The United States had quite an impressive day in the pool as there were several representatives on the podium. Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, Bobby Finke, and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay team earned medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday.
Smith secured a silver medal in the women's 100-meter backstroke with a time of 57.66, while Berkoff earned a bronze medal with a final time of 57.98. Australia's Kaylee McKeown came away with a gold medal as she just edged out the two Americans.
WHAT A RACE.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Regan Smith and Katharine Berkoff secure silver and bronze in the 100m backstroke! 🥈🥉#ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/e7QZVk86TZ
The three swimmers were neck-in-neck throughout the bulk of the race with McKeown coming out on top down the stretch. It was the first Olympic medal for Berkoff and fourth of Smith's career.
Meanwhile, Bobby Finke captured the second silver medal of the day for the Americans. Finke finished second in the men's 800-meter freestyle with a time of 7:38.75 behind Ireland's Daniel Wiffen. Finke found himself in third place in the final 50 meters of the race, behind Wiffen and Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri, but was able to make a charge towards a potential win in the final moments.
Bobby Finke's valiant comeback comes up just short of gold, but he earns SILVER in the 800m free! 💪
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/WeKAUx0G0e
Finke was the gold medalist in the event in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In Tuesday's last final, the United States earned a silver medal in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay. The Americans -- consisting of Luke Hobson, Carson Foster, Drew Kibler, and Kieran Smith -- turned in a time of 7:00.78 to get onto the podium after not even medaling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the event.
Team USA grabs silver in the 4x200m relay! 🥈
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Great Britain secures gold with a commanding win. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/CxGcIilCtG
Hobson got the United States off to a solid start as the Americans were in third place after the first leg of the event. Foster was able to make up some of the gap during the second leg, and had the United States in second place after his 200 meters in the race. In the final leg of the race, Great Britain's Duncan Scott was able to pull away from Smith, but Smith was able to hold off Australia's Flynn Southam for second place.
Star swimmer Katie Ledecky got the United States started on a strong note early in the day as she won her qualifying heat in the 1500-meter freestyle event. Ledecky beat out her competition by a mind-boggling 17.83 seconds to earn that particular victory with a final time of 15:47.43. She'll have an opportunity to win her eighth gold medal in Wednesday's final.
It's what she does. 🤷♀️
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
Katie Ledecky dominates to punch her ticket to the 1500m free final. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/bf9Rsy14V8
In the men's 100-meter freestyle semifinal races, Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano were able to qualify for Wednesday's final. Alexy, who won his qualifying heat earlier in the day, came in third place in the second semifinal with a time of 47.68. Alexy led through the first 50 meters but slowed down coming down the home stretch. In addition, Guiliano finished in fourth place with a time of 47.72 in the first semifinal of the event.
Thomas Heilman came in sixth place with a time of 1:54.87 in the second semifinal of the men's 200-meter butterfly. Heilman, who was the youngest American swimmer since Michael Phelps at just 17 years old, missed out on qualifying for Wednesday's final in the event. He came in fourth place in his qualifying heat earlier in the day on Tuesday.
Wednesday's finals include the women's 1500-meter freestyle, women's 100-meter freestyle, men's 100-meter freestyle, men's 200-meter butterfly, and men's 200-meter breaststroke.