Both Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky will be racing on their respective 4x100m freestyle relay teams, according to an anonymous source with direct knowledge of Team USA’s relay line-up strategy.
USA Today Sports has reported that 22-time Olympic medalist Phelps will swim in the final of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, an event which is scheduled for Sunday night (August 7th). As such, that race would represent the 5-time Olympian’s first official dive into the Olympic Aquatics Stadium pool in the hopes of gaining gold for the stars n’ stripes.
Phelps did not swim the 100m freestyle individual event at the U.S. Trials in Omaha, but such was the case also back in 2004 and 2012 when he landed on the 400m freestyle relay line-up. Although the 31-year-old elected not to race with the likes of Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen in a 100m freestyle time trial on July 3rd in Omaha, he did partake in a training camp relay time trial over the weekend in Atlanta. In that dress rehearsal of sorts, Phelps scored an opening split of 48.3 (unofficial), the fastest among all relay lead-offs at the trial.
As for Ledecky, the 19-year-old freestyle powerhouse finished just 7th in the women’s 100m freestyle individual event, yet is reportedly slotted to swim in the prelims of Team USA’s women’s 4x100m freestyle relay squad. That event takes place on Saturday, which would make it Ledecky’s first race of the 2016 Olympic Games. The world record holder will also be contesting the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events, where she is a heavily favored medal contender in each.
Even with Ledecky reportedly not among the 4 female swimmers slated for the 4x100m freestyle relay final, prelim swimmers of relays also earn medals, so she could certainly kick-off her Rio hardware kitty in a big way even with just a morning swim in the relay.
Nothing will be solved on internet forums. The only thing that will determine the 4th leg of the relay is the morning swim. Phelps, Dressel, fastest split from the morning, Adrian. You’re welcome, internet.
im not sold on Feigen….I have seen him come up short in big meets for the U.S in the past. To me the 4×100 relay should be Phelps, Dressel, Adrian and whoever swims the fastest relay split. Most likely Irvin in my opinion but who knows. Phelps lead off,
Dressel second, fastest prelim swimmer third and anchored by Adrian. thats our
Best shot at taking down Australia. Thoughts?
I’d go…
Heats:
Conger
Ervin
Feigen
Held
Heats:
Ledecky
Weir
Neal
Schmitt
This was, you ‘use up’ your relay only women in Weir & Neal.
Final:
Dressel
Phelps
(Fastest of heats swimmers)
Adrian
Final:
Manuel
(1 of fastest from heats or Vollmer)
(1 of fastest from heats or Vollmer)
Weitzeil
If after hears you feel you need Vollmer, bring her in, if not, take the top two from heats and stick them in the engine room.
You are dreaming if you don’t think Vollmer doesn’t swim 4×100 free, either in heats or final.
double negative. Should have said You are dreaming if you think Vollmer doesn’t swim 4×100 free, either in heats or final.
To swim final Vollmer have to prove either by incredible fly or relay prelim races that she is in great form. So great that even semi-final fly race one hour prior cannot make noticeable damage to her relay performance. So Weir, Neal, Schmitt, Vollmer and Ledecky had very close times at trials and have to be tested in prelim. Five swimmers with only four relay legs available. Someone from this group will go to final untested and I don’t think it would be Vollmer.
I suspect we’ll see her in the final, hence why I said or Vollmer for both positions. Just not sure what US coaches will decide on with such depth.
Where’s Pieroni and Smith?
Black Pieroni and Clark Smith MUST swim in 4×100, either in heat or final. They are in the entry list:
http://fina.org/sites/default/files/men_final_5.pdf
Pieroni made the team in the 4×100, Clark Smith made it in the 4×200. The only actual rule is that they have to swim SOMETHING though; doesn’t have to be the relay that they “qualified” for. There has been a lot of talk that Pieroni may get used in the 4×200 prelims, given that the 200free is his better event anyway, he just screwed up his prelim swim at trials.
Did anyone on Swimswam apart from Rafael, Commonwombat and Braden ever actually read THE RULES?
“If an NOC enters relay-only swimmers for a specific event, these swimmers must swim either in the heat or final of that relay event. Should a relay-only swimmer not compete, this will lead to the disqualification of the respective team in the final.”
http://fina.org/sites/default/files/2015_02_rio2016_qualification_system_sw_en.pdf
Let me write this again:
Blake Pieroni and Clark Smith are entered as relay-only in 4×100 free
http://fina.org/sites/default/files/men_final_5.pdf
so they MUST SWIM in 4X100 HEAT or FINAL or USA WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
The ACTUAL RULE:
“If an NOC enters relay-only swimmers for a specific event, these swimmers must swim either in the heat or final of that relay event. Should a relay-only swimmer not compete, this will lead to the disqualification of the respective team in the final.”
So NO, it’s not just “swim SOMETHING”.
I know people here love to hate on Missy, but is she seriously not being considered for the relay? She’s been a staple of the US National team since 2011, but had a poor trials. She’s on the team and get up and race when it counts.
I totally agree. I think she will swim 4×100 prelims.
That is so sad. Just three years past after her triumphant Championships in Barcelona and she isn’t even considered for relay heat now.
Whose place does she take? All the women above earned spots and deserve there swims.
That is the point. Six swimmers are within 0.3seconds interval and are pretty much replaceable. Franklin – the fastest sprinter of the last year couldn’t even make the final and stays far away from this group this season.
Lot of great comments on here! Aside from the relay member discussion what is everyone thoughts on how USA compares to Australia? A couple of weeks ago I was thinking USA was dead set in 2nd place, but looks like we might give Australia a run for the gold. Good luck regardless which 4 swimmers are in the final, go USA!
BTW you can put all you want for the Women 4×100 freestyle relay but at the end : 1) Australia 2) Netherlands 3) USA, Italy or Sweden !
And about Australia, they will win with the biggest gap ever, you will see!
Canada is also looking strong!
This makes sense. I guess Vollmer gets on the finals relay only if 3+ people on the prelim relay bust and she has a great 100 fly in prelims? Would be tough to ask her to give up the chance to swim this race at the Olympics and a probable relay medal, but maybe she wants to just focus on the fly.
All season long, Vollmer has expressed she wanted to swim 100 free, and by extension 4×100, very badly.
She’s not going to drop her place in 4×100 just because Ledecky wants it also.
I would vote for Held over Ervin on the relay. He was faster than Ervin at OT’s and (being a good 200 swimmer) he won’t die in the last 25 meters the way Ervin will. He’ll also (I think) deal with waves and turbulence better.
I know Ervin went faster in the time trial this week, but I think one should consider who was racing who. Held (I think) was racing Pierogi, so all he was trying to do was beat him in the trial (which he did). Dressed was racing Adrian. So, not too surprising that Dressel got a faster split than Held in the time trial, even though they were very, very close at OT’s.
I think it… Read more »
“Dressel” not “Dressed”
Ervin’s upside makes him the pick for me. He’s just got so much speed! If he hits it right, maybe he’s the reason the US wins that relay. On the other hand, maybe he’s the reason they end up off the podium.
But yes, I am finding the upside of a 35 year old more enticing than that of a 21 year old. Pfft, I’m not crazy, YOU’RE the crazy one.