Paris 2024: Team GB swimmer disqualified from Olympics despite winning race

Luke Greenbank, 26, has seen his Paris 2024 Olympics dreams shattered after being disqualified for violating a little-known rule, despite swimming the fastest in the heats.

Greenbank was initially convinced he had secured a place in the semi-finals. However, his elation turned to devastation when the results were revealed. As he looked up at the screen expecting good news, he soon had his head in his hands, and ultimately collapsed to his knees, realizing his gold medal hopes were over.

“I don’t know what to say, absolutely gutted,” Greenbank said after the heartbreaking moment. “It’s really annoying, I feel like I’m on good form.”

The  commentator shared in the disappointment, saying, “I’m so devastated for him.”

The rule that led to Greenbank’s disqualification involved having his head underwater beyond the 15-meter mark at the start. Greenbank, who won bronze in the 200m backstroke at the Tokyo Games three years ago and was part of the GB team that claimed silver in the 4x100m medley, was aware of the rule. The commentator noted, “That hand as it comes up is so far beyond the 15-meter mark. He knew because they know how many kicks they do underwater to get to the 15-meter mark. Wow, drama in Paris.”

In another incident, Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira was expelled from the Olympic Village and the games after attempting to leave the complex with her boyfriend, teammate Gabriel Santos, without permission. Despite receiving a warning about their behavior, Vieira allegedly reacted disrespectfully and aggressively, leading to her being sent back to Brazil while Santos was allowed to continue competing.

Vieira expressed her frustration on Instagram, stating, “I left there and left my materials, I didn’t know what to do. My things are there [in the Olympic Village], I went to the airport in shorts. I had to open my suitcase at the airport. I am helpless, I have had no access to anything, I have not been able to speak to anyone.