2019 World University Games/Summer Universiade – Swimming
- July 4th-9th, 2019
- Napoli, Italy
- LCM (50m)
- Live Stream: Olympic Channel (in US), Rai Sport (in Italy)
- Entry Lists & Live Results
Men’s 4×100 Freestyle – Final
- World Record – 3:08.24, USA, 2008
- Meet Record – 3:10.88, Russia, 2013
Podium:
- United States, 3:11.03
- Brazil, 3:15.27
- Italy, 3:15.91
In the final event on Day 1 at the 2019 World University Games, the American men took home the gold medal with a commanding performance in the 400 free relay. Zach Apple, Dean Farris, Robert Howard, and Tate Jackson went 3:11.03 to beat second-place Brazil by 4.24 seconds and narrowly miss the 2013 Russian meet record of 3:10.88.
One of the brightest lights on the American relay was Apple, who unleashed a 47.79 leadoff split for a PB by 24/100. The Indiana University graduate took the place of Michael Jensen who had anchored the quartet in prelims. Apple’s best flat-start 100 free coming into the meet was 48.03 from 2018 Pan Pacs, which made him the 8th-fastest American in history. His performance in Napoli moves him to :#7 on the all-time list:
- 47.17 – Caeleb Dressel, 2017 World Championships
- 47.33 – Dave Walters, 2009 World Champs
- 47.51 – Michael Phelps, 2008 Olympic Games
- 47.52 – Nathan Adrian, 2012 Olympic Games
- 47.58 – Jason Lezak, 2008 Olympic Trials
- 47.78 – Garrett Weber-Gale, 2008 Olympic Trials
- 47.79 – Zach Apple, 2019 World University Games
- 47.82 – James Feigen, 2013 World Champs
Apple is now the fastest American and the fourth-fastest 100 freestyler in the world for 2019, bumping Caeleb Dressel down a notch to fifth. Apple is slated to swim both the 4×100 free and 4×200 free at World Championships in Gwangju later this month.
2018-2019 LCM MEN 100 FREE
DRESSEL
46.96
| 2 | Kyle CHALMERS | AUS | 47.08 | 07/25 |
| 3 | Ryan HELD | USA | 47.39 | 07/31 |
| 4 | Vladislav GRINEV | RUS | 47.43 | 04/09 |
| 5 | Maxime ROONEY | USA | 47.61 | 07/31 |
| 6 | Marcelo CHIERIGHINI | BRA | 47.68 | 04/18 |
| 7 | Zach APPLE | USA | 47.79 | 07/04 |
| 8 | Blake PIERONI | USA | 47.87 | 07/24 |
| 8 | Duncan SCOTT | GBR | 47.87 | 04/18 |
| 10 | Vladimir MOROZOV | RUS | 47.88 | 08/16 |
Farris followed Apple with 47.48, four-tenths off his prelims split of 47.08 but still the fastest 100 free in the field. Howard clocked a 47.74, handing off to Jackson for a 48.0 anchor.
Relays are never about the individual, but given the context of this meet I was surprised the coaches didn’t construct a lead-off shot for Dean to get a national team time in the 100 free in either prelims or finals. Happy for Zach, but the schedule for Dean this summer is a bit awkward. He’s not getting individual swims here at the University Games & then he needs to do a quick turnaround second taper at Nationals. Of course Dean’s taper could be aimed at peaking for Nationals where he just tears it up…some had the same concerns that he emptied the tank too much at the Ivy League meet, but he “did ok” at NCAAs after that.
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Yeah I was definitely bummed they gave Apple the lead off spot, considering he’s swimming the individual, and the incredible form Dean seems to be in.
Zach joins the 47 club in the 100 free. It’s going to take a 47 to make the Olympic team, so his chances are looking good.
Everyone is going to be training harder than ever to get those coveted spots.
OMG, the depth of American 100 freestyle right now
Yep Exactly, I think the 4×100 is pretty well theirs for the taking.
Potentially, the first all-47s relay team in the post-supersuit era
at best the 100 free was the sixth best event for Phelps. And he is still third all time for Americans, ahead of even Adrian. Really goes to show his greatness
at US nationals in 2007 he would’ve broken/nearly broken the AR/WRs in the 100 and 200 bk if it was for Lochte and Peirsol who lowerd them at the world champs
Oh yes ….we all remember his last 400 free ( second leg ) in Rio 47.2 split with an Out of this world Underwater after the 50 meter turn ….it was captured with an underwater Camera . I felt like ” What the heck ? ” Phenomenal greatness
And when he swam that 47.51, the standing world record was 47.50. I think people forget how incredible that 100 was because Eamon Sullivan went a 47.2 in the lane next to him.
And I’d go so far as to say his 200 back was better than his 100 free. 100 free and 100 back were probably tied for his 7th best event, as his highest standing in both was 3rd-fastest all time.
Actually in 2007, Phelps went 53.01 at us nationals after Piersol had become the first man to go under (52.98) in Melbourne earlier that year. So he was the second fastest ever at that point. 200 back was the same. I think he was second fastest ever with 1:54.6 from those same nationals.
With that being said, I still believe his 200 backstroke was more established than his 100, so I’d put the 200 sixth, 100 back seventh, and 100 free 8th.
thanks for those precise times done by Phelps & Piersol ( didnt know any of those )
I still think he could have been Olympic champ in 08 in the 4 free as well if it wasn’t on the same night as the 4IM. He murdered Park Tae Hwant in the 2Free, and the way he swam the 4IM I can’t see him dying.
What a swimmer!!!!
Did he break 48 without a supersuit?
47.1 from a relay start in Rio at age 31. So yeah, he did.
That wasn’t a relay lead off otherwise it’d be listed in the article instead of his Beijing relay lead off.
I believe his best is 48.0 in 2011 leading off the relay at worlds against Magnussen.
at the Pan Pacs in 2010 ( commented by the Fabulous GMM ) , he also split 48.00 leading the 400 free relay
Go go go Zapple.
Impressive, but he had 48.0 from two years ago.
Gives me the impression that it took him a while to adapt to the new program
3.11.03 ! I would say thats a very competitive Relay time ( with guys who normally dont get on a Big Meet LC Us free relay ) . Farris 47.48 ( did he split 48.88 in prelims or 47.08 ? something must be wrong there 😜 No Farris is the real deal in LC as in SCY ) , Howard 47.74 WOW Wow ! So actually , Team Usa could suddenly be very very fast later this month …. Apple , Haas , Pieroni + Dressel or Apple , Adrian , Pieroni/Haas + Dressel ?
Well Done Zack – they are doing great things at UI and for different strokes !! New Year Us Free relay in Tokyo ? Bonkers …..
*IU
Indiana University or University of Indiana 😝