NANTERRE, France (AP) — When it’s time to race, Kaylee McKeown is bound arduous to beat.
American Regan Smith got here into the ladies’s 100-meter backstroke on the Paris Olympics with the world file and no scarcity of confidence.
On the flip Tuesday evening, it was Smith within the lead with McKeown proper on her heels. By the point they reached the opposite finish of the pool, it was the Aussie lunging there first.
McKeown nonetheless guidelines the backstroke.
“She is a fully unbelievable racer and she or he is aware of what to do when it issues,” Smith mentioned.
Smith, who broke McKeown’s world mark with a time of 57.13 seconds on the U.S. trials final month, led on the flip however couldn’t maintain off the hard-charging Aussie, who defended the title she gained in Tokyo three years in the past.
McKeown surged to the entrance about midway via the return lap and reached for the wall in 57.33, successful by a comparatively comfy margin over Smith’s end of 57.66.
“The nerves had been undoubtedly there however I simply reminded myself it’s a pool in a unique venue, and I practice each single day of my life,” McKeown mentioned.
The U.S. additionally grabbed the bronze as Katharine Berkoff touched third in 57.98, capturing her first Olympic medal and following within the footsteps of her father, David Berkoff, who gained 4 medals — two of them gold — in Seoul and Barcelona .
Smith reached over the lane rope to congratulate McKeown, however this one needed to sting. The 22-year-old Minnesota native seemed to be in high type and primed to win her first gold medal.
As a substitute, it was McKeown capturing her fourth gold total. She swept the backstroke occasions in Tokyo and likewise claimed a relay gold.
“It’s one race at a time,” McKeown mentioned. “I’ve checked off three packing containers to date and there’s just a few extra to go.”
American swimmers are getting used to silver
It was an evening of silvers for the Individuals, who took the runner-up spots in all three of the finals.
Bobby Finke got here up brief in protection of his Olympic title within the males’s 800 freestyle, relegated to silver by Eire’s Daniel Wiffen.
The Individuals additionally completed second within the males’s 4×200 freestyle behind Britain, which captured its second straight gold in that occasion.
Via 4 days at La Protection Area, the U.S. has a bunch of medals — 15 in all — however solely two of them are gold. Seven silvers and 6 bronzes spherical out the tally.
Irish win first swimming gold since 1996
Wiffen gained Eire’s first gold medal in swimming since scandal-plagued Michelle Smith completed first in three occasions on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Wiffen surged previous Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri on the ultimate lap, trying as recent as he did at first of the grueling race.
Truly, he was in excruciating ache.
“I used to be dying the final 20 meters,” Wiffen mentioned. “I’m unsure in case you noticed that, as a result of my arms are in completely a lot ache. However I knew that the group is gonna carry me in, and that’s precisely what occurred. Then I noticed the purple gentle on the block, and that was it.”
Wiffen gained in 7 minutes, 38.19 seconds, climbing on the lane ropes to carry one finger skyward. Finke additionally got here on robust late in what was primarily a three-man race, additionally passing Paltrinieri to take the silver in 7:38.75.
The bronze went to the Italian, who posted a time of seven:39.38.
It was one other dazzling efficiency by an Irish swimmer, on the heels of Mona McSharry grabbing a bronze within the 100 breaststroke the earlier evening.
Till these Olympics, the nation’s swimming historical past was primarily confined to Smith, who surprisingly claimed three golds and a bronze in 1996 amid suspicions she was doping. She later acquired a doping ban that primarily ended her profession, however she stored her medals.
British males defend their relay title
The British males defended their title within the 4x-200 freestyle relay, holding off america and Australia.
The workforce of James Man, Tom Dean, Matthew Richards and Duncan Scott — the identical foursome that captured gold in Tokyo three years in the past — completed in 6:59.43.
The one distinction from the final Olympics was Dean took the leadoff, with Man going second. It was adequate for one more gold, Britain’s first swimming victory of the Paris Video games.
Luke Hobson, Carson Foster, Drew Kibler and Kieran Smith gained a little bit of redemption for the Individuals with a silver medal in 7:00.78, making up for a disappointing fourth-place exhibiting on the final Olympics.
Maximillian Giuliani, Flynn Southam, Elijah Winnington and Thomas Neill earned the bronze for Australia in 7:01.98.
Doubling up
French star Léon Marchand had a really busy day, advancing to the ultimate in each the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke.
Marchand did a double within the morning preliminaries, then gutted via one other back-to-back within the night semifinals with about 80 minutes between races.
He posted a time of 1:53.50 within the fly semis, trailing solely defending Olympic champion and world-record holder Kristóf Milák of Hungary (1.52.72). Marchand was quicker than everybody within the breaststroke spherical, posting a time of two:08.11 with one other raucous dwelling crowd cheering him on.
Marchand must double up another time within the finals Wednesday, trying so as to add to the gold he earned within the 400 particular person medley.
“The French crowd has been superb for me,” he mentioned. “I’m simply actually fortunate to be in good condition this week to swim as quick as potential.”
___
AP Summer season Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games