Three Kings

From New York Times bestselling author Todd Balf comes Three Kings, the incredible true story behind one of the greatest Olympic rivalries of all time.

Three Kings is the untold story of one of the most dramatic and revealing events in Olympic history, one that pitted three massively popular champions—Duke Kahaanamoku, the legendary Hawaiian champion, Johnny Weismuller, an American icon (who wasn’t, it would turn out, American) and Katsuo Takaishi, a rising star from Japan—in a race that took place before the eyes of the world and against a backdrop of racism, celebrity, nationalism, and rivalry.

The setting is the 1924 Paris Olympics, and Three Kings will be released 100 years later, in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Like Seabiscuit, The Boys in the Boat, and Major, Three Kings takes a supremely detailed, thoughtful look at sports and the athletes that defined an era. It is a page-turning, deeply human narrative that tells a timeless story about competition, success, and national identity. And much like Bonnie Tsuiʼs bestselling Why We Swim, it celebrates the mythology and enduring popularity of an ancient sport.