The United States’ first gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics went to the 4×100-meter men’s freestyle relay team in a thrilling race.
When Caeleb Dressel, the anchor leg of the four-man team, touched the wall, the United States posted a final time of 3:09.28, beating out their Australian rivals by more than a full second.
Australia earned silver with a time of 3:10.05, while Italy edged out China for bronze at 3:10.70.
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Caeleb Dressel of the U.S. competes in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay heats on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
For Dressel, this is his eighth Olympic gold medal, but he wouldn’t have secured it without the efforts of Chris Guiliano, Jack Alexy and Hunter Armstrong, who have a combined one Olympic medal of any kind entering the pool on Saturday.
Alexy, considered to be the next great swimmer at 21 years old, swam the first leg of the relay, and he set the tone for the U.S.
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Gold medalists Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong, Chris Guiliano and Jack Alexy of the United States celebrate following the final of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, Paris, July 27, 2024. (Sebastien Bozoni/AFP via Getty Images)
Guiliano, also 21 years old, followed him and started to create an edge before Armstrong created a gap between the competition.
As Armstrong touched the wall, the veteran Dressel came flying into the pool to run away with the race. Australia, Italy, and China were all trying to play catch-up, but Dressel wasn’t giving them that opportunity.
This victory is certainly a tone setter for the rest of the men’s swimming competitions, as Australia and China specifically are big U.S. rivals who are trying to sit atop the world swimming throne.
Gold medallists US’ Caeleb Dressel, US’ Hunter Armstrong, US’ Chris Guiliano and US’ Jack Alexy celebrate following the final of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay swimming event at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on July 27, 2024. (SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
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While the United States will have some hefty work to do to claim that themselves, they are already showing the rest of the field they are still top dogs in the pool thanks to this superb freestyle relay squad.
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#### Insight:
The victory of the US men’s freestyle relay team in the Paris Olympics is not only a significant achievement but also sets the tone for future competitions, showcasing the strength and depth of the US swimming squad. The teamwork and skill displayed by Dressel, Guiliano, Alexy, and Armstrong demonstrate the exceptional talent within the team, with emerging stars like Alexy making a mark on the Olympic stage. The rivalry with countries like Australia and China adds another layer of excitement and competitiveness to the swimming events, highlighting the intense battle for supremacy in the world of swimming.
