This text initially appeared within the 2024 Olympic Preview version of SwimSwam Journal, courtesy of creator James Sutherland. Subscribe to the SwimSwam Journal right here.
Word that this text was written previous to some main nationwide Olympic Trials meets, together with Australia and the US.
Representing your nation in a relay on the Olympics is a degree of pleasure for swimmers, and that patriotism normally comes out in transcendent performances on the largest stage within the sport.
Heading to Paris, rather a lot has modified within the relay hierarchy since Tokyo. Under, discover a transient breakdown of every relay and who has stood on prime of the rostrum at main meets for the reason that final Olympics.
Males’s 400 Free Relay – Defending Champs: United States
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: United States, 3:09.34
- 2023 World Champion: Australia, 3:10.16
- 2024 World Champion: China, 3:11.08
The People have newfound depth within the 100 free, led by Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano, and the return of Caeleb Dressel makes them the frontrunners. But when Australia is inside putting distance when Kyle Chalmers dives in on the anchor leg, all bets are off. Italy has persistently been within the hunt lately and will shock.
Males’s 800 Free Relay – Defending Champ: Nice Britain
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: United States, 7:00.24
- 2023 World Champion: Nice Britain, 6:59.08
- 2024 World Champion: China, 7:01.84
The British males have taken over because the workforce to beat within the 800 free relay since dominating the sphere in Tokyo, handing the People their first Olympic loss in twenty years. With their full arsenal intact—Tom Dean, Duncan Scott, Matt Richards and James Man—it would take one thing really particular for them to be dethroned. The People are deep however are outgunned by the Brits. China and South Korea had an unbelievable race on the Asian Video games final yr and needs to be preventing for bronze alongside Australia.
Males’s 400 Medley Relay – Defending Champ: United States
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: Italy, 3:27.51
- 2023 World Champion: United States, 3:27.20
- 2024 World Champion: United States, 3:29.80
The American males broke a super-suited world file en path to gold in Tokyo, and their undefeated run on the Video games within the medley relay would possibly’ve been in query within the midst of the Olympic cycle, however not a lot anymore. Italy upset them for gold on the 2022 Worlds, and China regarded like they could have sufficient firepower to take them down. However the 2023 World Championships spoke volumes, because the U.S. received by 1.8 seconds and stands so as to add Caeleb Dressel, who could win the 100 free and fly in Paris. If all of China’s swimmers are at their very best, there’s an opportunity, nevertheless it’s slim. The identical goes for Italy which has questions on butterfly.
Ladies’s 400 Free Relay – Defending Champs: Australia
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: Australia, 3:30.95
- 2023 World Champion: Australia, 3:27.96
- 2024 World Champion: Netherlands, 3:36.61
When at full energy, Australia has confirmed to be unbeatable on this occasion. They’ve received three straight Olympic titles and three straight World Championship gold medals previous to the 2024 version in Doha. On the 2023 World Championships, the final true best-on-best competitors we’ve seen, the Aussies received gold by almost 4 seconds, obliterating the world file. Mollie O’Callaghan, Emma McKeon, Shayna Jack and Meg Harris give them unmatched depth, as all are quick sufficient to make their approach to the highest of the rostrum within the particular person 100 free in Paris. A fourth straight Olympic gold is a forgone conclusion barring a disqualification.
Ladies’s 800 Free Relay – Defending Champs: China
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: United States, 7:41.45
- 2023 World Champion: Australia, 7:37.50
- 2024 World Champion: China, 7:47.26
The most effective races on the Tokyo Olympics, the ladies’s 800 free relay tasks to be one other barnburner in Paris. Australia was the large favourite in 2021 however ended up on the third step of the rostrum. It’s inconceivable to disclaim them because the frontrunners as soon as once more, as they’ve bought the lethal 1-2 punch in 200 free world file holder Mollie O’Callaghan and defending Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus. The People have an ace of their very own in Katie Ledecky, who’s surrounded by a younger core that proved they will carry out underneath stress on the final two World Championships. China is extra of a wildcard, however needs to be within the race but once more with Yang Junxuan, the 200 free world champion in 2022, main the way in which.
Ladies’s 400 Medley Relay – Defending Champs: Australia
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: United States, 3:53.78
- 2023 World Champion: United States, 3:52.08
- 2024 World Champion: Australia, 3:55.98
America has no weak point within the girls’s medley relay, placing them a reduce above Australia, which has struggled to area a aggressive breaststroke leg lately. The 2 groups primarily cancel one another out on the opposite three strokes. Then it comes all the way down to breast, the place the People boast 100-meter world file holder Lilly King and defending Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby. On the 2023 World Championships, Australia completed 1.29 seconds again of the U.S. and misplaced greater than two seconds on breaststroke. The Canadian workforce has had the identical difficulty as Australia lately, however had a number of breaststrokers making noise early within the season, so they might realistically problem Australia for silver, particularly if Penny Oleksiak is again at her finest on the anchor leg.
Blended 400 Medley Relay – Defending Champs: Nice Britain
Since Tokyo:
- 2022 World Champion: United States, 3:38.79
- 2023 World Champion: China, 3:38.57
- 2024 World Champion: United States, 3:40.22
The blended 400 medley is the hardest relay to foretell, as lineup choices received’t be identified till an hour or two earlier than the ultimate. China, the U.S. and Australia have the firepower to combat for gold, and the defending Olympic champions from Nice Britain may need one thing to say about that if Adam Peaty is at his finest. America is the one nation that may say they’ve a reputable medal contender in every 100-meter occasion for each women and men, giving them a leg up. They didn’t get the order proper in Tokyo and missed the rostrum, so we’ll see in the event that they nail it in Paris.
