Paris Olympics, Day 7 Semifinals: Alex Walsh Leads Big Four into Showdown for 200 IM Gold

Paris Olympics, Day 7 Semifinals: Alex Walsh Leads Big Four into Showdown for 200 IM Gold

Call it a preview of what’s to come.

The second semifinal of the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Olympic Games in Paris featured the four leading contenders for gold racing in successive lanes. And while this matchup between Australia’s Kaylee McKeown (Lane Two), American Kate Douglass (Lane Three), Canadian Summer McIntosh (Lane Four) and the United States’ Alex Walsh (Lane Five) didn’t yield any medals, it provided a sense of what might unfold in Saturday’s final.

Walsh exited the pool at La Defense Arena with the only sub-2:08 performance, her mark of 2:07.45 handing the University of Virginia standout the top seed for the final. As usual, Walsh used her sensational breaststroke to make a move at the midway point through the 150-meter turn to take the lead, where she remained on the freestyle leg. Walsh was the silver medalist in the 200 IM at the Tokyo Games, where Douglass claimed bronze.

“I think it was cool that all four of us got to be in the same heat tonight just to get a little practice swimming,” Douglass said. “Obviously, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. I think we just have to focus on our strengths. I’m obviously focusing on trying to make my backstroke faster. I don’t know if it’s working, but I’m trying.”

McIntosh is pursuing her fourth individual medal of the Games, having already earned gold in the 400 individual medley and 200 butterfly, along with a silver medal in the 400 freestyle. The last woman to win four solo medals at a single Games was Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, who accomplished the feat in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. McIntosh is well-positioned to add that fourth medal, and potentially a third of the golden variety. McIntosh touched the wall in 2:08.30, followed by Douglass in 2:08.59.

Walsh had to wait until the seventh day of the meet to see competition. That scenario was different from June’s United States Olympic Trials, where Walsh had the chance to prep for the 200 IM with other events.

“It definitely is a bit of a different environment here, just going in knowing I was going to have to be patient and (have) no races really to distract me from waiting to make the team in the (200 IM),” said Walsh. “The Olympics is really high stakes as well, but Trials, I think we both really expected a lot of ourselves to make the team so I’m just here to have fun, put together a good race. I feel a little bit more lighthearted, more at peace. So I’m excited to swim tomorrow.”

Walsh was the world champion in 2022 and Douglass has won the past two world titles, including earlier this year in Doha. Douglass also captured gold in the 200 breaststroke earlier in the Paris Games.

McKeown was the slowest of the Big Four, going 2:09.97 for seventh seed in the final. However, McKeown was the only athlete in the field to have a race earlier in the session, an outing that went superbly. Racing the 200 backstroke, McKeown defended her Olympic title by setting an Olympic record. Come the final of the 200 IM, the Aussie will be rested and prepared to battle for another gold.

“I didn’t think I would make the finals, so I’m super stoked to be a part of that, and just have fun with it,” McKeown said. “My main events are out of the way, so tomorrow’s just a fun time for me.”

Also advancing to the final were Great Britain’s Abbie Wood (2:09.64), Canada’s Sydney Pickrem (2:09.65), China’s Yu Yiting (2:09.74) and Aussie Ella Ramsay (2:10.16). Reigning Olympic champ Yui Ohashi of Japan was eliminated after finishing 12th.

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