Watch Dressel Make Up 2+ Second Deficit With 20.0 Anchor

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Tuesday, December 11th – Sunday, December 16th
  • Hangzhou, China
  • Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center
  • Live Results (Omega)

The Americans have been unstoppable in relays at these Short Course World Championships and tonight rendered yet another World Record for the stars n’ stripes. Attacking the 4x50m mixed medley relay on night 3, the foursome of Olivia Smoliga, Michael Andrew, Kelsi Dahlia and Caeleb Dressel threw down a massive time of 1:36.40 to come from behind, win gold and smash a new WR mark.

Splits for the Americans included 25.85 for the 100m backstroke champ here in Hangzhou Smoliga, 51.60 from Michael Andrew who raced the 100m IM and 50m free earlier in the session, 24.71 for multiple medalist already here, Dahlia and finally a 20.09 (!!) for Dressel.

Dressel’s split checks-in as one of the fastest relay splits in history. Our research shows that the only splits ever sub-20 were done in the same relay, where Fred Bousquet (19.87) and Amaury Leveaux (19.93) did so for France at the 2008 European Championships.

Catch how the race unfolded in the video below, courtesy of Alex Muni. You can read our original World Record post here.

 

In This Story

58
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

58 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ERVINFORTHEWIN
5 years ago

Fina or NBC took them down 2 days ago …….

Nash
5 years ago

One correction at the end there. That was not the fastest 50 relay split by Dressel. (In a jammer yes but not over all)
At the 2008 EU champs in 4x50free Men’s relay two French went sub 20.
Amaury Leveaux 19:93 and Frederick Bousquet 19:87.

ooo
Reply to  Nash
5 years ago

Manaudou did split 20.04 in 2014 and Cielho 20.08 http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010E010D00042E02FFFFFFFFFFFF02

rmp
5 years ago

andrew went 25.7

Really
5 years ago

This event is trash

IRO
5 years ago

I love this event. A male freestyler needs to have the mentality to reel it in, and a female freestyler needs to be tough enough to hold the field off.

gymswim
5 years ago

How anyone can stand that commentary I have no idea. Give me the silent stream any day, that pitch he hits at the end made my ears bleed

Tammy Touchpad Error
Reply to  gymswim
5 years ago

Its a bummer i like hearing deck noises and deck announcers. Splashing. Screaming. Turns. Guess i gotta go in person to every big meet i care about? If only… hope that rap career of mine takes off soon.

“Going to Hangzhou, gonna be fame ows. Swimmin straight now, ceiling is way round. Winning race ows, beating Katink ow. Zhang in lane faw chinese scream so loud”

gymswim
Reply to  Tammy Touchpad Error
5 years ago

Keep your day job I think… haha

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  gymswim
5 years ago

lol

Taa
5 years ago

Really this event is unnecessary. I’m not seeing the point unless it’s to make the swim meet more fun for the swimmers assuming they all feel that this is a fun event.

PVSFree
Reply to  Taa
5 years ago

It’s sport. All of it is unnecessary and we do it for fun. I was smiling watching this race so why not let it continue?

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Taa
5 years ago

nothing is necessary if we open our minds to innovative racing – U might like the old days , but life is about exploring new possibilities and swimming is no exception . I would love to be in such a Team and embrace the fun such a relay brings . If u watch at the end , they are all having fun _ competition is also about embracing that emotional dimension .

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  ERVINFORTHEWIN
5 years ago

” Nothing is unnecessary if we …..

sven
Reply to  Taa
5 years ago

The sprinters needed more chances to win medals.

BaldingEagle
5 years ago

Strong strategy. Smoliga gets a potential draft, maximizing her time. Then, one of the fastest in the world in the slowest stroke. Dahlia has great 50 speed, and is strong enough to work through the chop (that turn, tho!). Then, the best current short pool specialists, who brings tons of high-stakes relay experience. And he’s a strong swimmer chasing people down in chop that may not be as big as turbulence put up by other men.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »