle final, Max Giuliani gave his best effort and finished in seventh place with a time of 1:45.57.
In the Women’s 100m backstroke semi-final, McKeown (57.99) and Anderson (58.63) showcased their dominance with strong performances, securing spots in the final with McKeown placing 2nd and Anderson placing 4th.
The last event of the evening was an exciting showdown between two Australian superstars in a race that captured the attention of the entire nation. Training companions Mollie O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus had an impressive performance in the Women’s 200m Freestyle Final, with O’Callaghan winning the gold and setting a new Olympic record with a
time of 1:53.27. Titmus followed closely behind with a time of 1:53.81, earning the silver medal, finishing just 0.54 seconds after her teammate.
Notably, this marked the first time Australia achieved a one-two finish in the Olympic pool since Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett accomplished the feat in 2004. The two star athletes were competing side by side in lanes four and five. Titmus was in the lead for most of the race, but O’Callaghan took over in the last 50 meters and won the Gold in her inaugural individual Olympic final.
In summary, Day 3 at the Paris Olympics was a testament to the skill and tenacity of Australian swimmers. Emma McKeon’s gold, Chad le Clos’s bronze, and the men’s relay team’s silver all contributed to a memorable day of competition, showcasing Australia’s strength in the swimming arena.
At the end of an exciting third day, day four of the tournament will feature more of our Dolphin team members taking part in both final events and preliminary heats. Be sure not to overlook the thrill!