Olympics swimming results: United States takes medal count lead, Australia sets world relay record

The battle for the most medals in Olympic swimming this year has been expected to come down to Australia and the United States.

And already, the two nations are living up to the hype. The United States racked up five gold medals, starting with Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland going No. 1 and 2 in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, while Australia finished the first set of Olympic finals strong with a world record time in the women’s 4x100 freestyle relay, along with two other medals.

Kalisz and Litherland started off the evening for the United States with two top medals, but Emma Weyant and Hali Flickinger had a big showing for the Americans in the women’s 400 individual medley as the pair earned silver and bronze medals, respectively, behind Japan’s Yui Ohashi.

The first night of Olympic swimming action wrapped up with plenty of excitement. Australia’s Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell set the world record at 3:29.69, beating the nation’s previous world record set in 2018 at 3:30.05.

The race for silver in the relay came down to a familiar matchup: Canada’s Penny Oleksiak vs. U.S.A.’s Simone Manuel. The two swimmers each won a share of gold in the 100 meter freestyle in the 2016 Rio Olympics, but this time, it was Oleksiak that got her hand to the wall first, leading Canada to a silver-winning time of 3:32.78 to the U.S.A.’s time of 3:32.81.

Sporting News provided live updates and highlights of each Olympic swimming event Saturday.

MORE: Watch the 2021 Olympics live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Olympics swimming results

Saturday, July 24

Live swimming updates, highlights from 2021 Olympics

(All times Eastern)

Women’s 4x100 freestyle relay (Final)

10:58 p.m.: Australia owns the record at 3:29.69, with Canada coming in second at 3:32.78 and the United States in third at 3:32.81.

10:53 p.m.: Australia cruises to gold with a world record time. Canada’s Penny Oleksiak edges out Manuel for the silver medal as the United States will take bronze.

10:52 p.m.: Natalie Hinds drops the United States to No. 3 behind Sweden and Australia. Manuel up now for the U.S.

10:51 p.m.: Australia leads over Sweden and Great Britain through the first half of the 4x100 freestyle relay. Australia is starting to pull out to a comfortable lead.

10:50 p.m.: After the first 100, Sweden leads Australia.

10:50 p.m.: The relay units are off.

10:47 p.m.: It’s just about time for the final event of the night, the womens' 4x100 freestyle relay. Simone Manuel will anchor the U.S. team as the Americans hope to pull an upset on a stout Australian team.

Men’s 100 breaststroke (Semifinal 2)

10:45 p.m.: Indeed, the U.S. will have two swimmers in the 100 breaststroke finals. Peaty has the top time at 57.63, China’s Yan Zibei is second at 58.72 and Andrew is third at 58.99, but Wilson’s fifth-place time of 59.18 is enough to put him in the eighth lane for the final.

10:44 p.m.: Andrew places third, and Wilson appeared to be close enough to reach the final.

10:43 p.m.: Peaty falls behind off the dive, but he easily makes up the ground in space.

10:40 p.m.: Two Americans — Michael Andrew and Andrew Wilson — will swim in the second heat of the men’s 100 breaststroke. The biggest lock in the field is world record-holder Adam Peaty (Great Britain), but Andrew and Wilson will look to reach the finals. They should be in a good spot if they can go under 59.32, the time posted by the fourth-place swimmer in the first semifinal, Germany’s Fabian Schwingenschlogl.

Men’s 100 breaststroke (Semifinal 1)

10:39 p.m.: The times of the top three swimmers are 58.19 (Kamminga), 58.28 (Martinenghi) and 59.00 (Great Britain’s James Wilby).

10:38 p.m.: Kamminga wins the first with Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi placing second.

10:38 p.m.: Kamminga with a quick turn to boost his lead coming into the second 50.

10:37 p.m.: The first of two semifinals in the men’s 100 breaststroke starts up. Netherlands' Arno Kamminga swimming in lane four is the guy to watch in this race.

Women’s 400 IM (Final)

10:22 p.m.: Close finish in the top two. Ohashi has a time of 4:32.08 with Weyant in second at 4:32.76. Flickinger just beat Spain’s Mireia Belmonte for the bronze with a time of 4:34.90 to Belmonte’s 4:35.13.

10:20 p.m.: The host nation of Japan has a gold medal in swimming. Ohashi wins the race with Weyant taking the silver and Flickinger placing third as the U.S. earns two more swimming medals.

10:19 p.m.: Ohashi gets a comfortable lead in the breaststroke heading to freestyle. Weyant is nearly two seconds back hoping to give the Americans another gold.

10:18 p.m.: Japan’s Yui Ohashi made it close, but Flickinger is still in the lead moving to breaststroke. Lanes 1-4 of Hosszu, Flickinger, Ohashi and Emma Weyant are all close.

10:17 p.m.: Hali Flickinger (U.S.) has taken the top spot heading into the backstroke.

10:16 p.m.: Katinka Hosszu is the early leader after the first 50. She holds the world and Olympic records in the race.

10:16 p.m.: The women’s 400 IM has begun.

Men’s 400 freestyle (final)

10:01 p.m.: The final times: Hafnaoui at 3:43.26, McLoughlin at 3:43.52 and Smith at 3:43.94. They were the only swimmers under 3:44. Mitchell places eighth at 3:45.39.

9:59 p.m.: Hafnaoui just out-reached McLoughlin to win the gold medal in the 400 freestyle. Smith gives the U.S. another medal as he finishes third.

9:58 p.m.: The youngest swimmer in the race, Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui, has stuck around in second almost consistently since the first 100 wrapped up.

9:57 p.m.: A new Australian takes over the lead with Jack McLoughlin now taking the top spot in the race at the 200 meter mark.

9:56 p.m.: Elijah Winnington (Australia) holding his lead though after the first 100. He’s going to be one of the toughest swimmers to beat in this race.

9:55 p.m.: After the first 50, Smith and Mitchell are second and third.

9:53 p.m.: Can American swimmers Kieran Smith and Jake Mitchell make it four American medals in the first two Olympic finals of swimming? They’re racing now in the 400 free.

Women’s 100 butterfly (semifinals)

9:50 p.m.: China’s Zhang Yufei (55.89), Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (56.40) and Canada’s Maggie MacNeil (56.56) take the top three spots in the second semifinal. Huske will make it on to the finals in the 100 butterfly.

9:49 p.m.: The second semifinal is underway, and the swimmers compete knowing what times they’ll need to hit to reach the final.

9:48 p.m.: After the first semifinal in the 100 butterfly, France’s Marie Wattel placed first at 56.16, with Australia’s Emma McKeon at 56.33 for second and U.S. swimmer Tori Tuske in third at 56.51. American Claire Curzan was fifth at 57.42.

Men’s 400 IM (final)

9:40 p.m.: The final top three are Kalisz at 4:09.42, Litherland at 4:10.28 and Australia’s Brendon Smith at 4:10.38.

9:37 p.m.: With Phelps watching one of his old events, Kalisz wins the gold medal in the Olympics and Jay Litherland finishes second to give the U.S. both of the top two finishers.

9:36 p.m.: Kalisz expanding out to a big lead in the 400 IM heading into freestyle. He finished the breaststroke portion of the 400 IM at 3:09.47 with Clareburt 2.47 seconds behind him.

9:35 p.m.: USA’s Chase Kalisz has a strong performance on backstroke to come in second 0.34 seconds behind Australia’s Lewis Clareburt for the lead after back.

9:34 p.m.: France’s Leon Marchand takes the early lead at 56.14 after the first 100 in the butterfly.

9:33 p.m.: And they’re off. The first swimming final race in the 2021 Olympics is underway.

9:30 p.m.: Have you missed Michael Phelps at the Olympics? He’s in the booth to provide analysis for the races tonight.

Olympics swimming schedule 2021

With the exception of July 31, each day will begin with heats starting at 6 a.m. ET and will end with finals races starting at 9:30 p.m. ET. USA Network will carry the heats in the United States and NBC will have the finals, while CBC will provide coverage of both in Canada.

Those in the United States hoping to see replays of the qualifying heats can tune in to NBC every afternoon to see how swimmers performed earlier in the morning.

Saturday, July 24

Sunday, July 25

Monday, July 26

Tuesday, July 27

Wednesday, July 28

Thursday, July 29

Friday, July 30

Saturday, July 31

Source: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/athletics/news/olympics-swimming-live-results-highlights-day-1/1rkm9dasyqs2714no91i97pi6k