Watch USA Men Edge Brazil to Win 400 Free Relay at Worlds (Video)

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The American men won the gold medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle on Sunday night, snapping a drought at World Championships that dated back to their last win in 2009. Caeleb Dressel broke the American Record in the 100m free with his 47.26 leadoff, getting the USA out to a significant lead. He was followed by Townley Haas (47.46) and Blake Pieroni (48.09), before Nathan Adrian stepped up to the block for the anchor.

Meanwhile, in the lane next door, Brazil had the momentum. After a 48.30 leadoff from Gabriel Santos, the Brazilians made up for the one-second deficit on the next two legs, outsplitting the Americans by .69 with Marcelo Chierighini (46.85) and Cesar Cielo (48.01).

Adrian went off just before Bruno Fratus, and spent the next 100 meters holding off the Brazilians. Adrian split a 47.25 on the end to Fratus’ 47.18 and the United States got the win with 3:10.06. Brazil was second in 3:10.34. Hungary slipped past Russia thanks to a 47.21 anchor from Richard Bohus.

Watch the entire race below courtesy of NBC Sports.

Write-up by Karl Ortegon:

MEN’S 4×100 FREE RELAY – FINAL

  • WR – 3:08.24, United States: 11 AUG 2008
  • CR – 3:09.21, United States: 26 JUL 2009
  1. USA 3:10.06
  2. Brazil 3:10.34
  3. Hungary 3:11.99

Caeleb Dressel. His spot in the limelight might begin at this meet. He already blasted an American record in the 50 fly earlier in the session, and he then led off this relay with a 47.26, taking down David Walters’ American record in that, too. The Americans were out to a sizable lead thanks to Dressel, with Brazil on their tails the whole time. Things got dicey between Townley Haas‘s and Blake Pieroni‘s legs, and the pressure was definitely on for Nathan Adrian.

Diving in against Bruno Fratus, Adrian had a very small lead, and his anchor duty skills would be tested once again. Fratus kept it close, but Adrian muscled it out to the wall to give Team USA the gold at 3:10.06. Brazil settled for 2nd at 3:10.34, though Marcelo Chierighini had a 46.85 split.

Hungary came out of nowhere for the bronze– they were not medal contenders on paper before this meet started. Dominik Kozma broke his Hungarian record from prelims with a 48.26, and the heroic split from Richard Bohus (47.21) really made the difference for them.

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About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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