Brazil, Lithuania Disqualified In Men’s Medley Relay; Canada Moves Into Final

2020 TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

Both the Brazilian and Lithuanian men’s 400 medley relay teams were disqualified for early exchanges during Friday’s preliminary session in Tokyo, ultimately costing Brazil a spot in the final.

During Heat 2, France, Brazil and Lithuania all had extremely close takeoffs from their breaststroke swimmers, with the live results listing their reaction times “TBD,” indicating they would be reviewed upon the event’s conclusion.

Brazil’s Felipe Lima and Lithuania’s Andrius Sidlauskas both registered -0.08 reaction times, exceeding the -0.03 limit, to get both of their squads disqualified. French breaststroker Antoine Viquerat‘s RT was -0.01, keeping France’s result official.

The Brazilians had initially finished in a time of 3:32.29, which would tie them with the United States for seventh overall in the prelims and book them a ticket into the final. However, with the disqualification, Canada gets bumped up into eighth after finishing in 3:32.37.

The French team finished 10th overall in a time of 3:33.41.

The Canadians also pushed their relay exchanges, though within the legal limits, with butterflier Joshua Liendo (0.03) and freestyler Yuri Kisil (0.08) registering two of the three-fastest reaction times among the eight finalists.

Italian breaststroker Nicolo Martinenghi also had a 0.03 RT, splitting a sizzling 57.94 as Italy emerged as the surprise #1 qualifier in 3:30.02.

The fourth swimmer with a negative reaction time in the event was also a breaststroker, Belarus’ Ilya Shymanovich, who was -0.01 en route to a 58.20 split. The Belarusians placed 12th in a time of 3:34.82.

MEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – PRELIMS RESULTS

Top 8 Qualifiers:

  1. Italy – 3:30.02
  2. Great Britain – 3:31.47
  3. Russian Olympic Committee – 3:31.66
  4. China – 3:31.72
  5. Japan – 3:32.02
  6. Australia – 3:32.08
  7. USA – 3:32.29
  8. Canada – 3:32.37

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CesarCiel
2 years ago

If this week is any indicationn, coaching staff will screw this up again like they did with the mixed relay and let Andrews swim the final….. stop the BS….. put them in the beat position to compete…. Andrews is a phenomenal swimmer, but his performances went downhill from day 1…. It is ok. It happens….. let Fink go in his place.

Tomek
2 years ago

I hope US will use Fink in the finals, he looked the best among American breaststrokers. I hope Andrew will prove me wrong if selected.

jvog88
2 years ago

Has anyone ever heard of or witnessed a relay swim-off? That was a sort of close possibility here, and would have been nuts at this level!

Togger
2 years ago

Strange decision not to give Fink a go and see what he could do.

I’ll be honest as a Brit I’ll be please to see MA in the line up, I think he’ll be desperate to try and prove something so go out hard that first 50, but based on times so far that just means he’ll be ragged that second 50 as Peaty comes at him.

Boobstroke
Reply to  Togger
2 years ago

“Peaty coming at Andrew from behind” is a phrase I like the sound of no matter the context

Texas Tap Water
2 years ago

Canada must have practiced relays
exchanges million times.

Their m4x100 free exchanges was also fantastic.

Bill G
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
2 years ago

W 4×100 medley exchanges for Mac Neil and Sanchez were tight too. Canada looking to build the men’s program through relays, it seems. Getting into finals is huge for them.

Sapnu puas
2 years ago

That was squeaky bum time for the Americans

jim
2 years ago

Wow! I know the USA would still have made it with none of the DQ’s, but boy was that playing with fire! It’s not like there was much you could do….Armstrong was ALWAYS going to lead off the back in the prelim, Andrew (Wilson) was always going to swim prelims (although with Andrew (Michael) seemingly fading in his events, I’m not so sure he will be much faster than Wilson. Shields did a decent job, and this is no offense to shields who might have swum his last race for team USA, but 51.3 nowadays is very pedestrian (simply meaning, far more countries have butterfliers who do that in this olympics than what there used to be), and Pieroni fading… Read more »

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  jim
2 years ago

That’s a massive amounts of assumptions

ooo
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
2 years ago

This is why we have this forum

Coach Chackett
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
2 years ago

by definition yes

USAlosing4MR
Reply to  jim
2 years ago

If you think Michael Andrew is going to go 58.5 and Adam Peady is only going to go 57.0. You aren’t watching the same meet I am. Michael Andrew best time is from prelim at 58.62 in his first swim! He has gotten worst as the meet gone along in every event he has competed in! I find it comical that you think Peady is only to go 57.0 when he improved his time from semi finals to finals. At best MA is 58.7 and I put Peady at 56.5. Also, I trust Duncan Scott and his confidence right now over Zach Apple. Zach Apple has gotten slower as the meet gone on as well. I am sorry 47.50 won’t… Read more »

Togger
Reply to  USAlosing4MR
2 years ago

Username checks out.

Mark
Reply to  Togger
2 years ago

😂

Mark
Reply to  Mark
2 years ago

But he is right though – Go Team GB!

jvog88
Reply to  jim
2 years ago

In retrospect, would have used Fink here, and Becker over Peironi after his monster split in the 4X100 relay earlier. But hey, they got a lane.

Feeling very nervous about using MA and Apple in the final, but I suppose that’s what it will be. Rooting for the US, but have to think GB is the favorite at this point.

MichaelTran
2 years ago

WR for Brits in the final
Scott & Peaty are monsters

Gen D
Reply to  MichaelTran
2 years ago

James has also been throwing down legit relay splits

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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