Paris Olympic Entries: 4 Neutral Athletes, Kai Winkler Makes Switch to Germany
World Aquatics on Friday released the official entry lists for the Paris Olympics, which brought a few last-minute surprises.
In all, 854 swimmers will be in Paris – 463 male and 391 female. They represent 187 official countries, plus four Individual Neutral Athletes and the members of the IOC Refugee National Team. Five countries – Dominica, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Vanuatu – will make their Olympic debut at Paris La Defense Arena.
The full list of men’s competitors is here, while the women’s list can be found here.
Four athletes will be under the flag of the AIN or individual neutral athletes. Three are athletes from Belarus, Alina Zmushka, Anastasiya Shkurdai and Ilya Shymanovich. The only Russian to compete at the Games will by Evgenii Somov, who trains in the United States with Louisville.
The entry lists confirm that absence of, among others, reigning 400 freestyle champion Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia. It confirms the previously reported absences of Farida Osman of Egypt, Quah Ting Wen of Singapore and South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk.
The entry lists also reveal a swap in nationalities for Kaii Winkler to represent Germany. The American teen has been training in Madgeburg with other members of the German team. His father, Dirk, holds German citizenship, and the German Olympic Sports Confederation has approved his switch, the German Swimming Federation confirmed. Winkler competed at German Championships in 2019 and 2022. In 2022, the Florida native and NC State commit anchored an American relay at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships that set a World Junior Record.
Winkler brings with him an Olympic A cut in the 100 butterfly, having gone 51.51 at U.S. Olympic Trials last month to finish eighth in the event. Germany did not have a swimmer with an A cut in the event – Luca Armbruster went 51.68 at German Championships this year, .01 off the A cut – which allowed Winkler a chance to swim.
Winkler finished 46th in the 200 free, 25th in the 100 free and 38th in the 50 free at Olympic Trials. He held national age-group records in the 100 free for ages 15 and 16 in both short-course yards (41.96 seconds) and long-course meters (48.81), both set in 2023.
How is a swimmer that represented the US in international competition, able to switch sport nationality without meeting the residency requirements as outlined by World Aquatics?
As Winkler is a dual citizen I can understand his taking advantage of this opportunity to go to the Olympics. However if he’s intending to ‘ping pong’ his nationality wherever it suits himself in the future. Then no. You’ve made a choice, stick to it.