2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
- Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- SCM (25m)
- Prize Money
- Meet Site
- Psych Sheet
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- FINA Live Results
- Omega Live Results
MEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE – FINALS
- World Record: 6:46.81 – Brazil – 14 DEC 2018
- Championship Record: 6:46.81 – Brazil – 14 DEC 2018
Podium:
- GOLD: United States – 6:47.00
- SILVER: Russian Swimming Federation – 6:49.12
- BRONZE: Brazil – 6:49.60
In an upset of sorts, the United States men pulled off a dominant victory in the men’s 4×200 free relay tonight, swimming out of lane 1. Kieran Smith set the tone nicely for the Americans, swimming a huge personal best of 1:41.79 on the lead-off leg to give his team a 0.72-second lead. Trenton Julian went next for the U.S., swimming a 1:41.35 to expand the lead over the field. Carson Foster then dove in, expanding the lead further with aa 1:41.65, before Ryan Held sealed the deal with a 1:42.21 anchor.
The swim narrowly missed the World Record of 6:46.81, which is held by Brazil. It did, however, shatter the American Record, which stood at 6:49.58 from the 2010 SC World Championships. That team featured Peter Vanderkaay, Ryan Lochte, Garrett Weber-Gale, and Ricky Berens. Here is the split comparison between the previous American Record, and the Americans’ performance tonight:
| Split | United States 2021 SC World Champs (New American Record) | United States 2010 SC World Champs (Previous American Record) |
| 1st Leg | Kieran Smith (1:41.79) | Peter Vanderkaay (1:43.83) |
| 2nd Leg | Trenton Julian (1:41.35) | Ryan Lochte (1:40.48) |
| 3rd Leg | Carson Foster (1:41.65) | Garrett Weber-Gale (1:42.89) |
| 4th Leg | Ryan Held (1:42.21) | Ricky Berens (1:42.38) |
| Final Time | 6:47.00 | 6:49.58 |
Tonight’s squad was faster on every leg, except the 2nd, where Ryan Lochte posted a blistering 1:40.48 back in 2010.
There was another pair of national records that went down in finals tonight as well. The Italian squad of Matteo Ciampi (1:42.93), Thomas Ceccon (1:44.23), Filippo Megli (1:42.99), and Alberto Razzetti (1:41.33) teamed up for a 6:51.48, finishing 4th. They downed the previous record, which stood at 6:51.80, from the 2014 SC World Champs.
Ireland also downed their record. Finishing 6th, Jack McMillan (1:42.84), Jordan Sloan (1:44.94), Finn McGeever (1:45.84), and Robert Powell (1:45.92) posted a 6:59.54. They demolished the previous record of 7:02.35, which was set in prelims.
What was his best without the suit scm?
That peak Lochte 200 SCM free split is something else.
casual 1:40 low among some dirty IM and backstroke times I assume
People really don’t realize how great Lochte was.
His times from 2010 and 2012 SC worlds would still be winning comfortably. That’s crazy.
It’s wild Trenton and Carson could both pretty easily final in 6 events at Nc’s.
Carson- 200im, 400im, 200back, 200fly,200free,500 free
Trent- 200im, 400im, 100 fly, 200fly, 200free, 500free
Obviously this is total speculation. But if they decided to swim any of these events its not a stretch.
Held is washed
He used to be somebody. He still is, but he used to too.
and he’s going to be somebody
Classic Mitch Headberg
Terrible take. His 47.39 PB (long course) is the fastest in American history outside of Dressel, and is a gold medal swim at almost any major international meet with no prime Dressel/Chalmers or supersuits. He’s also a world class swimmer in the 50 (LC). The fact he’s also the second fastest in SCM 100 history and has the range to put up world class times in the 50 & 200 makes him arguably one of the most versatile sprint freestylers in not just American history, but recent history from any country.
And clean shaven
1:42.2 anchor, not washed
Epic!!!
I miss prime Lochte
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened. Jeah.
2010/2011 Lochte was some of the most impressive swimming I’ve even seen. Too bad he couldn’t hold that form for 2012.
A prime Lochte and Hosszu would have been fun to watch in ISL
Can I add prime Ledecky in SCM?
And prime Phelps
I mean 4:05.18 in the 400 IM sure didn’t suck. Maybe it was a precursor for Townley Haas’ 500 in hurting him for the rest of the meet?
But yeah his 2011 worlds performance was awesome.
When the rest of the world was slowing down and figure out how to swim sin suits, lochte was jeahing it up with times that still are around
1.54,00 anyone?
Guys all stepped up in a big way. It’s also foolish to ever count the US out in this relay.
I would venture to guess the US has around 50 men that could swim a 1:45 or faster. Out of that depth you’re always going to have a competitive relay.
Even Long Course the Americans have around 30 guys that are 1:47s or better on their best day.
Really 3/4 stepped up in a big way in Tokyo, Apple just had a swim that was unpredictably way off.