Highlights
- Sensational footage has showcased how much swimming has developed since 1932.
- The men’s 100m freestyle was won by Japanese swimmer Yasuji Miyazaki in Los Angeles nearly a century ago.
- That race was compared to the same event at Tokyo 2020 – which was won by USA’s Caeleb Dressel.
Footage uploaded to the official Olympics social media account has showcased how far we’ve come in all things swimming. Paris 2024 is already well underway, with fans already witnessing several iconic sporting moments in the French capital.
Simone Biles added yet another gold medal to her ladened collection after usurping the competition in the all-round competition of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Brazilian athlete Rebecca Andrade picked up silver while Biles’ teammate Suni Lee took bronze.
Great Britain’s greatest ever swimmer, Adam Peaty, has impressed many once again after finishing second in the 100m breaststroke final at the 2024 Olympic Games. He came agonisingly close to picking up yet another gold medal to his resume but was beaten by Italian Nicolo Martinenghi by just 0.02 seconds.
While fans have continued to witness history being made, the Olympics have also consistently found ways to keep its viewers entertained on all platforms.
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The comparisons in the two clips are mind-blowing
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – the official Olympics account has combined comparisons of two separate Olympic events, many years apart, that have left people in complete shock at how far we’ve come.
This was the case with the men’s 100m freestyle competition, with the official social media account comparing races from 2020 and 1932.
The 1932 Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles, with the men’s 100m freestyle being won by Japanese swimmer Yasuji Miyazaki – one of two gold medals he picked up in the United States.
Footage of the race was put side by side with the equivalent final from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The difference between the two is ridiculous.
Team USA’s Caeleb Dressel struck gold in Tokyo – one of five golds he picked up in Japan. Given how much sports has grown with regards to science and correctly preparing an athlete, it comes as no surprise to see events taking place at a much quicker pace.
At the 23-second mark in each race, the 2020 competitors are already on their way back to the start line having completed the first 50 metres. In comparison, the athletes from 1932 are still yet to hit the halfway point.
In 2020, Dressel won with an Olympic record time of 47.02 seconds, followed by Australia’s Kyle Chambers at 47.08 seconds and Russian Olympic Committee athlete Kliment Kolesnikov with a time of 47.44 seconds. Every athlete in the final came in under 48.1 seconds.
In 1932, Miyazaki won gold with a time of more than 11 seconds longer at 58.2 seconds.
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Pan Zhanle Set a New World Record in Paris
The Chinese superstar impressed in the 100m freestyle
Pan Zhanle delivered a new 100m freestyle world record of 46.40 in what was the first swimming world record of the Olympic Games in Paris.
The People’s Republic of China’s Zhanle was jaw-dropping from the off, leading the field, and finished a whole second ahead of Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, who took silver with a time of 47.48, followed by Romania’s David Popovici in bronze-medal position with a time of 47.49. His gold-medal victory represented a first-ever medal for China in the 100m freestyle.
The swimmer’s new mark lowered his previous record, which he had set at the 2024 World Championships in the 4x100m freestyle relay, by a full four-tenths of a second.
Speaking to Reuters through a translator after the event, he said: “I tried my best to get the best result. I was very surprised in the end that I broke the world record and it was a magical moment.”
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