Team USA concluded the first day of the Paris Olympics with two medals from the fastest swimming relays, showcasing thrilling performances in both the women’s and men’s 4×100-meter freestyle events on Saturday.
The relay teams featured a blend of 21-year-old newcomers and seasoned 27-year-old Olympians, representing the future of American sprinting and the enduring prowess of the veterans.
Simone Manuel, a 27-year-old three-time Olympian, proved her mettle in the final stretch by edging out China’s Wu Qingfeng by 0.10 seconds in the anchor leg, clinching a silver medal for the American team at the Paris La Défense Arena. This achievement marks Manuel’s sixth Olympic medal.
Australia won the gold while setting an Olympic record with a time of 3:28.92. Team USA finished with a time of 3:30.20, while China’s 3:30.30 earned it bronze.
The American team of Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske and Manuel also set a new American record, which was a goal dating back to training camp earlier this summer and even going back to the Tokyo Olympics, for those who competed, Manuel said.
“These three women set me up well,” Manuel stated, acknowledging her unawareness of the narrow margin with China. “It’s been some time since I’ve taken the anchor position, so my nerves were a bit more frayed than I would have preferred. But I hope to build on this experience.”
As the intense relay reached its midpoint, Team USA’s podium prospects were uncertain. Douglass, 22, and Walsh, 21, delivered solid splits, yet both touched the wall in fourth place. Huske, 21, clocked the squad’s fastest split at 52.06, propelling them to second place, setting the stage for Manuel’s final push.
And she delivered spectacularly. At the 50-meter mark, she advanced the Americans to third place. Despite Wu’s .30-second quicker split, Manuel secured the wall first, clinching a stunning victory. Three-time Olympian Caeleb Dressel, 27, won his eighth Olympic gold while anchoring the men’s 4×100 free relay, which the Americans dominated nearly the entire way, finishing with a time of 3:09.28. Despite predictions to the contrary, the team finished 1.04 seconds off world-record pace — the oldest long-course swimming world record set by Michael Phelps and Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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