2024 Paris Olympics: Day 2 Finals 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
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• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1

Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

Welcome to the second finals session of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tonight could be a coronation for France’s Leon Marchand, who is in position to claim the first Olympic title of his career in the men’s 400 IM after qualifying first this morning. It’s individual events all the way down tonight, including two other medal finals.

Day 1 Finals Schedule

• Men’s 400 IM final — top seed: Leon Marchand (FRA) — 4:08.30
  
• Women’s 100 butterfly final — top seed: Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 55.38
• Men’s 200 freestyle semifinals — top seed: David Popovici (ROU) — 1:45.65
• Women’s 100 breaststroke semifinals — top seed: Tatjana Smith (née Schoenmaker) — 1:05.00
• Men’s 100 backstroke semifinals — top seed: Hubert Kos (HUN) — 52.78
• Men’s 100 breaststroke final — top seed: Adam Peaty (GBR) — 58.86
• Women’s 200 freestyle semifinals — top seed: Mollie O’Callaghan (AUS) — 1:55.79

This will be Marchand’s second Olympic final. Three years ago, he placed 6th in 4:11.16. Now, he enters as the world record holder, having broken Michael Phelps‘ legendary record last summer. Here, he has the opportunity to take aim at Phelps’ Olympic record, set 16 years ago in Beijing. If Marchand is on, he is the favorite to win this race. It will be a completely new podium compared to Tokyo as none of the medalists return. This could be the U.S.’s Carson Foster‘s opportunity to earn his first Olympic medal, Japan’s Daiya Seto‘s chance for redemption, or Great Britain’s Max Litchfield. The field was very close this morning — there was a three-way tie for 6th — but even if Marchand cruises out ahead, expect an exciting race for silver and bronze.

The women’s 100 butterfly also features the world record holder, as Gretchen Walshbroke the Olympic record in semifinals for the #3 time in history. She was the only swimmer to post a 55-point swim in semifinals, but don’t let that distract you from the fact that this heat is stacked. Besides Walsh, this heat includes the reigning Olympic champion (Maggie MacNeil), the 2022 World champion (Torri Huske), the 2023 World champion (Zhang Yufei), and the 2024 World champion (Angelina Köhler). There’s also Mizuki Hirai, only 17-years-old, who could play disruptor out of lane 1.

The last final tonight is the men’s 100 breaststroke, with the familiar sight of Adam Peatyin the middle of the pool. The world record holder and two-time defending champion doesn’t look as dominant as he once was, but the rest of the field hasn’t thrown down any eye-popping times, either. It looks like his biggest challenger will be Qin Haiyang, but neither man swam to their potential through the rounds. Will it be a Three-Peaty or Qin for the win?

There’s also a slew of semifinals on tap tonight, starting with the men’s 200 free. Only two men broke 1:46 this morning, the faster of which was David Popovici. Since making his Olympic debut at 16 three years ago, the Romanian swimmer has become the fastest textile performer in the 200 free. Prelims times were relatively sleepy this morning, so it’s unclear who is on-form here. Some major contenders could include Tokyo silver medalist Duncan Scott, 2023 World champion Matt Richards, and 2024 World champion Hwang Sunwoo.

The women’s 100 breaststroke is without its defending champion, but the silver medalist Tatjana Smith(née Schoenmaker) and bronze medalist Lilly Kingwill compete tonight. Smith set the Olympic record in semis three years ago and looked strong in the heats, so keep an eye out for her in the second semi. Tang Qianting, the fastest woman this season, leads the first semifinal.

Hubert Kospopped a new Hungarian record in prelims in the men’s 100 backstroke, but expect the field to be a lot faster in this session. Five of the ten fastest men of all-time fill out this field, including world record holder Thomas Ceccon, Tokyo bronze medalist Ryan Murphy, Xu Jiayu, and Apostolos Christou.

Finally, the semifinals of the women’s 200 free will wrap up this session. Reigning Olympic champion and world record holder Ariarne Titmuslooked calm through prelims, sitting in a deceptive 3rd. That means she’ll swim side-by-side with domestic rival Mollie O’Callaghan, who posted the top time of the morning. Siobhan Haughey and Yang Junxuanwill swim on the opposite side of O’Callaghan, giving us a potential preview of the medal contenders come the final tomorrow.

Men’s 400-Meter Individual Medley – Finals

• 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 Bronze Medal Time: 4:10.38

1. Leon Marchand (France) – 4:02.95 OLYMPIC RECORD
2. Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan) – 4:08.62
3. Carson Foster (USA) – 4:08.66
4. Max Litchfield (Great Britain) – 4:08.85
5. Alberto Razzetti (Italy) – 4:09.38
6. Lewis Clareburt (New Zealand) – 4:10.44
7. Daiya Seto (Japan) – 4:11.78
8. Cedric Buessing (Germany) – 4:17.16

Leon Marchand erased Michael Phelps‘ Olympic record from 2008, scorching the #2 performance of all time and earning France’s first Olympic medal in this event ever.

It was all Marchand from start to finish, as he ultimately built nearly a six second lead over the field. He opened in 54.32 on the fly leg and didn’t look back, posting the fastest splits the first three strokes.

By the halfway mark, it was clear the race for the gold medal was between Marchand and the clock, but the minor medals were still up for grabs.

Like he did in prelims, Daiya Seto blasted a strong butterfly leg to ride in second. He continued to hold the silver medal position through the 250, where he was passed by Carson Foster. Only 0.65-seconds separated 2nd through 4th going into the freestyle leg, as these men had to dig deep to secure their finish position.

Like he did in prelims, Great Britain’s Max Litchfield starting rapidly making up distance as he dropped the fastest 50 of the field (29.23). Carson Foster looked like he might fall off the pace as he was only 30.22, but it was Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita who was the surprise of the race, as he blasted a 27.67 closing 50 to rise from 5th to silver. Foster hung on for bronze, giving the American men their first individual medal of the Games.

Women’s 100-Meter Butterfly – Finals

• World Record: 55.18 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 56.43 – Claire Curzan, USA (2021)
• Olympic Record: 55.38 – Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024)
• 2021 Winning Time: 55.59 – Maggie MacNeil, CAN
• 2021 Bronze Medal Time: 55.72

1. Torri Huske (USA) – 55.59
2. Gretchen Walsh (USA) – 55.63
3. Zhang Yufei (China) – 56.21
4. Angelina Köhler (Germany) – 56.42
5. Maggie MacNeil (Canada) – 56.44
6. Emma McKeon (Australia) – 56.93
7. Mizuki Hirai (Japan) – 57.19
8. Louise Hansson (Sweden) – 57.34

Men’s 200-Meter Freestyle – Semifinals

• 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 Finals: 1:45.71

Women’s 100-Meter Breaststroke – Semifinals

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• World Junior Record: 1:04.35 – Ruta Meilutyte, LTU (2013)
• Olympic Record: 1:04.82 – Tatjana Smith (Schoenmaker), RSA (2021)
• 2021 Winning Time: 1:04.95 –