Men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad | ||||||||||
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Venue | Sydney International Aquatic Centre | |||||||||
Dates | September 16, 2000 (heats & final) | |||||||||
Competitors | 100 from 23 nations | |||||||||
Winning time | 3:13.67 WR | |||||||||
Medalists | ||||||||||
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Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics | ||
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Freestyle | ||
50 m | men | women |
100 m | men | women |
200 m | men | women |
400 m | men | women |
800 m | women | |
1500 m | men | |
Backstroke | ||
100 m | men | women |
200 m | men | women |
Breaststroke | ||
100 m | men | women |
200 m | men | women |
Butterfly | ||
100 m | men | women |
200 m | men | women |
Individual medley | ||
200 m | men | women |
400 m | men | women |
Freestyle relay | ||
4 × 100 m | men | women |
4 × 200 m | men | women |
Medley relay | ||
4 × 100 m | men | women |
The men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 16 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia. [1]
For the first time in 36 years, the Australians solidified their triumph in front of a raucous home crowd as they upset the undefeated Americans to capture an Olympic title in the event. Leading by 0.25 seconds at the final relay exchange, Ian Thorpe was passed by U.S. swimmer Gary Hall Jr. at the 350 metres mark, but eventually recovered and touched the wall first with an anchor of 48.30 to deliver the Aussie foursome of Michael Klim (48.18), Chris Fydler (48.48), and Ashley Callus (48.74) a gold-medal time in 3:13.67. Leading off the race, Klim also established a global standard to shave 0.03 seconds off the record set by his Russian training partner Alexander Popov in 1994. [2] [3]
Prior to the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, Hall posted on his blog: "My biased opinion says that we will smash them (Australia's 4x100m team) like guitars. Historically the U.S. has always risen to the occasion. But the logic in that remote area of my brain says it won't be so easy for the United States to dominate the waters this time." The Australian team responded to Hall's remarks after the race by playing air guitar on the pool deck. Hall recalled the race, saying, "I don't even know how to play the guitar...I consider it the best relay race I've ever been part of. I doff my cap to the great Ian Thorpe. He had a better finish than I had." [4] Another member of Australia's victorious 4x100 team, Michael Klim, recalled that "Hall was the first swimmer to come over and congratulate us. Even though he dished it out, he was a true sportsman".
Team USA's Hall (48.24), Anthony Ervin (48.89), Neil Walker (48.31), and Jason Lezak (48.42) lost a powerful challenge to the Aussies only for the silver in a new American record of 3:13.86, the second-fastest time in history, finishing 1.25 seconds under their five-year-old world record. [5] Meanwhile, Brazil's team of Fernando Scherer (49.79), Gustavo Borges (48.61), Carlos Jayme (49.88), Edvaldo Silva Filho (49.12) earned their first ever relay medal in 20 years, as they took home the bronze with a time of 3:17.40. [6] [7]
Germany (3;17.77), Italy (3:17.85), Sweden (3:19.60), and France (3:21.00) rounded out the championship field, while the Russians, led by Popov, were disqualified due to an early relay launch from Andrey Kapralov on the lead-off leg. [7]
In the absence of Pieter van den Hoogenband on the morning prelims, the Dutch team posted an excellent time of 3:18.32 to lead the first heat, but was cast out of the final race for an early jumping attempt from Dennis Rijnbeek during the second exchange. [8]
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
World record | United States (USA) David Fox (49.32) Joe Hudepohl (49.11) Jon Olsen (48.17) Gary Hall Jr. (47.45) | 3:15.11 | Atlanta, United States | 12 August 1995 | [9] |
Olympic record | United States (USA) Jon Olsen (49.94) Josh Davis (49.00) Brad Schumacher (49.02) Gary Hall Jr. (47.45) | 3:15.41 | Atlanta, United States | 23 July 1996 | [9] |
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.
Date | Event | Name | Nationality | Time | Record |
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September 16 | Final | Michael Klim (48.18) WR Chris Fydler (48.48) Ashley Callus (48.71) Ian Thorpe (48.30) | Australia | 3:13.67 | WR |
Rank | Lane | Nation | Swimmers | Time | Time behind | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Australia | Michael Klim (48.18) WR Chris Fydler (48.48) Ashley Callus (48.71) Ian Thorpe (48.30) | 3:13.67 | WR | ||
4 | United States | Anthony Ervin (48.89) Neil Walker (48.31) Jason Lezak (48.42) Gary Hall Jr. (48.24) | 3:13.86 | 0.19 | AM | |
2 | Brazil | Fernando Scherer (49.79) Gustavo Borges (48.61) Carlos Jayme (49.88) Edvaldo Silva Filho (49.12) | 3:17.40 | 3.73 | ||
4 | 3 | Germany | Torsten Spanneberg (49.63) Christian Tröger (49.06) Stephan Kunzelmann (50.20) Stefan Herbst (48.88) | 3:17.77 | 4.10 | |
5 | 6 | Italy | Lorenzo Vismara (49.23) Klaus Lanzarini (49.46) Massimiliano Rosolino (49.70) Simone Cercato (49.46) | 3:17.85 | 4.18 | |
6 | 1 | Sweden | Stefan Nystrand (50.06) Lars Frölander (48.12) Mattias Ohlin (49.99) Johan Nyström (51.43) | 3:19.60 | 5.93 | |
7 | 8 | France | Frédérick Bousquet (50.88) Romain Barnier (49.68) Hugo Viart (49.79) Nicolas Kintz (50.65) | 3:21.00 | 7.33 | |
7 | Russia | Andrey Kapralov (50.44) Denis Pimankov Alexander Popov Dmitry Chernyshov | DSQ |
Pieter Cornelis Martijn van den Hoogenband is a Dutch retired swimmer. He is a triple Olympic champion and former world record holder.
Ian James Thorpe is an Australian retired swimmer who specialised in freestyle, but also competed in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the second most won by any Australian after fellow swimmer Emma McKeon. With three gold and two silver medals, Thorpe was the most successful athlete at the 2000 Summer Olympics, held in his hometown of Sydney.
The men's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2004 Summer Olympics was contested at the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece on August 17 and 18. There were 69 competitors from 62 nations. Nations had been limited to two swimmers each since the 1984 Games.
The men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay took place on 17 August at the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece.
Gary Wayne Hall Jr. is an American former competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics and won ten Olympic medals. He is a former world record-holder in two relay events. Hall is well known for his "pro-wrestling-like" antics before a competition; frequently strutting onto the pool deck in boxing shorts and robe, shadow boxing and flexing for the audience.
Grant George Hackett OAM is an Australian swimmer, most famous for winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history. He also collected a gold medal in Sydney for swimming in the heats of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. He was well regarded for his versatility, and has held the long course world records in the 200 m, 800 m, and 1500 m freestyle events. He dominated the 1500 m event for a decade, being undefeated in the event in finals from 1996 until the 2007 World Aquatics Championships. In total, he won 10 long-course world championship gold medals.
Todd Robert Pearson is an Australian swimming champion, who was born in Geraldton, Western Australia. He started swimming on the advice of a doctor treating his asthma. Pearson was vice captain of Hale School in 1994 where he spent time in Faulkner House and St George House. He was an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder.
Ashley John Callus is an Australian former sprint freestyle swimmer, who won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The men's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 21–22 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The men's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 19–20 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia. There were 73 competitors from 66 nations. Nations have been limited to two swimmers each since the 1984 Games.
The men's 200 metre freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 17–18 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia. There were 51 competitors from 44 nations, with each nation having up to two swimmers.
The men's 400 metre freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 16 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The women's 100 metre butterfly event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 16–17 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 22–23 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 19 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 16 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.
Heiko Hell is a German former swimmer, who specialized in long-distance freestyle events. He is a nine-time German swimming champion in the 400, 800, and 1500 m freestyle (2000–2004), and also a three-time Olympic finalist. Hell is a member of Hamburg City Swimming Club, and is coached and trained by Dirk Lange.
Vivienne Maria Rignall is a New Zealand former swimmer, who specialised in sprint freestyle events. Rignall represented New Zealand, as a 27-year-old, at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and eventually, at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, where she became a sixth-place finalist in the 50 m freestyle. She also holds a dual residency status to compete internationally for her parents' homeland.
Leonid Khokhlov is a Russian former swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle events. He represented Russia at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and later earned a bronze medal in the freestyle relay at the 2002 FINA Short Course World Championships.
Melanie Dodd is an Australian former swimmer who specialized in sprint freestyle events. She represented the host nation Australia, as a 27-year-old, at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and also trained for the Australian Institute of Sport, under Russian-based swim coach Gennadi Touretski. She won two medals, a silver and bronze, in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay at the 1995 FINA Short Course World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, and 1999 FINA Short Course World Championships in Hong Kong.