2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
- Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
- La Défense Arena — Paris, France
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- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
- Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
Anastasiia Kirpichnikova became the fourth-fastest woman ever in the 1500 freestyle on Wednesday, blasting a personal-best 15:40.35 secure an Olympic silver medal behind Katie Ledecky (15:30.02) in Paris.
Top 5 Women’s 1500 Freestylers
- Katie Ledecky (USA) – 15:20.48, 2018
- Lotte Friis (DEN) – 15:38.88, 2013
- Lauren Boyle (NZL) – 15:40.14, 2015
- Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (FRA) – 15:40.35, 2024
- Simona Quadarella (ITA) – 15:40.89, 2019
Kirpichnikova has been representing France since gaining citizenship last April. The 24-year-old previously swam for Russia at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she placed 8th in the 800 free (8:26.30), 7th in the 1500 free (16:00.38), and 15th in the 10km open water.
This time around, Kirpichnikova demolished her own French record from last summer (15:48.53, which placed her 4th) by more than eight seconds en route to the runner-up finish. She also became the first French woman ever to medal in the women’s 1500 free (which only just debuted at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021), and the first French woman to medal in any Olympic event since 2012.
Kirpichnikova didn’t make the same mistake of going too hard in prelims on Tuesday morning, when she qualified qualified 3rd in 15:52.46. She still had enough gas in the tank to go out fast — her 8:19.63 split at the 800-meter mark was almost seven seconds faster than her Tokyo Olympic performance in the event — and hold on despite a rally from 3rd-place finisher Isabel Gose (15:41.16).
Kirpichnikova has been training in France since 2019 under coach Philippe Lucas, who has worked with Olympic medalists such as Sharon von Rouwendaal, Marc-Antoine Olivier, and Laure Manaudou. Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine rendered her unable to compete internationally for over a year before she officially switched sporting nationalities last year. Kirpichnikova still owns the Russian record in the 1500 free at 15:50.22 from the Tokyo Olympic heats.
WOMEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FINAL
- World Record: 15:20.48 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2018)
- World Junior Record: 15:28.36 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2014)
Olympic Record: 15:35.35 – Katie Ledecky, USA (2021)- 2021 Winning Time: 15:37.34
- 2021 Time to Win Bronze: 15:42.91
- Katie Ledecky (United States) – 15:30.02 (Olympic Record)
- Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (France) – 15:40.35
- Isabel Gose (Germany) – 15:41.16
- Simona Quadarella (Italy) – 15:44.05
- Li Bingjie (China) – 16:01.03
- Moesha Johnson (Australia) – 16:02.70
- Beatriz Dizotti (Brazil) – 16:02.86
- Leonie Martens (Germany) – 16:12.57