Swimming in the 2024 Paris Olympics has been just like every other Games in terms of electric crowds, close races and incredible efforts by the world’s best.
However, the swimmers have been noticing a stark difference in the pool when they look up at the scoreboard to see their times after races.
They’re slow.
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Gretchen Walsh of Team USA competes in the women’s 100-meter butterfly final during the Paris Olympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
As Yahoo Sports pointed out, the men’s 100-meter breaststroke final saw United States veteran swimmer Nic Fink take home silver after posting a time of 59.05. It was tied with Great Britain’s Adam Peaty, while Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won gold by two-hundredths of a second at 59:03.
However, those times in the thrilling race wouldn’t have placed higher than eighth place – last in a final – at the Tokyo Olympics.
On the women’s side, a shocker came when U.S. legend Katie Ledecky couldn’t break four minutes in the 400-meter freestyle as she won bronze, while Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, the gold-medal winner, wasn’t even close to her personal best.
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So, what’s the issue in Paris during these swim events? Pool depth is something Yahoo Sports is hearing from swimmers as a main concern.
The pool at Paris La Defense Arena is 2.15 meters deep despite World Aquatics recommending Olympic pools be 3 meters deep. There’s also a new minimum for the organization’s events, which is set at 2.5 meters.
Getting more specific, swimmers are feeling the effects of waves bouncing off the bottom of the shallow pool and making the waters “wavy” during races.
Leon Marchand of Team France competes in the men’s 400-meter individual medley final during the Paris Olympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
While some may argue that case, Ken Ono emailed Yahoo Sports to say he’s heard “a few competitors” say “they have been forced to (slightly) modify their dives off the blocks.”
“The pool is fast compared to your neighborhood swim club. However, it is not ideal for record setting,” Ono added.
Peaty, who owns the world record in the 100-meter breaststroke, says the slowness has “been a strange one.”
As U.S. women’s freestyle swimmer Paige Madden told Yahoo Sports, “Times don’t matter. It’s all about place at the Olympics.”
It may not be records, but medals are still being won with everyone “in the same boat.”
There are still many swimming events to come and more world records to chase for these swimmers.
Haiyang Qin of China and Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands compete in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke heat during the Paris Olympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena on July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
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But if these first races are any indication of what’s to come, world records will be pretty safe in Paris.
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