The women's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held from 3 to 4 August 2024 at the Olympic Aquatics Centre at Paris La Defense Arena.[1] It will be the event's tenth consecutive appearance, having been held at every edition since 1988.
| Women's 50 metre freestyle at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Olympic Aquatics Centre. Paris La Défense Arena | ||||||||||||
| Dates | 3 August 2024 (Heats and Semis) 4 August 2024 (Final) | ||||||||||||
| Competitors | 79 from 72 nations | ||||||||||||
| Winning time | 23.71 | ||||||||||||
| Medalists | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Records
editPrior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows:
| World record |  Sarah Sjöström (SWE) |
23.61 | Budapest, Hungary | 29 July 2023 |
| Olympic record |  Emma McKeon (AUS) |
23.81 | Tokyo, Japan | 1 August 2021 |
The following record was established during the competition:
| Date | Event | Swimmer | Nation | Time | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 August | Semifinal 2 | Sarah Sjöström |  Sweden |
23.66 | OR |
Qualification
editA National Olympic Committee (NOC) may enter a maximum of two qualified athletes in each individual event, but only if both of them have attained the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT). One athlete per event can potentially enter if they meet the Olympic Consideration Time (OCT), or if the total quota of 852 athletes has not been targeted. NOCs may also permit swimmers regardless of time (one per gender) under a Universality place since they have no swimmers attaining either of the standard entry times (OQT/OCT).[2][3]
Following the end of the qualification window, World Aquatics will assess the number of swimmers who have achieved the OQT, the number of relay-only swimmers, and the number of Universality places, before inviting those with OCT to fulfill the total quota of 852. Additionally, OCT places will be distributed by event according to the position of the World Aquatics Rankings during the qualifying deadline.[2]
Time standards
editThe qualifying time standards must be obtained at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, continental championships, continental swimming meets, national championships and selection trials, and various international meets approved by World Aquatics in the period between 1 March 2023 and 23 June 2024.[4]
The following table outlines the qualifying time standards for Paris 2024 for this event:
| Qualification times | ||
|---|---|---|
| Event | OQT* | OCT^ |
| 50 m freestyle | 24.70 | 24.82 |
* OQTs correspond to the time achieved by a fourteenth-place swimmer in his or her respective preliminary heat of each event at the previous Games.
ª Because the fourteenth-place swimmer achieved a standard slower than the OQT in Tokyo 2020, the OQT used at the previous Games will remain constant.
^ OCTs are derived by adding 0.5% of the OQT standard.
Competition format
editThe competition consists of three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advance to the semifinals. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the semifinals advance to the final. Swim-offs are used as necessary to break ties for advancement to the next round.
Schedule
editAll times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)[1]
| Date | Time | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 3 August 2024 | 11:00 | Heats |
| 20:37 | Semifinals | |
| 4 August 2024 | 18:30 | Final |
Results
editHeats
edit
Semifinals
editThe swimmers with the best 8 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the final.
| Rank | Heat | Lane | Swimmer | Nation | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden |
23.66 | Q, OR |
| 2 | 2 | 5 | Gretchen Walsh |  United States |
24.17 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | 4 | Katarzyna Wasick |  Poland |
24.23 | Q |
| 4 | 1 | 3 | Zhang Yufei |  China |
24.24 | Q |
| 5 | 1 | 5 | Shayna Jack |  Australia |
24.29 | Q |
| 6 | 2 | 3 | Meg Harris | Australia |
24.33 | Q |
| 7 | 1 | 6 | Wu Qingfeng | China |
24.40 | Q |
| 1 | 7 | Neža Klančar |  Slovenia |
Q, NR | ||
| 9 | 2 | 6 | Michelle Coleman | Sweden |
24.47 | |
| 10 | 2 | 8 | Anna Hopkin |  Great Britain |
24.50 | |
| 11 | 1 | 2 | Beryl Gastaldello |  France |
24.66 | |
| 12 | 1 | 8 | Valerie van Roon |  Netherlands |
24.67 | |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | Taylor Ruck |  Canada |
24.72 | |
| 14 | 2 | 1 | Sara Curtis |  Italy |
24.77 | |
| 15 | 1 | 1 | Florine Gaspard |  Belgium |
24.82 | |
| 16 | 2 | 7 | Julie Kepp Jensen |  Denmark |
24.98 |
Final
edit| Rank | Lane | Swimmer | Nation | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
4 | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden |
23.71 | |
 |
7 | Meg Harris | Australia |
23.97 | |
 |
6 | Zhang Yufei | China |
24.20 | |
| 4 | 5 | Gretchen Walsh | United States |
24.21 | |
| 5 | 3 | Katarzyna Wasick | Poland |
24.33 | |
| 6 | 8 | Neža Klančar | Slovenia |
24.35 | NR |
| 7 | 1 | Wu Qingfeng | China |
24.37 | |
| 8 | 2 | Shayna Jack | Australia |
24.39 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Swimming – Women's 50m Freestyle Schedule". Paris 2024.
- ^ a b "Paris 2024 – Swimming Info". World Aquatics. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ Rieder, David (3 April 2022). "Event Changes Likely as Paris 2024 Moves to Nine-Day Schedule of Finals". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ "Paris 2024 - Swimming Info". World Aquatics. 3 October 2022.