USA vs. Australia swimming by the numbers: How 2024 Olympic superteams compare in each event

Bryan Murphy

USA vs. Australia swimming by the numbers: How 2024 Olympic superteams compare in each event image

When fans think of rivalries in sports, it's all about tension. Rivals aren't made to like each other. Most historic clashes are built on bad blood. 

It's incredibly rare to see a "healthy" rivalry — which is what makes competitive spirit between the United States and Australia swimming so rare. 

"It’s super funny because we like the Aussies," said Lilly King, an American breaststroke Olympic gold medalist. "They’re cool people and we do get along, but we also want to win and we want to win more medals. So it's a really healthy rivalry.

"Sometimes I wish it was a little less healthy, Like, 'Let's get at it, guys. Come on, let's fight a little bit!’ But yeah, the Aussies are a fun group to race and a fun group to beat. We take a lot of pride in that, and does it motivate the team? Yeah, I think it definitely does."

MORE: How Katie Ledecky has stayed on top of her sport

The rivalry between the United States and Australia dates back to the mid-1990s. The two countries dominated every other nation in the pool, constantly battling between each other for the top of the podium. Despite the consistent contests between the Americans and the Aussies, it's a rivalry built on motivation, not contention. 

"Getting to race Australia last summer was super fun and the way they were able to get out on top in most of the relays has really helped boost our motivation going into the Games," said Katie Grimes, an American multi-event swimmer. "That rivalry is a good thing to get us focussed in practice every day and more excited to race against each other."

The two sides are poised to once again go head-to-head for the gold medal in a majority of the swimming events. Of course, there are a plethora of other nations hoping to knock off the two pool powerhouses. But expect swimmers form the United States and Australia to be the favorites in a multitude of races.

Who is shaping up to come up top in 2024? Here is a look behind the number of the United States and Australia swimming.

MORE: Who will win Olympics swimming? Medal odds, expert picks

USA vs. Australia swimming by the numbers

It's been nearly 70 years since Australia beat the United States in Olympic swimming medal count. The last time that happened was at the 1956 Melbourne Games. At the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, the USA won 11 gold medals to Australia’s nine, marking the closest differential since that Olympics in Melbourne. 

Here is a comparison of the fastest Australian and USA swimmers heading into the 2024 Olympics, based on each athlete's best time so far this year. Times are from the Sydney Morning Herald

*Americans in bold

Women's freestyle

EventFastest 2nd3rd
50mShayna Jack (AUS) — 23.99Simone Manuel (USA) — 24.13    Gretchen Walsh (USA) — 24.15
100mMollie O'Callaghan (AUS) — 52.27Kate Douglass (USA) — 52.56Shayna Jack (AUS) — 52.65
200mAriarne Titmus (AUS) — 1:52.23Mollie O'Callaghan (AUS) — 1:52.48Katie Ledecky (USA) — 1:54.97
400mAriarne Titmus (AUS) — 3:55.44Katie Ledecky (USA) — 3:58.35Lani Pallister (AUS) — 4:01.75
800mKatie Ledecky (USA) — 8:12.95Ariarne Titmus (AUS) — 8:14.06Lani Pallister (AUS) — 8:18.46
1500mKatie Ledecky (USA) — 15:37.35Lani Pallister (AUS) — 15:53.79Katie Grimes (USA) — 15:57.77

Women's backstroke

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mRegan Smith (USA) — 57.13Kaylee McKeown (AUS) — 57.41Katharine Berkoff (USA) — 57.83
200mKaylee McKeown (AUS) — 2:03.30Regan Smith (USA) — 2:03.99Phoebe Bacon (USA) — 2:06.27

Women's breaststroke

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mLilly King (USA) — 1:05.43Emma Weber (USA) — 1:05.43Jenna Strauch (AUS) — 1:06.90
200mKate Douglass (USA) — 2:19.30Lilly King (USA) — 2:21.93Ella Ramsay (AUS) — 2:22.87

Women's butterfly

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mGretchen Walsh (USA) — 55.18Torri Huske (USA) —55.52Emma McKeon (AUS) — 56.40
200mRegan Smith (USA) — 2:04.80Lizzy Dekkers (AUS) — 2:05.20Alex Shackell (USA) — 2:06.1

Women's individual medley

EventFastest2nd3rd
200mKaylee McKeown (AUS) — 2:06.63Kate Douglass (USA) — 2:06.79Alex Walsh (USA) — 2:07.63
400mKatie Grimes (USA) — 4:32.45Emma Weyant (USA) — 4:35.56Ella Ramsay (AUS) — 4:36.56

Men's freestyle

EventFastest 2nd3rd
50mCam McEvoy (AUS) — 21.13Caeleb Dressel (USA) — 21.41Chris Guiliano (USA) — 21.69
100mJack Alexy (USA) — 47.08Chris Guiliano (USA) — 47.25Kyle Chalmers (AUS) — 47.63
200mLuke Hobson (USA) — 1:44.89Chris Guiliano (USA) — 1:45.38Maximillian Guiliani (AUS) — 1:45.83
400mElijah Winnington (AUS) — 3:41.41Sam Short (AUS) — 3:41.64Aaron Shackell (USA) — 3:45.46
800mElijah Winnington (AUS) — 7:42.95Sam Short (AUS) — 7:43.98Robert Finke (USA) — 7:43.98
1500mRobert Finke (USA) — 14:40.28David Johnston (USA) — 14:52.74Sam Short (AUS) — 15:03.25

Men's backstroke

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mRyan Murphy (USA) — 52.22Hunter Armstrong (USA) — 52.68Isaac Cooper (AUS) — 53.46
200mRyan Murphy (USA)— 1:54.33Keaton Jones (USA) — 1:54.61Brad Woodward (AUS) — 1:56.22

Men's breaststroke

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mNic Fink (USA) — 58.57Sam Williamson (AUS) — 58.80Charlie Swanson (USA) — 59.16
200mMatthew Fallon (USA) — 2:06.54Zac Stubblety-Cook (AUS) — 2:07.40Joshua Yong (AUS) — 2:08.08

Men's butterfly

EventFastest2nd3rd
100mCaeleb Dressel (USA) — 50.19Matt Temple (AUS) —50.61Thomas Heilman (USA) — 50.80
200mThomas Heilman (USA) — 1:54.50Luca Urlando (USA) — 1:54.64Bowen Gough (AUS) — 1:56.18

Men's individual medley

EventFastest2nd3rd
200mCarson Foster (USA) — 1:55.65Shaine Casas (USA) — 1:55.83Will Petric (AUS) — 1:55.83
400mCarson Foster (USA) — 4:07.64Chase Kalisz (USA) — 4:09.39Brendon Smith (AUS) — 4:10.18

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.