Relay Analysis: Cali Quartet Delivers Complete Performance In Mixed Free Win

2020 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE – MATCH #10

The Cali Condors executed to a tee in winning the mixed 400 freestyle relay during Match 10, with solid splits from all four legs leading them to victory by over a second. Their final time of 3:16.14 was also quicker than Energy Standard’s winning time from earlier in the day.

Overall, the race had two men split sub-46 and four women go sub-52.

Let’s dive into the splits.

Mixed 400 Freestyle Relay

Male Lead-offs

Swimmer Split
Justin Ress (CAC) 46.22
Alessandro Miressi (AQC) 46.74
Kristian Gkolomeev (LAC) 46.87
Szebasztian Szabo (AQC) 47.21
Apostolos Christou (LAC) 47.27
Tate Jackson (CAC) 47.43
Mikhail Vekovishchev (LON) 47.53
Andreas Vazaios (LON) 47.76

Justin Ress got Cali off to a good start in 46.22, lowering the personal best he set earlier in the session in the individual event (46.25).

Kristian Gkolomeev had a similar swim for the LA Current, leading off in 46.87 after setting a new Greek Record in the individual race at 46.73.

Italian Alessandro Miressi was about a half-second slower than he was individually for the Centurions in 46.74.

Male Flying Splits

Swimmer Split
Caeleb Dressel (CAC) 45.72
Marcelo Chierighini (AQC) 45.95
Tom Shields (LAC) 46.53
Pedro Spajari (AQC) 46.57
Marius Kusch (LON) 46.71
Marco Ferreira (LAC) 46.77
Kacper Majchrzak (CAC) 46.88
Elliot Clogg (LON) 47.58

Caeleb Dressel had the fastest split in the field at 45.72 (after a career-best 45.28 yesterday), putting the Condors 1.5 seconds clear of the Current at the 200 mark.

Marcelo Chierighini has been a relay horse for the Centurions this season, and in his final race of the campaign, he came through with another sub-46 swim in 45.95.

The LA Current bumped Marco Ferreira down to the ‘B’ relay in favor of Tom Shields, which proved beneficial as Shields was almost a quarter of a second faster in 46.53.

Female Flying Splits

Swimmer Split
Abbey Weitzeil (LAC) 51.19
Freya Anderson (LON) 51.30
Anna Hopkin (LON) 51.61
Andi Murez (LAC) 51.99
Natalie Hinds (CAC) 52.02
Olivia Smoliga (CAC) 52.09
Erika Brown (CAC) 52.11
Beryl Gastaldello (LAC) 52.63
Maria Kameneva (LON) 52.64
Aly Tetzloff (LAC) 53.01
Federica Pellegrini (AQC) 53.37
Lidon Munoz del Campo (AQC) 53.46
Marie Wattel (LON) 53.58
Allison Schmitt (CAC) 53.61
Larissa Oliveira (AQC) 53.90
Valentine Dumont (AQC) 54.77

Four women threw down 51s in this relay, headlined by Abbey Weitzeil who followed up her American Record of 51.26 at the beginning of the session in 51.19 for the Current.

Freya Anderson (51.30), Andi Murez (51.99) and Natalie Hinds (52.02) all anchored their clubs past the Aqua Centurions’ Larissa Oliveira (53.90) to take third through fifth, while Anna Hopkin threw down a 51.61 for London’s ‘B’ team.

Up front, Olivia Smoliga and Erika Brown both split 52-lows as the Condors cruised in for the win. Yesterday, Smoliga hit a flat-start PB of 51.95 and Brown had her fastest-ever relay leg in 51.49.

This race might’ve been a different story if LA’s Beryl Gastaldello wasn’t swimming her fourth race in a little over an hour. Gastaldello won the 100 free at the beginning of the session in a French Record of 51.16, but was only 52.63 here, having also won the 100 IM (French Record) and 50 fly before the relay.

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swimgeek
3 years ago

Dressel’s RT of 0.58 was by far the slowest of the entire field of 24 swimmers who did a rolling start. He’s never gotten the massive relay bump that some swimmers get, and 0.58 relay exchange definitely doesn’t help! Lets make sure he’s always swimming leadoff in Tokyo

Waader
Reply to  swimgeek
3 years ago

To be fair reaction time doesn’t paint a complete picture. In flat starts dressel also doesn’t have a great reaction time, but it’s what he does during that time that’s great. I think something similar is happening here.

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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