Michael Phelps shares anticipation for 100m freestyle event at Paris Olympics 2024

By Zahid Rashid Dar

Modified Jun 20, 2024 17:31 GMT

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Michael Phelps is looking forward to the 100m freestyle event at Paris Olympics 2024. While defending champion Caeleb Dressel couldn't qualify in the event for the Olympics, the field will feature two of the fastest swimmers of all time in the discipline.

Phelps didn't swim the 100m freestyle event much in his career. While he has won numerous medals, both Olympic and World in the 4x100m freestyle event, the Baltimore Bullet didn't win any medal in the individual 100m freestyle in his career. His best finish in the event was 4th at the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships.

Phelps has a personal best of 47.77 in the event, ranking him way out of the top 10 fastest swims of all time. The 10th place is currently held by Caeleb Dressel with a time of 47.02 at the Tokyo Olympics. He also holds the 6th position with a time of 46.96 from the 2019 World Championships.

While the American would surely be missed at the Paris Olympics 2024, the 100m freestyle will witness a breathtaking competition between Romania's David Popovici and China's Zhanle Pan. The two swimmers are the fastest of all time in the discipline, and swimming legend Michael Phelps is excited for the clash.

Reposting a list of the top 10 fastest swimmers in the discipline on his Instagram story, the Baltimore Bullet wrote:

"The 100 free is gonna be a fun one @paris2024 !!"

Michael Phelps is excited for 100m freestyle at the Paris Olympics 2024.( Image via Phelps' Instagram)

China’s Zhanle Pan clocked the world record timing of 46.80 at the 2024 World Championship while the Romanian prodigy Popovici clocked the second fastest timing of 46.86 at the 2022 European Championships as a 17-year-old. Now 19, Popovici swam the third fastest time of all time, 46.88, at the ongoing 2024 European Championships.

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Michael Phelps is amazed by the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials 2024 being held inside an NFL stadium

Swimming - Olympics: Day 8

Michael Phelps has claimed that the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials 2024 are more intense than the actual Olympics. Why? It features over 1000 swimmers at the biggest venue the sport has ever seen. It saw a record audience on the opening day, breaking that mark again on June 19th with 22,209 fans inside the Lucas Oil Field stadium.

Speaking with the Pet McAfee Show host on a live video call, the 23-time Olympic champion said:

"Look, to be able to have the Olympic trials inside a football arena? Are you kidding me? It’s the biggest venue we’ve ever had in the sport."

Michael Phelps also added that he was coming to witness the trials on Friday, June 21st.