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Team USA relay teams expand medal standings

VaselineJuly 28, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Team USA relay teams expand medal standings

NANTERRE, France — With two medals in the two fastest relays, Team USA closed out the first day of competition at the Paris Olympic Games on Saturday with a pair of thrilling performances in the women’s and men’s 4×100-meter freestyle.

Both relay teams were a mix of 21-year-old debuting Olympians and a few decorated 27-year-olds, perhaps symbolizing the future of American sprinters while also showing that the veterans still have what it takes.

Three-time Olympian Simone Manuel, 27, reminded the world she is one of the best in the final few meters when she beat China’s Wu Qingfeng by .10 seconds on the final leg to secure a silver medal for the Americans at the Paris La Défense Arena. It is Manuel’s sixth Olympic medal.

Australia won gold, setting an Olympic record with a time of 3:28.92. Team USA finished in a time of 3:30.20, while China won bronze with a time of 3:30.30.

The American team of Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske and Manuel also set a new American record. According to Manuel, this was a goal that had been set during training camp earlier this summer and even during the Tokyo Olympics.

“These three women have prepared me well,” Manuel said, adding that she didn’t know how close it was to China. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in the anchor position, so I was definitely a little more nervous about that race than I would have liked. But hopefully I can build on that.”

Midway through the thrilling relay, it was questionable whether Team USA would make it to the podium. Leadoff swimmers Douglass, 22, and Walsh, 21, showed respectable splits, but both hit the wall in fourth place. Huske, 21, swam the fastest leg for the team with a 52.06 split to move into second place, and then it was Manuel’s turn to reel it in.

And she did, literally. In the 50 meters, she had the Americans in third place, and although Wu had a .30 second faster split, Manuel hit the wall first in a stunning finish.

Then it was the men’s turn for the last final of the evening, although their victory was hardly in doubt.

Three-time Olympian Caeleb Dressel, 27, won his eighth Olympic gold medal when he led the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay, which the Americans dominated nearly the entire way, finishing with a time of 3:09.28. Despite predictions to the contrary, the team finished 1.04 seconds slower than the world record — the oldest long-course swimming world record, set by Michael Phelps and Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“Relays are honestly a little more special,” Dressel said. “So it was great to do it with these guys. It takes me back to my first gold (at the 2016 Rio Games). It really doesn’t get old.”

Jack Alexy opened with a split of 47.67 to take second over the wall behind Chinese 100-meter freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle. But Chris Guiliano’s second leg put the Americans in first place, Hunter Armstrong’s blistering 46.75 gave Team USA a big lead, and Dressel just had to hang on.

“I definitely didn’t expect it,” Armstrong, 23, said of his split afterward. “I’m going to give my whole body and soul for these guys, and I knew I had to give Caeleb everything I had. And so I’m glad I was able to do my job.”

The quartet was 1.07 seconds faster than silver medallist Australia, while Italy won bronze.

21-year-old Alexy and 21-year-old Guiliano won their first Olympic medals, while two-time Olympian Armstrong won his second gold medal.

For both Manuel and Dressel, their medals are a sign of successful comeback attempts, as they both took a break from the sport after the Tokyo Games.

“It just feels good to be back here, honestly,” Manuel said. “I didn’t know if I would ever perform at this level again. And just to have this full-circle moment of being back in this relay from 2021 to now, but in a happier, healthier place, I think it’s really special.”

Huske and Douglass both won their second Olympic medals in their second Olympic Games, while Walsh won her first in her Olympic debut.

Walsh, who also swam the 100-meter butterfly preliminary round and broke the Olympic record in the semifinals Saturday, said having her first race under her belt helped her “get over the nerves in the pool.”

“I was able to use my speed tonight, hit the wall and put in a really good time,” she said.

“It prepared me really well for the relay and for tomorrow night.”

VaselineJuly 28, 2024

0 3 minutes read

Vaseline

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