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American Men Break SCM 400 Free Relay World Record

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The American quartet of Caeleb DresselBlake PieroniMichael Chadwick and Ryan Held came together to win the men’s 400 free relay at the Short Course World Championships in a new world record time of 3:03.03, breaking the previous mark of 3:03.30 set by the U.S. at the 2009 Duel in the Pool. That team was made up of Nathan Adrian, Matt GreversGarrett Weber-Gale and Michael Phelps.

Dressel led them off in 45.66, breaking Held’s American Record* of 45.82 set leading off the prelim team, and then Pieroni (45.75), Chadwick (45.86) and Held (45.76) all held up their end of the bargain as they narrowly edged out the Russians who were also under the old world record in 3:03.11. All four Americans were well under what the American Record had stood at before Held broke it this morning (46.25).

*Editor’s Note: Nathan Adrian swam a 45.08 in December of 2009 at the Duel in the Pool, one of the world’s last meets where the now-outlawed rubber suits were allowed. USA Swimming, however, had already barred their use earlier that year. This means that while American swims in rubber suits at Duel in the Pool could break World Records, they were not eligible for American Records.

Check out a split comparison of the new and old world records below:

USA, 2009 Duel in the Pool USA, 2018 SC Worlds
Adrian – 45.08 Dressel – 45.66
Grevers – 44.68 Pieroni – 45.75
Weber-Gale – 47.43 Chadwick – 45.86
Phelps – 46.11 Held – 45.76
3:03.30 3:03.03

Dressel, Pieroni, Chadwick and Held are all recently removed from their collegiate careers in the NCAA where they raced short course yards, so it’s not a surprise to see them find instant success in SCM. All-time, Dressel is 1st, Chadwick 2nd, Held 3rd and Pieroni 6th among Americans in the yards version of the 100 freestyle.

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spectatorn
5 years ago

Anyone know if there was other US 4x100m free relay where the lead swimmer has the fastest split of the 4 at a major meet?
Regardless of how soft the AR of 100m Free SCM records or the competition, the team has the 4th – 7th fastest split of the entire field, and CD’s lead off is the fastest among the 4.

running start to touch backstroke flags
5 years ago

Why did the Russian lead off wear a cap when he had 3 inches of moppy shag dangling off the bottom of his dome, like jellyfish tentacles? Was he merely giving us the visual equivalent of a Troy drop-taper?

running start to touch backstroke flags
5 years ago

That Grevers split though!!! Oh my….

AvidSwimFan
5 years ago

Adrian’s been putting in work for a while now.

Horninco
Reply to  AvidSwimFan
5 years ago

11 years going back to his 2008 Olympic experience. That’s quite the career he’s been consistently five the whole time

He said what?
5 years ago

Their consistency is great amongst their splits, but I really expected faster. If they can be this fast in December, next summer is going to be jaw dropping fast! Plus, it was really cool seeing these former NCAA rivals teamed TOGETHER on a short course relay. They are only beginning to scratch there surface of what they can do together as a team.

Dangus
5 years ago

Adrian led off in 45.08 in 2009 but Dressel has the AR?

Sweaty Sam
5 years ago

How come Adrian’s 45.08 leadoff in 2009 was not an American record?

Admin
Reply to  Sweaty Sam
5 years ago

Added a note above explaining, but basically USA Swimming had already outlawed rubber suits, even though FINA had not. So USA Swimming won’t recognize swims from the 2009 Duel in the Pool.

Sweaty Sam
Reply to  Braden Keith
5 years ago

Thank you

Will 37
5 years ago

Grevers split in the relay is ffffast

Horninco
Reply to  Will 37
5 years ago

He’s always been a good 100 free relay split. He has a particularly fast 2009 going 47.6 in the long course relay at worlds.

PhillyMark
Reply to  Will 37
5 years ago

On the other hand, GWG was < fast. Prob slower than his Beijing time.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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