The Australia-US rivalry has only intensified since the Dolphins’ golden campaign in Fukuoka in 2023, where they topped their American rivals on the medal tally. The 2024 event featured weakened teams as swimmers were preparing for the Olympics. “American athletes remaining in Phuket are reportedly being told to order off the menu, not to eat from the buffet, and to avoid vegetables” read the report. Cryptic social media posts and comments have followed. Regan Smith, Kaylee McKeown’s main rival in the backstroke events, shared an Instagram post about the championships with a fingers-crossed emoji and the song Long Way 2 Go by Cassie. World record holders Katie Ledecky, Gretchen Walsh and Lilly King were all part of the Thailand camp, but whether they’ve been impacted remains unknown.