Six races and rivalries to watch in Paris Olympic pool

Swimming astatine nan Paris Olympics promises to beryllium 1 of nan champion and loudest spectacles astatine this summer's Games.

It each gets nether measurement connected 27 July - nan time Adam Peaty originates his quest for a 3rd successive Olympic gold.

His conflict is 1 of six races BBC Sport has picked retired of ones to watch among a highly anticipated schedule successful France...

The 100m breaststroke title could beryllium nan eventual showdown betwixt a champion and nan young pretender.

Britain's Adam Peaty is nan top sprint breaststroker successful history, having swum nan 14 fastest times of each clip and taken golden astatine nan past 2 Olympics.

Victory successful Paris would complete nan 'Three Peat' and mean nan 29-year-old joins nan awesome Michael Phelps arsenic nan only men to person won 3 consecutive golds successful nan aforesaid arena astatine nan Olympics.

But, having been unbeaten successful 8 years, Peaty has struggled since Tokyo. In his absence a caller prima has emerged - China's Qin Haiyang.

Qin won golden astatine nan World Championships past twelvemonth and did truthful successful a clip of 57.69 seconds, making him nan second-fastest man successful history down Peaty. Peaty has not posted a clip that speedy since nan Tokyo Olympics.

Can he assistance himself to spell again aliases will a caller champion beryllium crowned?

When is nan final? 20:54 BST, Sunday 28 July

The women's 400m freestyle promises to beryllium an epic event, featuring nan 3 fastest swimmers of each clip crossed nan distance.

One of those is American awesome Katie Ledecky, who won nan arena successful 2016 and needs 2 golds successful Paris to go nan astir successful female swimmer successful history.

Tough title will travel from a acquainted and a caller rival, however.

Australian Ariarne Titmus pipped Ledecky to golden successful Tokyo and comes successful having produced nan second-fastest clip ever past month.

Then location is 17-year-old Summer McIntosh - nan Canadian group to beryllium 1 of nan breakout stars of nan Games.

She collapsed Titmus' world grounds successful March past year, only for Titmus to spell quicker erstwhile beating Ledecky successful metallic astatine past year's World Championships.

It could beryllium anyone's race.

When is nan final? 19:55 BST, Saturday 27 July

Team GB spell into these Games wanting to hit nan 8 swimming medals won successful Tokyo.

The title they should beryllium astir assured is nan men's 4x200m freestyle relay - an arena Britain won successful 2021.

The British squad will beryllium capable to telephone upon 2023 200m freestyle world champion Matt Richards, Olympic metallic medallist Duncan Scott and Olympic champion Tom Dean, who was beaten by his 2 team-mates for a spot successful nan individual arena this clip around.

James Guy will apt return nan last spot to reunite nan golden medal-winning quartet.

That time they vanished conscionable 0.03seconds extracurricular nan world grounds group by nan United States successful 2009. Could they spell quicker?

When is nan final? 20:59 BST, Tuesday 30 July

Any title involving Leon Marchand astatine nan Olympics should not beryllium missed.

The French superstar will beryllium 1 of nan faces of his location Games and has been tearing up nan grounds books successful caller years.

He has been fixed nan nickname of 'the caller monster' - nan successor to Phelps - and past year, having been taken nether nan helping of Phelps' erstwhile coach Bob Bowman, collapsed nan American legend's past world grounds successful nan 400m individual medley.

Marchand will title that event, positive 3 others, and is apt to beryllium a contender successful each.

In nan 200m medley he will travel up against Britain's Scott and Dean, who won metallic and bronze astatine past year's World Championships down Marchand.

Can either extremity him?

When is nan final? 19:49 BST, Friday 2 August

The women's 200m medley will beryllium likewise eye-catching.

Canada's McIntosh, Australia's three-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown and Americans Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh were expected to spell head-to-head successful a last billed arsenic 1 for nan ages astatine 2023's World Championships, only for McIntosh to propulsion retired to attraction connected different events and McKeown to beryllium disqualified successful nan semi-final.

Barring immoderate much unexpected twists, nan swimming world will get what it wanted 12 months connected successful Paris.

Half a 2nd separates their respective champion times successful caller years.

Throw successful nan rivalry betwixt nan Australian and American teams - past twelvemonth Aussie swimmer Cate Campbell ramped up nan sound by calling nan Americans "sore losers" - and this really should beryllium 1 to watch.

When is nan final? 19:59 BST, Saturday 3 August

One of nan races of nan Games is ever nan 50m freestyle - besides known arsenic nan scatter and dash.

The 1 magnitude sprint will crown nan fastest swimmers connected nan satellite and Team GB person a existent contender.

Ben Proud has won world, European and Commonwealth golden passim his profession but has ne'er won an Olympic medal.

Will this beryllium his year?

The men's title besides has other intrigue pinch nan return of American superstar Caeleb Dressel.

The 27-year-old has 7 Olympic golds, including 5 past clip retired successful Tokyo, but pulled retired of nan 2022 World Championships midway done nan arena and subsequently took a break for his intelligence health.

On his return to nan world shape astatine nan US tests past month, Dressel impressed to book his slot to take sides his 50m freestyle title.

The last tin beryllium a lottery, however...

When is nan final? 19:30 BST, Friday 2 August