U.S. Wins First Gold at 2024 Paris Olympics: Swimming

Team USA’s 4×100-meter men’s freestyle relay team have earned the United States’ first gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, besting Australia who took second place.

The relay team — Caeleb Dressel, Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, and Hunter Armstrong — pulled ahead of Australia by 1.07 seconds. Italy earned the bronze medal. Team USA has dominated the event, having won 10 of the last 13 Olympics, with Dressel earning his eighth Olympic gold in Paris on Saturday.

Prior to the men’s gold win, the U.S. women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay team — comprising Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske, and Simone Manuel — won silver during their event and set a new American record in the event with a time of 3:30.20. Australia took the gold and set a new Olympic record with 3:28.92, and China earned bronze.

The U.S. earned its first medal in Paris with Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook taking home silver in the 3-meter synchronized springboard competition.

Team USA’s Katie Ledecky also medaled in the women’s freestyle final, taking home the bronze. She is the most decorated of any female swimmer in history, having earned six gold medals. Her bronze win on Saturday makes it her 11th overall Olympic medal. Ledecky will also compete in the 800 and 1,500 races, where she is favored to take gold.

The U.S. has won five medals thus far: one gold, two silver, and two bronze, which includes American cyclist Chloe Dygert earning bronze in the women’s individual time trial in road cycling.