Tokyo Olympics 2021: Fresh dead-heat drama hits swimming as Aussie men look to medals

Either the swimming races at the Tokyo Olympics really are too close to call or there is something fishy with the timing system.  

Either the swimming races at the Tokyo Olympics really are too close to call or there is something fishy with the timing system.

Swimming officials say everything is working perfectly even though there have been at least three dead heats involving swimmers in the centre lanes, which the odds of happening are astronomical.

There were two in successive events on the opening night, including one with Emma McKeon which showed her clearly ahead of her Chinese opponent, then another on Tuesday night when Zac Stubblety-Cook and Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands clocked identical times of 2:07.37 in the heats of the 200m breaststroke.

In this instance, the pair did look to have touched the wall together, as the fastest qualifiers for the semi-finals.

Zac Stubblety-Cook and Arno Kamminga after their dead heat. Picture: Getty Images

AUSSIE MEN PLAN TO GET IN ON THE GOLD

Overshadowed over the past three days by their flying female team mates, Australia's leading men have put themselves in contention to contribute to the gold medal stockpile in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics.

Kyle Chalmers, who almost single-handedly won Australia a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay, stormed into the semifinals of the individual event with a sizzling heat swim of 47.77 seconds, which he dismissed as a blowout".

"Everyone’s just playing the games, and I’m one of them,” he said.

“I’ve just got to get through the rounds, conserve as much energy as I can and sleep well."

The defending champion, King Kyle qualified third overall, behind Italian champion Thomas Ceccon and reigning world champion Caeleb Dressel.

The semis will be held on Wednesday with the top eight advancing to Thursday’s final.

Chalmers will also race in the 4x200m freestyle final on Wednesday after Australia qualified second behind Great Britain.

Rio 400m champion Mack Horton struggled in his heat swim after teaming up with Elijah Winnington, Zac Incerti and Alexander Graham so is likely to be left out of the final when Chalmers and Tommy Neill return to the lineup.

Kyle Chalmers looked the goods in his heat swim. Picture: Getty Images

Surprise package Zac Stubblety-Cook qualified equal fastest for the semifinals of the men’s 200m breaststroke after dead heating with Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands in 2:07.37.

Ranked number one in the world this year, Stubblety-Cook has emerged as a serious contender for the gold medal and his first dip into the Olympic pool has done nothing to change that.

Matt Wilson, the former world record holder who almost missed selection for the team, qualified 10th fastest.

“I haven’t lost any talent, that’s for sure, “Wilson said. “I’ve just had a bad run of injuries and illness over the last 18 months but this is the first little period where I feel like I can get back to that form if I put the race together.”

A silver medallist in the 400m, Jack McLoughlin went straight through to Thursday’s 800m freestyle final after qualifying sixth while Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui, the shock winner of the 400m gold, failed to advance.

Brianna Throssell sailed into the semis of the women’s butterfly after only 16 swimmers entered the heats, the same number required for the semis.

“It was a bit of an interesting one,” she said. “We were all going to make it through provided no one got disqualified.”

Recap all the day four action in our blog below. 

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021: Fresh dead-heat drama hits swimming as Aussie men look to medals

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