Swimming

The International Olympic Committee plans to replace the 10 medals swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost when his home was destroyed in the California wildfires last week.

IOC president Thomas Bach issued a statement regarding the matter on Sunday per USA Today's Tom Schad.

"We are in full solidarity with the citizens of Los Angeles and full of admiration for the tireless work of the firefighters and the security forces," Bach said. "Currently the full focus must be on the fight against the fires and the protection of the people and property."

Hall, 50, competed for America from 1996 to 2004, winning five gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes between the Atlanta Games, Sydney Games and Athens Games.

According to The Los Angeles Times' Chuck Schilken, Hall fled his house in Pacific Palisades, California, last week, taking with him only his Type 1 diabetes, a painting of his grandfather and a religious artifact. He said he planned to retrieve his medals but didn't have time.

"I was getting pelted by embers on that first run," Hall said. "So I grabbed my dog and some dog food, and that was it."

While Hall won't have the exact medals he lost in the tragic fires, he'll at least get to have a keepsake to remember his accomplishments from the Olympics thanks to the IOC.

Notre Dame has suspended its men's swimming program for at least one year after internal and external probes revealed a gambling issue that violated NCAA rules, per Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde.

In a statement, athletics director Pete Bevacqua called the situation "a deeply embedded team culture dismissive of Notre Dame's standards for student-athletes."

According to Forde, the team learned of the suspension Thursday, giving athletes time to transfer before the start of the academic year on Aug. 27. The women's swim and both dive teams are not impacted by the suspension.

Following the end of the 2023-24 season, concerns about the issue arose, leading to an internal investigation from the university. Notre Dame then contracted Ropes & Gray law firm for an external investigation, and the findings of that review were given to the university this week.

While members of Notre Dame's men's swimming team are eligible to transfer, any sanctions given by the NCAA would follow them to their new schools. Members of the incoming freshman class are also eligible to transfer before the start of the school year.

According to Forde, the team "effectively created its own sports book" to make wagers on its performances, and most of the returning team is believed to have placed bets. The team created "over/under" lines for swimmer's times in races, and members made wagers on those outcomes. Forde noted that no known gambling companies accept bets or produce betting lines for collegiate swimming.

The NCAA approved new guidelines for sports wagering violations last June. The new rules state that "student-athletes who engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or knowingly provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports. This would also apply to student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools."

While it is not yet clear how many members of Notre Dame's team wagered, different amounts have coinciding penalties, as Forde relayed:

• $200 or less: sports wagering rules and prevention education.
• $201-$500: loss of 10 percent of a season of eligibility, plus rules and prevention education.
• $501-$800: loss of 20 percent of a season of eligibility, plus rules and prevention education.
• Greater than $800: loss of 30 percent of a season of eligibility, plus rules and prevention education.

Forde noted that along with the suspension of the swimming program, individual athletes could receive punishments from Notre Dame's office of student affairs.

Notre Dame's men's swimming team finished the 2023-24 season by placing 10th in the NCAA Men's Championships in March. Fighting Irish freestyler Chris Guiliano recently represented the United States in the Paris Olympics, winning gold with the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team. According to Forde, Guiliano is not believed to have participated in making wagers.

Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands won gold in the women's 10km marathon swimming event during the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday.

She secured her second Olympic gold medal after previously winning the event in 2016 and earning silver at the Tokyo Games. Van Rouwendaal moved into first place with around 6km left in the race before eventually pulling away to secure the victory.

Australia's Moesha Johnson earned silver and Ginevra Taddeucci of Italy earned bronze.

---

Results

1. Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands) - 2:03:34.2
2. Moesha Johnson (Australia) - 2:03:39.7
   
3. Ginevra Taddeucci (Italy) - 2:03:42.8
   
4. Ana Marcela Cunha (Brazil) - 2:04:15.7
5. Bettina Fabian (Hungary) - 2:04:16.9
6. Giulia Gabbrielleschi (Italy) - 2:04:17.9
7. Oceane Cassignol (France) - 2:06:06.9
8. Caroline Jouisse (France) - 2:06:11.0
9. Leonie Beck (Germany) - 2:06:13.4
10. Angela Martinez Guillen (Spain) - 2:06:15.3
11. Viviane Jungblut (Brazil) - 2:06:15.8
12. Angelica Andre (Portugal) - 2:06:17.0
13. Airi Ebina (Japan) - 2:06:17.7
14. Chelsea Gubecka (Australia) - 2:06:17.8
15. Katie Grimes (United States) - 2:06:29.6
16. Mariah Denigan (United States) - 2:06:42.9
17. Maria de Valdes Alvarez (Spain) - 2:07:02.4
18. Lisa Pou (Monaco) - 2:07:05.4
19. Martha Sandoval Ayala (Mexico) - 2:07:24.9
20. Leah Phoebe Crisp (Great Britain) - 2:07:46.7
21. Maria Alejandra Bramont-Arias (Peru) - 2:12:44.7
22. Leonie Maertens (Germany) - 2:15:57.3
23. Emma Finlin (Canada) - 2:22:06.5
24. Xin Xin (China) - 2:27:02.9

---

Johnson led for most of the race, although she was ultimately passed by van Rouwendaal after the Dutch swimmer cut towards the middle of the Seine River while the Australian remained closer to the shore.

"There were two options, and I knew whatever option I took Sharon behind me would have taken the other one," Johnson said afterwards, per Paul Newberry of the Associated Press. "We just had to fight it out and see which route was quicker or who was stronger."

Katie Grimes of the United States was one of two Americans competing in the event on Thursday after she previously won a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley. The 18-year-old wasn't as successful in the marathon event, as she finished in the No. 15 spot among the 24 swimmers.

18-year-old #ParisOlympics silver medalist Katie Grimes swims 10 km in the River Seine. 🏊‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/dnROLdXFch

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024

There were some initial concerns regarding the the water quality in the Seine River, which caused the men's triathlon to be postponed. However, Thursday's event went off without a hitch.

In fact, van Rouwendaal joked about drinking the water during the race.

"I was thirsty," she said, via Newberry. "It was cold. It was nice."

After the 30-year-old failed to win gold in Tokyo by a mere 0.9 seconds, she was able to return to the top of the podium and become the only athlete to win three consecutive Olympic medals in the event.

Amid a Chinese doping scandal, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps voiced his support for harsher penalties for those who test positive for banned substances.

"If everybody is not going through that same testing, I have a serious problem because it means the level of sport is not fair and it's not even," Phelps said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "If you're taking that risk, then you don't belong in here."

Phelps also emphasized the importance of winning without using banned substances, noting all the accomplishments he achieved without cheating and the lengths he went to to ensure there was no speculation.

"People called me a cheater throughout my career," Phelps said. "I subjected myself to do more testing -- blood and urine -- weekly. Why? For the reason that I could say I'm not cheating, and I am clean and here are the results.

"I did it the clean way," he added. "I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done."

Phelps, a 23-time Olympic gold medalist, went as far as to say his competition throughout his career used banned substances.

"I don't think I ever competed in an even playing field or a clean field," Phelps said. "I have some speculations of some athletes that I competed against that I thought they were [doping]. But that's out of my control."

Phelps' comments come after the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics acknowledged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Of the 23 athletes, nine earned medals at this year's games in Paris.

Whether the World Anti-Doping Agency will take Phelps' suggestions is to be determined, but having one of the greatest swimmers of all time voicing his opinions on such matters should hold plenty of weight.

Katie Ledecky won her fourth gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle exactly 12 years after she won her first gold in the event in 2012.

Ledecky joined Michael Phelps as the only swimmers in Summer Olympics history to win four gold medals in a single event.

Ledecky won her ninth career gold medal on Saturday, which is the most by any female American Olympian.

The Olympic legend beat Australia's Ariarne Titmus by a full second, while American Paige Madden picked up third place to add to the United States' medal haul inside the pool at Paris La Defense Arena.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: KATIE LEDECKY. 💪

HER FOURTH 800M FREE GOLD MEDAL IN A ROW. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/gWQ91NJ1vQ

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024

Results

1. Katie Ledecky (United States) - 8:11.04

2. Ariarne Titmus (Australia) - 8:12.29

3. Paige Madden (United States) - 8:13.00

4. Simona Quadarella (Italy) - 8:14.55

5. Isabel Gose (Germany) - 8:17.82

6. Lani Pallister (Australia) - 8:21.09

7. Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (France) - 8:22.80

8. Erika Fairweather (New Zealand) - 8:23.27

---

Ledecky used the final 200 meters to pull away from her closest rival in the 800-meter freestyle.

Titmus was close to Ledecky for a majority of the early laps, but Ledecky kicked around the 600-meter mark to gain separation from the Paris gold medalist in the 400-meter freestyle.

Ledecky's win gave her back-to-back gold-medal doubles in the two longest events in the pool: the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyles.

The 800-meter freestyle has been Ledecky's best event across four Olympics. She won four of her nine golds in the event.

Titmus put in a very respectable swim behind Ledecky to gain another medal for Australia in the pool.

Madden delivered a terrific swim of her own to land the bronze medal to add to the United States' medal haul.

After the 800-meter freestyle, the United States owns a 24-15 advantage in swimming medals over Australia, but the Aussies lead 7-5 in golds.

Katie Ledecky isn't ready to stop chasing gold.

Ledecky said her stance has not changed and she plans on competing in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

"I've been consistent over these last few months and last few years in saying that I would love to compete in L.A. and that hasn't changed," Ledecky told reporters after winning the 1,500-meter freestyle Wednesday. "That could change. I mean, you never know. So, I really just take it year by year at this point and I really haven't thought much beyond this week in terms of what my fall is going to look like, what my next year is going to look like. But yeah, I don't feel like I'm close to being finished in the sport yet."

---

This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.

For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app, homepage and social feeds—including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Katie Ledecky added to her Summer Olympics legacy with her second gold medal in the women's 1,500-meter freestyle on Wednesday.

The victory came in typically dominant fashion as she set an Olympic record (15:30.02). France's Anastasiia Kirpichnikova was more than 10 seconds behind in second place.

NBC has moved to the All-22 cam so Katie Ledecky's competition can stay in the frame. pic.twitter.com/W79iuNkZfc

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) July 31, 2024

This is the fourth straight Summer Games in which Ledecky earned a first-place finish. She previously won one gold in London, four golds in Rio de Janeiro and two in Tokyo.

Her win on Wednesday gave her back-to-back gold medals in a single event. She won three straight golds in the 800 meters and has an opportunity to add to that haul later in the Olympics.

Wednesday's gold also tied Ledecky with American greats Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres for the most medals won by a female swimmer in Olympic history.

KATIE LEDECKY WINS THE 1500M FREESTYLE 🥇

She ties the 2nd-most medals earned by any swimmer in Olympic history (12), only Michael Phelps has more (23). pic.twitter.com/bF3dh7f1JI

— ESPN (@espn) July 31, 2024

Ledecky needs one more medal in Paris to become the all-time individual women's leader in swimming medals.

Ledecky already won bronze in the 400-meter freestyle. If she medals in the 800 meters, it will be the second time in her Olympic career in which she won three medals at a single Games.

Monday was a special day for American swimmer Ryan Murphy.

He won the bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke final at the Olympics in Paris, giving him the seventh medal of his career.

But the best part of his day came after he got out of the pool.

While talking a victory lap around the pool, his wife Bridget Konttinen greeted him with a sign that read "Ryan, it's a girl!"

This is so much bigger than ANY medal. Congrats Murph!!@ryan_f_murphy pic.twitter.com/uLo5YuN7Ge

— Rowdy Gaines (@RowdyGaines) July 29, 2024

The gender reveal was a complete surprise to Murphy, per The Athletic's Lauren Merola.

"So I'm having a baby girl in January, that was her gender reveal to me," Murphy said. "That was the first time I heard (the gender). Obviously, I knew she was pregnant.

"We both thought it was going to be a boy. Everything is going to be dedicated to that little girl."

Murphy, 29, finished Monday's race in 52.39 seconds, coming just shy of gold medal winner Thomas Ceccon of Italy, who finished in 52.00 seconds, and China's Jiayu Xu, who finished in 52.32 seconds.

Murphy still holds the Olympic record in the 100m backstroke with a time of 51.85 seconds, which he achieved in 2016. Ceccon holds the world record of 51.60 seconds.

"Murph is back on a podium at the Olympics!"

Ryan Murphy secures a bronze medal in the 100m backstroke with Italy's Thomas Ceccon claiming gold! 👏#ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/dQMO86dR0z

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 29, 2024

With his performance on Monday, Murphy became the first man to medal in the 100-meter backstroke in three-straight Olympics since 1972, continuing his storied swimming career, but that feat likely won't compare to the news he received after the competition.

For the second consecutive Olympics, American Katie Ledecky failed to win gold in the women's 400-meter freestyle swimming event, instead settling for a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris on Saturday.

Australia's Ariarne Titmus won the gold medal in the 400 for the second consecutive Olympics with a time of 3:57.49, ahead of Canada's Summer McIntosh in second and Ledecky in third.

Here is a complete look at the results of how all eight swimmers fared in Saturday's race:

1. Ariarne Titmus (Australia): 3:57.49
2. Summer McIntosh (Canada): 3:58.37
3. Katie Ledecky (USA): 4:00.86
4. Erika Fairweather (Australia): 4:01.12
5. Isabel Gose (Germany): 4:02.14
6. Paige Madden (USA): 4:02.26
7. Maria Fernanda Costa (Brazil): 4:03.53
8. Jamie Perkins (Australia): 4:04.96

In the heats held earlier in the day, Ledecky qualified first with a time of 4:02.19, which was nearly three-tenths of a second better than Titmus, making the American the favorite in the final.

Despite falling short of the win, the 27-year-old Ledecky is now a three-time Olympic medalist in the 400 free, as she took gold in 2016 and silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ledecky finished second behind Titmus at the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Saturday marked the first time she had ever won an Olympic bronze medal.

Overall, Ledecky still has seven Olympic gold medals in her career and now has 11 Olympic medals in total.

Ledecky remains one gold medal shy of retired American swimmer Jenny Thompson's all-time Olympic record among women's swimmers with eight gold medals. She is also now just one medal of any color shy of tying Thompson, Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres and Emma McKeon for the most total Olympic medals by a women's swimmer with 12.

Ledecky will have a chance to break both records in Paris, as she has qualified to compete in the 800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

She is already a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the 800, a one-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500, and a one-time gold medalist and one-time silver medalist in the 4x200m relay.

Ledecky will be back in the pool Tuesday for the 1,500-meter heats, followed by the 1,500-meter final on Wednesday.