2024 Paris Olympics: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

By Laura Rosado on SwimSwam

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
  • Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
• La Défense Arena — Paris, France
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Full Swimming Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick ’em Contest
• How To Watch
• Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

We’ve made it to day 2 of swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Today marks the first appearance of France’s Léon Marchand, expected to become a breakout star of these home games. This morning, he’ll contest the prelims of the 400 IM where he is the world record holder. Last summer, Marchand took down Michael Phelps‘ legendary record under the tutelage of Bob Bowman, Phelps’ coach.

There are only two heats of the men’s 400 IM, and eight lanes in the final. Other major players include the U.S.’s Carson Foster, Japan’s Daiya Seto, and reigning Olympic champion Chase Kaliszalso of the USA.

But first, Romania’s David Popoviciwill take to the water in the men’s 200 freestyle. He’s the third fastest performer in history, and the only athlete to dip into the 1:42s outside of the supersuit era. We’ll also see last night’s 400 free gold medalist Lukas Maertens hit the water, as well as Great Britain’s Duncan Scottand Matt Richardswho swam the relay last night.

The women’s 100 breaststroke will feature world record holder Lilly King, but she isn’t the favorite in this race. Instead, that honor goes to China’s Tang Qianting, whose best time from this season is just a quarter of a second behind King’s 2017 record. Keep an eye out for Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania, who in recent years has staged a heroic comeback after breaking out with Olympic gold in this event at just 15-years-old in 2012. There’s also Olympic record holder Tatjana Smith(née Schoenmaker), who will look to improve on her Tokyo silver.

With Russian athletes out of the field, it seemed the road was wide open for American Ryan Murphyto reclaim the 100 back title. However, after dropping the second-fastest split on the 4×100 freestyle last night, teammate Hunter Armstrongwill be one to watch out for. There’s also world record holder Thomas Cecconto contend with; he had Italy’s second-fastest split on their bronze medal relay last night.

Finally, the session will conclude with the Ariarne Titmusand Mollie O’Callaghan show in the women’s 200 free. They are in a league of their own after dropping the fastest two times in history at Australian Trials. Both athletes have already earned gold so far at these Games; Titmus in the 400 free and O’Callaghan in the 4×100 free relay. The frontrunners for bronze are Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, the defending silver medalist, and Yang Junxuanof China, fresh off an Asian record in the 100 free.

All in all, it promises to be an exciting session where we’ll see many more athletes in action.

Men’s 200-Meter Freestyle – Prelims

• World Record: 1:42.00 – Paul Biedermann, GER (2009)
• World Junior Record: 1:42.97 – David Popovici, ROU (2022)
• Olympic Record: 1:42.96 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• 2021 Winning Time: 1:44.22 – Tom Dean, GBR
• 2021 Time to Advance to Semis: 1:46.69

1. David Popovici (Romania) – 1:45.65
2. Danas Rapsys (Lithuania) – 1:45.91
3. Lucas Henveuax (Belgium) – 1:46.04
4. Hwang Sunwoo (South Korea) – 1:46.13
5. Maximillian Giuliani (Australia) – 1:46.15
6. Matt Richards (Great Britain) – 1:46.19
7. Katsuhiro Matsumoto (Japan) – 1:46.23
8. Luke Hobson (USA) – 1:46.23
9. Thomas Neill (Australia) – 1:46.27
10. Lukas Maertens (Germany) – 1:46.33
11. Duncan Scott (Great Britain) – 1:46.34
12. Kim Woomin (South Korea) – 1:46.64
13. Rafael Miroslaw (Germany) – 1:46.81
14. Denis Loktev (Israel) – 1:47.01
15. Alessandro Ragaini (Italy) – 1:47.31
16. Filippo Megli (Italy) – 1:47.39

David Popovicientered the water for the first time at these Games and took the lead and didn’t look back. Hwang Sunwooand Luke Hobson were hanging in 2nd and 3rd up until the last 50, when Lucas Henveauxshowed some great closing speed out of lane 8 to rise to 2nd. Popovici posted the top time of the morning, but only the second sub-1:46 time (1:45.65).

Three leaders separated themselves in heat 3: DuncanScott, Danas Rapsys, and last night’s 400 free gold medalist Lukas Maertens. Though Maertens led the first three laps, Rapsys dug deep to close in 26.81 to Maertens’ 27.39, posting the first sub-1:46 swim of the morning (1:45.91).

The field looked incredibly close as heat 2 entered the water. Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumotohad the lead at the 100, splitting 51.62, but couldn’t hold off a storming Maximilian Giulianior Matthew Richards. Giuliani used a big third 50 (27.07) to get the edge over Richards, as they finished in 1:46.15 and 1:46:19 respectively to take over the top two times of the morning.

Velimir Stjepanovicof Serbia grabbed an early lead in the first heat and didn’t look back, finishing two seconds back of his national record in 1:47.56.

There were three no-shows this morning: Felix Auboeck(Austria), Nandor Nemeth(Hungary), and Guilherme Costa(Brazil).

Men’s 400-Meter Individual Medley – Prelims

• World Record: 4:02.50 – Leon Marchand, FRA (2023)
• World Junior Record: 4:10.02 – Ilya Borodin, RUS (2021)
• Olympic Record: 4:03.84 – Michael Phelps, USA (2008)
• 2021 Winning Time: 4:09.42 – Chase Kalisz, USA
• 2021 Time to Advance to Finals: 4:10.20

1. Leon Marchand (France) – 4:08.30
2. Max Litchfield (Great Britain) – 4:09.51
3. Daiya Seto (Japan) – 4:10.92
4. Carson Foster (USA) – 4:11.07
5. Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan) – 4:11.18
6. Alberto Raxzeetti (Italy)/Lewis Clareburt (New Zealand)/Cedric Buessing (Germany) – 4:11.52 (TIE)
7. —
8. —

With only 16 entrants, there were only two heats of the men’s 400 IM vying for a finals berth this morning.

The first heat was all Carson Foster, who grabbed hold of the lead at the 100 and didn’t relinquish it. Italy’s Alberto Razzettiwas riding in 2nd up until the freestyle leg, when Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushitadropped the fastest split of the field (58.04) to lift himself from 4th to 2nd. Razzetti settled for 3rd.

No one in the first heat was under the time it took to make finals in Tokyo, which stands at a stiff 4:10.20.

Léon Marchand made his first appearance in heat 2 to the delight of the crowd, but it was Daiya Setowho held the lead after the butterfly leg. After a heartbreaking 9th-place miss in Tokyo, Seto looked unwilling to make the same mistake again.

But as predicted in this race, it was all Marchand after after that. The Frenchman took over the the lead on the backstroke leg, and then dropped a field-best breaststroke split to extend it.

As we saw in the first heat, the 2nd-place finisher used a strong closing split to secure their place. This time, it was Great Britain’s Max Litchfield, who passed Seto to secure 2nd.

Only Marchand and Litchfield were under the time it took to qualify in Tokyo.

Among those missing out was the defending Olympic Champion Chase Kalisz of the U.S.

Women’s 100-Meter Breaststroke – Prelims

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King