The Paris 2024 Olympics looks set to deliver another glorious summer of world-class sports and gold-medal dreams, but few disciplines will quite make a splash like the swimming competition set to unfold.
Set to take place at a converted Paris La Defense Arena, known as Arena 92 for the duration of the event thanks to its ties to rugby union club Racing 92, a slew of athletes will be competing for the biggest prizes in the pool in France this year.
With more than three dozen events presenting ample opportunity for nations and star competitors to get their hands on a podium finish and a place in the history books, there will be no shortage of drama and action.
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From prior winners such as Australian superstar Ariarne Titmus and United States favorite Caeleb Dressel to rising stars looking to make an impact after World Championship breakthroughs last year, questions remain over who will line up.
So, who will be swimming at Paris 2024? What will the schedule be? And how will you be able to watch it all unfold? GOAL guides you through how to see all the swimming action from the Paris 2024 Olympics this year.
When and where are the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Getty ImagesThe Paris 2024 Olympics will take place in France between Friday, July 26, and Sunday, August 11, 2024.
The swimming events will run between Saturday, July 27, and Friday, August 9. The pool events will be held at Paris La Defense Arena, which has been converted into an aquatics center for the duration of the games.
The marathon events, meanwhile, will be held on a course located at Pont Alexandre III, a deck arch bridge over the Seine between the Champs-Elysees and the Eiffel Tower.
Who has qualified for swimming at Paris 2024?
Getty ImagesSo far, only a handful of competitors have qualified for the men’s, women’s, and mixed swimming events at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Unlike some disciplines, the sport allows multiple competitors from a single National Olympic Committee, or NOC, representing the interests of each country.
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However, plenty of the athletes who won gold medals at Tokyo 2020 are expected to be in contention again. Below, you can find a table of gold medal victories by nation from the last games, along with some key names to look out for this year.
List of Tokyo 2020 swimming gold medal winners by nation
| Nation | Event |
|---|---|
| United States | Eleven (Men’s 50 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m freestyle, Men’s 800 m freestyle, Men’s 1500 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m butterfly, Men’s 400 m individual medley, Men’s 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, Men’s 4 × 100 m medley relay, Women’s 800 m freestyle, Women’s 1500 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m breaststroke) |
| Australia | Nine (Men’s 200 m breaststroke, Women’s 50 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m freestyle, Women’s 200 m freestyle, Women’s 400 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m backstroke, Women’s 200 m backstroke, Women’s 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, Women’s 4 × 100 m medley relay) |
| Great Britain | Four (Men’s 200 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m breaststroke, Men’s 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, Mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay) |
| China | Three (Men’s 200 m individual medley, Women’s 200 m butterfly, Women’s 4 × 200 m freestyle relay) |
| ROC | Two (Men’s 100 m backstroke, Men’s 200 m backstroke) |
| Japan | Two (Women’s 200 m individual medley, Women’s 400 m individual medley) |
| Canada | One (Women’s 100 m butterfly) |
| Hungary | One (Men’s 200 m butterfly) |
| South Africa | One (Women’s 200 m breaststroke) |
| Brazil | One (Women’s 10 km open water) |
| Germany | One (Men’s 10 km open water) |
| Tunisia | One (Men’s 400 m freestyle) |
Ariarne Titmus (Australia)
The Tasmanian was one of her nation’s most prolific athletes three years ago at the delayed Tokyo 2020. She took home four medals, including two individual golds, for her performances in the women’s 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle.
Since then, she has reinforced her status as one of the most considerable talents in the pool and walked away from last year’s World Championships in Fukuoka with another four medals to her name, again picking up a pair of golds. She’s highly tipped to deliver again this term.
Caeleb Dressel (United States)
No athlete was more successful in the water at Tokyo 2020 than the American, who amassed five gold medals to add to the pair he had picked up five years prior at Rio 2016.
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That made him the fifth man to nab as many golds in a single game for Team USA, but questions over his involvement in this year’s event remain in the air. If he does make his way to France - and finds his best form again - he’ll be a formidable contender.
Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
The five-time medalist took a break from the pool for his mental health, but now he has Paris 2024 in his sights. Following his world record exploits in Japan last time out, he hopes to lead the British charge across the English Channel.
The back-to-back 100 m breaststroke gold medal holder after wins at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, he added a third gold medal last time out in the inaugural mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay and can confirm his place as one of his country’s all-time greats with a fourth.
Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia)
There won’t be too many medal hopes from the African nation. Still, their champion swimmer has only seen his reputation blossom since he roared to an extraordinary gold-medal finish at Tokyo 2020 in the 400 m freestyle.
While he had to settle for silver in the same event at the 2023 World Championships, he picked up two first-place finishes in the 800 m freestyle and 1500 m freestyle instead. Heading to France, he looks set to be the one to beat over longer course events in the pool.
Katie Ledecky (United States)
It seems hard to believe the Team USA star will take to the pool at her fourth games and at the age of 27. However, gold-medal success in London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 has forged a formidable reputation across multiple strokes and distances.
Ledecky will be out in particular to defend the two golds she won in Japan three years ago, in the 800 m freestyle and 1500 m freestyle. If picked, though, she will also hope to succeed in the 4×200 m freestyle, having been forced to settle for silver last time out.
Yui Ohashi (Japan)
A national hero upon securing two gold medals at Tokyo 2020, in the 200 m medley and 400 m medley, the 28-year-old has been in something of a professional slump since, struggling to register impressive results in the pool since that success.
An excellent domestic time of 4:39.25 in the 400 m medley in January this year has given her a significant boost on the road to Paris 2024. However, if she can retain her form, she will offer a substantial threat in the pool as she looks to double down on her prior triumphs.
What is the swimming schedule for Paris 2024?
Getty ImagesWith events starting on the second day of Paris 2024 and stretching through Sunday, August 4, for pool events and Friday, August 9, for open-air races, swimming fans will not be shortchanged by the breadth of action in France.
There are no confirmed heats yet, but the day schedule for stages and events is below. GOAL will have all the information when further details are confirmed.
Paris 2024 swimming schedule
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| Saturday, July 27 | Men’s 400 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m breaststroke, Men’s 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, Women’s 400 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m butterfly, Women’s 4 × 100 m freestyle relay |
| Sunday, July 28 | Men’s 200 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m backstroke, Men’s 100 m breaststroke, Men’s 400 m individual medley, Women’s 200 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m breaststroke, Women’s 100 m butterfly, |
| Monday, July 29 | Men’s 200 m freestyle, Men’s 800 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m backstroke, Women’s 200 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m backstroke, Women’s 100 m breaststroke, Women’s 400 m individual medley |
| Tuesday, July 30 | Men’s 100 m freestyle, Men’s 800 m freestyle, Men’s 200 m breaststroke, Men’s 200 m butterfly, Women’s 100 m freestyle, Women’s 1500 m freestyle, Women’s 100 m backstroke |
| Wednesday, July 31 | Men’s 100 m freestyle, Men’s 200 m backstroke, Men’s 200 m breaststroke, Men’s 200 m butterfly, Women’s 100 m freestyle, Women’s 1500 m freestyle, Women’s 200 m breaststroke, Women’s 200 m butterfly |
| Thursday, August 1 | Men’s 50 m freestyle, Men’s 200 m backstroke, Men’s 200 m individual medley, Women’s 200 m backstroke, Women’s 200 m breaststroke, Women’s 200 m butterfly, Women’s 4 × 200 m freestyle relay |
| Friday, August 2 | Men’s 50 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m butterfly, Men’s 200 m individual medley, Women’s 800 m freestyle, Women’s 200 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley, Mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay |
| Saturday, August 3 | Men’s 1500 m freestyle, Men’s 100 m butterfly, Men’s 4 × 100 m medley relay, Women’s 50 m freestyle, Women’s 800 m freestyle, Women’s 200 m individual medley, Women’s 4 × 100 m medley relay, Mixed 4 × 100 m medley relay |
| Sunday, August 4 | Men’s 1500 m freestyle, Men’s 4 × 100 m medley relay, Women’s 50 m freestyle, Women’s 4 × 100 m medley relay |
| Thursday, August 8 | Women’s 10 km open water |
| Friday, August 9 | Men’s 10 km open water |
How can I watch the Paris 2024 Olympics?
The Paris 2024 Olympics will be covered by NBC and streamed through their Peacock TV streaming service.
With complete coverage of the games, plus a host of other sports and entertainment coverage, subscribers can enjoy a rich selection of options with Peacock. Customers can subscribe to Peacock Premium with ads for $5.99 per month and Peacock Premium Plus without ads for $11.99 per month.
FAQs
Getty ImagesHas Paris hosted the Olympics before?
The Paris 2024 Olympics will be the third time the city has hosted the games, joining London as the only other host to welcome it on as many occasions.
They previously welcomed the event in 1900 and 1924, making it an entire century since they last played host.
What sports will make their debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Four new sports will debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with sport climbing, skateboarding, surfing, and breakdancing all added to the program of the games.
However, karate and baseball have been dropped from the program, and there are fewer individual events on the schedule than in Tokyo 2020.
Where will the 2028 Olympics be held?
Following the Paris 2024 Olympics, the following games will be held in Los Angeles, with the United States set to welcome them back for the first time since Atlanta 1996.
It will mark the third occasion that the city has hosted the games, following London and Paris, having brought them to California in 1932 and 1984.
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