New young figures threaten US dominance in Olympic swimming – Metro World News

NANTERRE, France (AP) — Summer McIntosh, a 17-year-old phenom from Canada. David Popovici, a 19-year-old from Romania. Mollie O’Callaghan, a 20-year-old sprinter who outpaced her formidable Australian compatriot, Ariarne Titmus. They are the new heroes in swimming and had a golden day on Monday evening in the Olympic swimming pool in La Défense Arena.

With them it became clear that swimming extends beyond its traditional powerhouse, the United States, who was not at the top of the podium on Monday and during the three-day competition in the Nanterre swimming pool it won two gold medals.

The great youth triumphs of the day

The Canadian McIntosh won the first Olympic gold medal of her budding career with a stunning victory in the 400m individual medley, where she nearly broke her world record, and which she won with silver in the 400m freestyle, behind Titmus and ahead of American star Katie Ledecky.

McIntosh could win even more medals at these Games, as she has a number of individual races remaining in Paris: the 200 meter butterfly and the 200 meter medley.

David Popovici was the other teenager who triumphed that night. He had to give everything to win the 200m freestyle, one of the classic swimming events. The Romanian was the first to touch the wall with a time of 1:44.72, just two hundredths faster than British swimmer Matthew Richards, with American Luke Hobson seven hundredths behind for bronze.

And then came the big surprise of the day: Ariarne Titmus, the record holder and reigning champion in the 200m freestyle, was dethroned by Mollie O’Callaghan. Titmus, who had started the Games with a crushing victory in the 400m freestyle, was behind this time and could do nothing but applaud her compatriot’s comeback.

The other victories on Monday in Nanterre

Thomas Ceccon, 23, gave Italy its second gold in as many nights, come from behind and win the 100 meter backstroke, an event where he has held the world record since 2022.

Alternately, Tatjana Smith gave South Africa its first gold medal in Olympic swimming by winning the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.