Gold medal hopes as Australia takes 41-strong swim team to Paris Olympics

By AFP

June 16, 2024

An emotional Cate Campbell is embraced by fellow competitors after the womens 50m freestyle final in Brisbane. — AFP File — An emotional Cate Campbell is embraced by fellow competitors after the women's 50m freestyle final in Brisbane. — AFP File

BRISBANE: Australia will take a 41-strong swim team to Paris for the Olympics this summer, following six-day trials that ended Saturday and saw some lightning-fast performances, including a world record by Ariarne Titmus.

Swimming has long been the medal-winning backbone of the country, which claimed nine gold in the pool at the 2020

Tokyo Games among 22 podium places, behind only bitter rivals the United States.

They head to France bolstered by some serious gold medal contenders, led by Titmus, Kaylee McKeown, and Mollie O´Callaghan, with defending 200m breaststroke champion Zac Stubblety-Cook spearheading the men´s side.

The squad boasts 23 debutants, but also Cameron McEvoy as the first Australian male swimmer to make four Olympics.

Bronte Campbell will also be at her fourth Games while Emma McKeon and Kyle Chalmers will be at their third.

"This is a team that will do Australia proud -- in and out of the pool -- and we can´t wait to see competition unfold in Saint-Denis at the Centre Aquatique Olympique," said head coach Rohan Taylor.

Women

50m Freestyle: Shayna Jack, Meg Harris

100m Freestyle: Mollie O´Callaghan, Shayna Jack

200m Freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O´Callaghan

400m Freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister

800m Freestyle: Ariarne Titmus, Lani Pallister

1500m Freestyle: Lani Pallister, Moesha Johnson

100m Backstroke: Kaylee McKeown, Iona Anderson

200m Backstroke: Kaylee McKeown, Jaclyn Barclay

100m Butterfly: Emma McKeon, Alexandria Perkins

200m Butterfly: Elizabeth Dekkers, Abbey Connor

200m Breaststroke: Ella Ramsay, Jenna Strauch