Aussie Swimmers Ready for Medals as Finals Approaches

As Day Four of the swimming finals kicks off, Australia looks set for success with three solid medal chances, thanks to some impressive performances from the heats the previous night.

One exciting moment came from Zac Stubblety-Cook in the men’s 200m breaststroke heat. After starting in sixth place, he made an impressive comeback to finish first in the final stretch. Commentator Mat Thompson noted it was a bit of a scare, while Ian Thorpe stated the swim was a “risk.” After the swim, Stubblety-Cook reflected, saying, “I think I left my run a little bit late but good to get the win.”

Stubblety-Cook’s strategy of conserving energy early on has paid off before, as seen during the Commonwealth Games in 2022 when he took the lead right at the last lap. This approach also kept viewers on the edge of their seats during Tuesday’s heat. Giaan Rooney remarked that it was “too comfortable” for Stubblety-Cook, suggesting he trusts his process.

Joining Stubblety-Cook in the semifinals is fellow Aussie swimmer Joshua Yong, who clocked a solid time of 2:10.68. Meanwhile, the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay team put in a valiant effort, finishing second in their heat with a time of 7:05.63. Their heat saw a strong anchor leg from Tommy Neill, who slashed the gap to the British team significantly toward the end.

In the women’s freestyle events, Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack had a great night. They finished first and second in their 100m freestyle heat, making it through to the semifinals with times of 53.27 and 53.40. Giaan Rooney described their swims as “very comfortable,” highlighting O’Callaghan’s potential for even better performances ahead.

Looking forward, former Australian swimmer James Magnussen confidently predicted that O’Callaghan might soon surpass Emma McKeon’s achievements, potentially claiming five gold medals at these Olympics.

Kyle Chalmers also had a notable swim in the men’s 100m freestyle, finishing sixth fastest overall with a time of 48.07. He felt good about winning his heat, given the competitive nature of it, but still believes there is room for improvement. Unfortunately, fellow Australian William Yang narrowly missed out, ranking 17th overall.

In other heats, Pan Zhanle, the current world champion, had a surprising close call, just making it through with a time that tied for 13th overall. Meanwhile, Matthew Temple competed in the men’s 200m butterfly but wasn’t able to advance.

Women’s 1500m freestyle saw Moesha Johnson finish fourth in her heat, qualifying her for the next round, while Katie Ledecky took the top spot. However, Lani Pallister had to withdraw from the heat after testing positive for Covid-19, putting her hopes for a medal in that event on hold.

Looking ahead to the finals, Kaylee McKeown is set to compete in the women’s 100m backstroke final, while Elijah Winnington has qualified for the men’s 800m freestyle final. The day will culminate with the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay final, where Australia hopes to shine.