Swimming-'Smash them on the blocks': US-Australia rivalry to light up Paris pool

By Ian Ransom

PARIS (Reuters) - American swimming, be warned: Australia are coming for the crown at the Paris Olympics.

A rivalry that has burned for decades may be set to explode at La Defense Arena from Saturday as the two swimming superpowers duel for supremacy in the pool.

Usually distant runners-up to the mighty United States on the swimming medal table, Australia were only two titles short of them at Tokyo three years ago when they grabbed a national record nine gold medals.

The Australians have landed in France with great expectations after winning 13 titles at the World Championships in Fukuoka last year, six more than the U.S. team.

"They've earned the expectations, I believe," said Australia's head swim coach Rohan Taylor.

"They thrive on that."

Australia has topped the swimming medal table only once in Olympic history, in their home pool at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

The last time the U.S. finished off the top was at the 1988 Seoul Games where they finished second behind an East German team whose swimmers were later implicated in doping.

In public, swimmers from both the Australian and U.S. camps have made cordial comments, speaking of mutual respect and healthy competition.

For U.S. swimmer Kate Douglass, racing Australia at Fukuoka was "super fun".

"The way they were able to get out on top in most of the relays has really helped boost our motivation going into the Games," said the 200 metres medley world champion.

In private, the competitive spirit may have a sharper edge.

"We always want to smash them when we get up on the blocks," Australia's distance swimming great Grant Hackett said of racing the U.S.

A powerful women's contingent offers Australia hope of doing just that, three years after Ariarne Titmus toppled the great Katie Ledecky from her 400 metres freestyle throne.

Titmus is favourite for their 400m re-match in Paris, while Australia's backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown will fight to keep her titles from American challenger Regan Smith.

Australia has scooped more than 40% of its total Olympic medals from the pool.

But beating a top U.S. swimmer to get one often has extra relish, as five-times Olympic gold medallist Gary Hall Jnr found at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Hall's declaration that the unbeaten U.S. 4 x 100 metres relay team would "smash (Australia) like guitars" set up a grudge match with the hosts' swimmers anchored by Ian Thorpe.

The Australians duly upset them and celebrated by strumming air guitars by the pool.

Australia's sweetest wins have often been the most unlikely ones, when outsiders have humbled superstars.

Fans of a certain vintage have fond memories of Queenslander Duncan Armstrong taking down American Matt Biondi, then the world's most dominant swimmer, in the 200 metres freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Games.

Swimming as close to Biondi’s lane as the rope would allow, Armstrong "surfed" the American’s wake then overtook him for a famous gold. Biondi ultimately faded to third.

It was Australia's only gold from the Seoul pool, compared with the U.S. team's eight, but the David-versus-Goliath triumph inspired generations of Australian swimmers.

Thirty-six years on, the narrative has shifted. Australia are no longer the plucky underdogs.

The U.S. are no longer quite so dominant -- and it does not sit well with some on the team.

"I feel like there's been a rising narrative in the past few years about USA swimming being challenged," said Drew Kibler, a 200 metres freestyle specialist.

"There's a lot of energy coming from the coaches and from the leaders of the team to respond to the doubts.

"We're ready to go in and show what we can do."

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Hugh Lawson)