[Source: 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.

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”.

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

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.