2024 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 10-15, 2024
- Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
- SCM (25m)
- Meet Central
- Roster Index
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Pick’em
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Prelims Live Recap: Day 1
- Finals Live Recap: Day 1
The U.S. men wrapped up a blistering opening day of racing at the 2024 Short Course World Championships with a bang on Tuesday, obliterating the world record in the 4×100 freestyle relay.
Jack Alexy was electric on the lead-off leg, clocking 45.05 to break the American and World Championship Record in the 100 free, and he was followed by Luke Hobson (45.18), Kieran Smith (46.01) and Chris Guiliano (45.42) as they ran away with the world title by two seconds.
The U.S. team clocked in at 3:01.66, knocking more than a second off the previous world record of 3:02.75 set by the Italians at the 2022 SC World Championships.
World Record Split Comparison
| Italy, 2022 | USA, 2024 |
| Alessandro Miressi – 46.15 | Jack Alexy – 45.05 |
| Paolo Conte Bonin – 45.93 | Luke Hobson – 45.18 |
| Leonardo Deplano – 45.54 | Kieran Smith – 46.01 |
| Thomas Ceccon – 45.13 | Chris Guiliano – 45.42 |
| 3:02.75 | 3:01.66 |
The Americans and Italians had almost identical times across their final three splits—Paolo Conte Bonin, Leonardo Deplano and Thomas Ceccon combined to split 2:16.60 coming down the last 300 for Italy, while Hobson, Smith and Guiliano were 2:16.61.
The difference-maker was Alexy, whose 45.05 lead-off broke the American Record of 45.08 in the 100 free, which was held jointly by Nathan Adrian and Caeleb Dressel, and took down Kyle Chalmers‘ World Championship Record of 45.16 set in 2022.
Alexy’s swim took 1.09 seconds out of Alessandro Miressi, who led off in 46.15 for the Italians two years ago.
Alexy now ranks fifth all-time in the 100 free with the individual event still to come.
All-Time Rankings, Men’s 100 Freestyle (SCM)
- Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 44.84 – 2021
- Amaury Leveaux (FRA), 44.94 – 2008
- Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 44.95 – 2018
- Florent Manaudou (FRA), 45.04 – 2013
- Jack Alexy (USA), 45.05 – 2024
- Nathan Adrian (USA) / Caeleb Dressel (USA), 45.08 – 2009 / 2020
- –
- Evgeny Lagunov (RUS), 45.36 – 2009
- Maxime Grousset (FRA), 45.41 – 2022
- Matthew Abood (AUS), 45.46 – 2009
Prior to tonight’s relay swim, the American Record in the men’s 4×100 free relay stood at 3:03.03, set by the quartet of Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Michael Chadwick and Ryan Held in 2018.
American Record Split Comparison
| USA, 2018 | USA, 2024 |
| Caeleb Dressel – 45.66 | Jack Alexy – 45.05 |
| Blake Pieroni – 45.75 | Luke Hobson – 45.18 |
| Michael Chadwick – 45.86 | Kieran Smith – 46.01 |
| Ryan Held – 45.76 | Chris Guiliano – 45.42 |
| 3:03.03 | 3:01.66 |
In Tuesday’s race, the Italians were the runner-ups in a t time of 3:03.65, while Poland rounded out the podium in 3:04.46, edging out the Neutral Athletes ‘B’ (Russia) and Brazil.
RACE VIDEO
🇭🇺World Championships (25m) #AQUABudapest2024
男子4x100FR
USA🇺🇸 3:01.66 =WR
ジャック・アレクシー 45.05 =CR
ルーク・ホブソン 45.18
キーラン・スミス 46.01
クリス・ジュリアーノ 45.42pic.twitter.com/WZJgYkof0u https://t.co/uuSvfqGkVa— 競泳NEWS (@swimcoverage) December 10, 2024
The performance from the American men marked the sixth world record of the session, four of which came from Team USA. Gretchen Walsh re-broke her world record in the women’s 50 fly semis, Kate Douglass set a new all-time mark in the final of the women’s 200 IM, and the American women lowered the world record in the 4×100 free relay final.
Other world records fell at the hands of Summer McIntosh in the women’s 400 free final and Noe Ponti in the men’s 50 fly semis.
There’s a new handsome 6’7” Cal 100 freestyler…
As an anchor, Giuliano should have the fastest split. He is a bit off.
*Dude breaks a world record* “Yeah, so, you should swim faster”
Another expected swim from short course standout Jack Alexy
Does anyone have the full race, not Andrew’s version!
here , it starts at 2H39 mins : https://eurovisionsport.com/mediacard/EVS_241210_20241210AQUABudapest_3
These guys must have missed the “US Men’s roster is weak” memo. Props to them for a big time swim that will surely give momentum to the team for the rest of the meet
Where was Matt King?
Yea I was wondering the same thing. Not to downplay Kieran at all but the 100 isn’t usually a primary event for him, and I imagine king could’ve split another 45-mid or 45-low which could’ve dropped that time sub-3:01. Hopefully he’s not sick.
Kieran has historically been a great short course relay guy. He’s put in competitive SC 100 and 50 relay splits at other SCWs and in the NCAAs so I guess they just trusted him
Yes, Matt King was sick and replaced for this relay. Matt, Take care and hope to hear you are back in the pool soon.
I guess the coaches didn’t believe in those 19.2 push 50 splits.
Really? Too sick to trust he can come back in 27 secs?
Matt King was sick and replaced for this relay. Matt, Take care and hope to hear you are back in the pool soon
Michael Chadwick. Forgot about him. Remember the Jacob Pebley x Chadwick Squatty Potty ads?
Yessir
39.87 confirmed for Alexy in yards.
Peetty crazy we genuinely may see more than one swimmer under 39.9 in March