The 2024 Paris Olympics swimming events witnessed thrilling performances in the 400m freestyle races, with unexpected victories and intense competition. In the men’s event, 22-year-old Lukas Märtens of Germany clinched the gold medal with a time of 3:41.78 minutes. This victory marked the end of a 36-year drought for German swimmers in this event, with the last gold being won by Michael Groß in 1988. Märtens, who had been battling health issues including a chronic sinus infection, surprised many with his performance. He finished ahead of Australian Elijah Winnington and South Korean Kim Woomin.The women’s 400m freestyle event saw defending champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia retain her gold medal with a time of 3:57.49. In a race that drew comparisons to the epic ‘Race of the Century’ from 2004, 17-year-old Summer McIntosh of Canada secured the silver medal with a time of 3:58.37. Perhaps the biggest surprise came with American swimming legend Katie Ledecky finishing third with a time of 4:00.86. This marked a shift in the swimming world, as Ledecky, Titmus, and McIntosh have traded the world record among themselves over the past three years.These results have significant implications for the swimmers’ careers and their countries’ medal counts. Märtens’ victory is expected to have a positive impact on the German swimming team, while Titmus’ win cements her status as the dominant force in women’s freestyle swimming. For Ledecky, who now has 11 Olympic medals including seven golds, the bronze represents a rare setback in her illustrious career, but she still has opportunities in upcoming events to add to her medal tally.
Key points
- Lukas Märtens of Germany won gold in men’s 400m freestyle, ending a 36-year drought for his country.
- Ariarne Titmus of Australia defended her Olympic title in women’s 400m freestyle.
- Katie Ledecky of USA unexpectedly finished third, behind Titmus and Canada’s Summer McIntosh.
