Men’s and Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay Prelims Lineups: Most Countries Saving Legs for Finals

2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

• Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
  • Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
• La Défense Arena — Paris, France
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Full Swimming Schedule
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Pick ’em Contest
• How To Watch
• Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
• Finals Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6| Day 7

DAY 8 PRELIMS HEAT SHEET

This is the last prelims session of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and with it, we have the last relays of the meet. This morning’s session will conclude with the 4×100 medley relays. The men first, then the women. Notably, the mixed 4×100 medley relay finals will be tonight during the finals session, and the men’s and women’s 4×100 medley relay finals will take place tomorrow night during Sunday’s finals session.

So, let’s take a look at the start lists for the relays, and see which swimmers each country has elected to use this morning. The men are up first, so let’s start there.

MEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY – START LISTS

Starting with the top seed: the United States. The Americans are the World Record holders and defending Olympic Champions in this event.

USA:

• Backstroke: Hunter Armstrong
• Breaststroke: Charlie Swanson
• Butterfly: Thomas Heilman
• Freestyle: Jack Alexy

This relay basically features the 2nd-fastest American in each of the 100s, which means we can expect the legs to be swapped out for the other swimmers in finals. The exception to that is Jack Alexy, who was the US’ fastest swimmer in the 100 free earlier in the meet, and is swimming this morning.

The name of the game will be securing a good lane for the final tomorrow night. Armstrong was viewed as a medal contender coming into these Olympics, however, he didn’t make it out of the semifinals in the 100 back, where he clocked a 53.11. He’ll get another opportunity to put up a time this morning. Similarly, Swanson and Heilman didn’t advance past prelims in the 100 breast and 100 fly respectively. Alexy made the final of the 100 free, where he finished 7th.

Next up, China is the #2 seed heading into the meet. Interestingly, it looks like China has elected to race their fastest combination of swimmers this morning, so they’ll surely be looking to put up the top time.

China:

• Backstroke: Xu Jiayu
• Breaststroke: Qin Haiyang
• Butterfly: Wang Changhao
• Freestyle: Pan Zhanle

This is an intimidating relay on paper. Of course, Pan Zhanle made waves earlier in the week when he destroyed the field in the men’s 100 free final, blowing away his own World Record in the event by 0.40 seconds. He’ll be on the end for China, which is good, because fly is probably their weakest leg, so he’ll mask that a bit.

The Chinese also have a stellar lead-off, as Xu Jiayu was the silver medalist in the 100 back towards the beginning of the week. Qin Haiyang came into this meet as the fastest breaststroker in the world after going on a rampage last summer and fall, however, he has not been at his best here in Paris. Still, he took 7th in the 100 breast final, so China has a very solid leg there to look forward to. Wang, Changhao, the butterflier, did not make it out of prelims of the men’s 100 fly yesterday morning, where he swam a 52.37. He’ll be looking to put up a faster time this morning.

Following China, Australia is the 3rd-fastest seed coming in.

Australia:

• Backstroke: Isaac Cooper
• Breaststroke: Joshua Yong
• Butterfly: Ben Armbruster
• Freestyle: Kyle Chalmers

The Aussies appear to have taken a similar line to the Americans with this relay. They’re both using their fastest freestyler on the anchor this morning. For the Aussies, that’s Kyle Chalmers, who earned the silver medal in the 100 free earlier in the week.

Australia is also using Isaac Cooper, who was their fastest 100 backstroker here in Paris, however, that’s likely because the 100 back is a bit of a weakness for the Australian men. Cooper was 21st in prelims of the 100 back on the 2nd day of the meet.

In the middle of the relay this morning, Australia will have Joshua Yong and Ben Armbruster. They’ll likely be switched out for Zac Stubblety-Cook and Matthew Temple for the final tomorrow.

Italy:

• Backstroke: Thomas Ceccon
• Breaststroke: Nicolo Martinenghi
• Butterfly: Giacomo Carini
• Freestyle: Alessandro Miressi

Italy is maybe the scariest country heading into this relay. They have the gold medalist in the 100 back, Thomas Ceccon, and the gold medalist in the 100 breast, Nicolo Martinenghi, on their front half. Their weakness lies on the fly leg, where they have Giacomo Carini this morning. Carini is a terrific flyer, though his strength lies more in the 200 fly than the 100. His career best in the 100 fly in 52.00. Alessandro Miressi just missed the final of the 100 free earlier in the week, swimming a 47.95 in semifinals.

WOMEN’S 4×100 MEDLEY RELAY START LISTS

USA

• Backstroke: Katharine Berkoff
• Breaststroke: Emma Weber
• Butterfly: Alex Shackell
• Freestyle: Kate Douglass

The Americans should be just fine this morning, even though they’re not using their fastest swimmer on any of the legs. They’ll be led off by Katharine Berkoff, who earned the bronze medal in the 100 back earlier in the week. Then, Emma Weber will swim breast. Weber had a tough prelims of the 100 breast earlier in the week, so she’ll be looking to bounce back here. Ales Shackell, who didn’t compete in the 100 fly individually here in Paris, will swim fly for the Americans this morning. Shackell finished 6th in the 200 fly. Kate Douglass will anchor this relay.

Using Shackell on fly this morning tells us that the American coaching staff is most likely planning to have Gretchen Walsh swim fly on the relay tomorrow night, and have Torri Huske swim free.

Australia

• Backstroke: Iona Anderson
• Breaststroke: Ella Ramsay
• Butterfly: Alexandria Perkins
• Freestyle: Meg Harris

Like the Americans, Australia seems content to send their 2nd-fastest swimmers in each leg for this morning. Iona Anderson came in 5th in the 100 back final earlier in the week, so they’ll have a solid start this morning. Ella Ramsay didn’t compete in the 100 breast here in Paris, however, she did race the 200 breast, where she finished 12th in the semifinals.

Alexandria Perkins came in 8th in prelims of the 100 fly in the first event of the meet, then finished 13th in semifinals. Meg Harris didn’t swim the 100 free individually for Australia, however, she is one of their 50 freestylers.

Canada

• Backstroke: Ingrid Wilm
• Breaststroke: Sophie Angus
• Butterfly: Mary-Sophie Harvey
• Freestyle: Penny Oleksiak

Canada has been racing extremely well here in Paris. They’ve elected to not send their ‘A’ team into the prelims of this race either. Ingrid Wilm, the 6th-place finisher in the 100 back earlier in the meet, will lead the team off. Sophie Angus didn’t make it past prelims of the 100 breast, however, she did swim a 1:06.93, which is a solid time. Mary-Sophie Harvey has been on fire here in Paris, including having finished 4th in the 200 free final with a massive swim. She’s on fly duty this morning, but she’ll surely put up a good split.