SwimSwam Pulse: McIntosh More Likely Than McKeown To Win Three Golds, Readers Say

SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.

One of our most recent polls asked SwimSwam readers which woman had the best chance at winning three golds individually at the Olympics:

Question: Which of these swimmers has the best chance at three individual golds in Paris?

RESULTS

• Summer McIntosh – 56.0%
• Kaylee McKeown – 20.2%
• Katie Ledecky – 9.0%
• Regan Smith – 6.8%
• Ariarne Titmus – 6.3%
• Gretchen Walsh – 1.8

With the final of the women’s 200 IM on the horizon, it’s a good time to revisit this poll that asked which female swimmer has the best chance at three individual gold medals in Paris.

The only two options who have still have a chance at accomplishing the feat are Summer McIntosh and Kaylee McKeown, so it’s no surprise to see them atop the poll as the only two swimmers with more than 10% of votes.

McIntosh and McKeown will go head-to-head tomorrow in the 200 IM, where gold is very much up for grabs with those two, along with American Kate Douglass, having claimed individual gold so far in Paris.

However, in the semis, it was the other titan in the event, Alex Walsh, who led the way and looked sensational in advancing first into the final by a wide margin in 2:07.45.

McIntosh and McKeown both had hard roads to get to this point, with McIntosh claiming the 200 fly and 400 IM titles (and silver in the 400 free), while McKeown completed the backstroke double by winning the 200 on Friday.

Based on how the top four women looked through the first two rounds of the 200 IM, McKeown has been the only one who looks maybe a little ‘off’ in the event, relatively speaking, but after what she’s done in the backstroke finals, we can’t count her out.

McIntosh set a new personal best (and the #2 swim ever) in the 200 fly, Douglass broke her American Record en route to gold in the 200 breast, and Walsh looked the best of anyone in what is her only event of the Games in the 200 IM semis.

OTHER RECENT POLLS

Question: What has been the most memorable Olympic swimming competition since 2000?

Beijing 2008 ran away with this poll, as expected, with 68.9% of votes after Michael Phelps‘ legendary performance, along with several other world records going down.

The runner-up was Rio 2016 (12.4%), followed by London 2012 (6.7%), which both featured Phelps and included the dominance (Rio) and rise (London) of Katie Ledecky.

Question: Who will win more swimming gold medals at the Olympics?

The United States received 60.9% of votes compared to 39.1% for Australia.

After seven nights of racing in Paris, Australia has won seven gold medals (13 total), while the Americans only have four (21 total).

Question: Will any world records go down in Paris?

Fielded after the first few days of racing when times appeared to be slow due to the pool depth, the poll was nearly even—50.6% said no world records would fall, while 49.4% said one would.

China’s Pan Zhanle proved the optimistic ones right when he bulldozed the men’s 100 free world record by four-tenths in 46.40.

Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: What has been the biggest storyline of the Paris Games?

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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE

The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.