Paris 2024: Top five male swimmers debuting at the Olympics

In 2021, Ribeiro had a motorcycle accident that dislocated his shoulder, fractured his leg, and caused him to lose a portion of his index finger. The Portuguese swimmer made a remarkable comeback after the injury making first breakthrough in senior-level swimming came during the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, where he won a silver in the 50m butterfly event, becoming the first Portuguese swimmer to achieve this feat.

Before qualifying for the Olympics, Ribeiro competed at the World Aquatics Championships 2024. The 19-year-old won two gold medals, in the men’s 50m and 100m butterfly, at the championships. These were Portugal’s first swimming World Championship gold medals at the senior level.

In addition, Ribeiro won a bronze medal in the men’s 50m butterfly event at the European Championships in 2022. He further clinched a gold and a silver medal at the 2022 Mediterranean Games and in the same year, Ribeiro achieved a hat-trick of gold medals at the World Junior Championships in Lima.

So far, the 50m butterfly event has been Ribeiro’s expertise, as he has won four medals in the event while competing at the senior level and one at junior-level tournaments.

Pan Zhanle (China)

Zhanle Pan at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
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At just 19 years old, Pan Zhanle’s recent performance at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, earned him a spot at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Chinese swimmer secured four gold medals in Doha, including a world record-breaking performance in the men’s 100m freestyle event, clocking 46.80 seconds.

Zhanle was also part of the Chinese team that won gold in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay and contributed to victories in the men’s 4x200m and 4x100m freestyle relays at the same tournament.

In addition to his achievements at the championships, Zhanle amassed seven medals (three gold, three silver, and a bronze) at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Earlier, at the 2022 World Swimming Championships in Melbourne, Zhanle set the Asian record for the men’s 100m freestyle event but narrowly missed out on a medal.

At the Paris Olympics, Zhanle is set to compete in three events: men’s 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, and 400m freestyle. Given his strong performance in the 100m freestyle events, Zhanle is considered a strong contender for the podium in Paris.

Zhang Zhanshuo (China)

Zhanshuo Zhang of China celebrates after winning gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle final on day fifteen of the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
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Zhanshuo burst onto the global swimming scene at the age of 17, capturing two gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, as part of the Chinese men’s 4 × 100m freestyle and 4 × 200m freestyle relay teams.

Previously, at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, Zhanshuo secured two silver medals in the men’s 400m medley and 4x200m freestyle relay events, along with three bronze medals in the men’s 800m medley, 1500m medley, and 4x100m medley relay events.

The Chinese national champion will compete in two events—the men’s 400m freestyle and the 800m freestyle—at the 2024 Olympic Games. This teen sensation from Asia will showcase his freestyle prowess among the world’s swimming elite in Paris.

Sven Schwarz (Germany)

Sven Schwarz prepares to compete in the men’s 800m freestyle final at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
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Schwarz, the German freestyle swimming specialist, holds the world junior record in the short-course 800m freestyle category. He also clinched the 2023 European under-23 championship title in the 800m freestyle (long course) event.

Additionally, the German champion competed at the 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Germany, where he secured a silver medal in the men’s 1500m freestyle event.

However, at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, the 22-year-old missed the podium by 1.31 seconds in the men’s 800m freestyle event. At the 2024 Olympic Games, Schwarz will be competing in his strengths, contesting the men’s 800m and 1500m freestyle events in Paris.

Oliver Klemet (Germany)

For the 2024 Olympic Games, Klemet has qualified to compete in the men’s 10 km open-water event.
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Quinn Rooney

Another German athlete to watch out for is Oliver Klemet. The open-water swimmer earned a bronze medal in the men’s 10km event at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Previously, Klemet was part of the German mixed 4x1500m team that secured a gold medal at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Italy. He also won an individual bronze in the men’s 10 km category at the same tournament.

At the World Aquatics Championships 2024 in Doha, Klemet’s team narrowly missed the bronze medal by 4.8 seconds in the mixed 4x1500m event. For the 2024 Olympic Games, Klemet has qualified to compete in the men’s 10 km open-water event, following his success at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.

Additionally, the 22-year-old will make his Olympic debut in the men’s 400m and 800m freestyle events in Paris.

All you need to know about Paris 2024