By Phillip Whitten
ATHENS, August 17. TIME was when the men's 4 x 200m relay belonged to the USA. But in recent years, Australia has dominated the event, winning over the US and other opponents by embarrassingly huge margins.
But that was then and this is now.
Australia still has its core — Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett. But te US duo of Michael Phelps and Klete Keller is not very far behind — less than a second — and Keller is a superb relay swimmer.
It's in the third and fourth swimmers that the advantage now appears to be with Uncle Sam. The lads from Down Under sorely miss the pre-injury Michael Klim and the retired Daniel Kowalski.
The USA could use a proven veteran like Josh Davis, but seems to have several youngsters eager to bust a gut for the gold.
This morning, the US B Team whupped the Aussie B team by two full seconds — 7:12.8 to 7:14.8. Germany was another two seconds in arrears.
The US had two rookies split 1:47s: Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay. Only Nick Sprenger was able to split a 1:47 for the Green and Gold.
The US has a definite edge heading into the finals.
The surprising Greeks made it into the final, but Brazil and Russia, medalists in this event in the recent past, afiled to make the cut.
Men 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Heats
Record Splits NOC Location Date
WR 7:04.66 25.09
3:57.69 51.72
4:24.84 1:18.82
4:52.67 1:46.11
5:20.52 2:10.89
5:44.20 2:38.04
6:11.15 3:05.30
6:38.13 3:32.60
AUS Fukuoka (JPN) 27 JUL 2001
OR 7:07.05 24.67
3:57.22 52.01
4:24.47 1:19.05
4:52.12 1:46.03
5:19.79 2:10.04
5:44.58 2:37.23
6:11.82 3:04.98
6:39.52 3:32.43
AUS Sydney (AUS) 19 SEP 2000
Final Event No: 19
Rank Heat Lane NOC Name R.T. 50m 100m 150m 200m Time Time
Behind
1 1 4 USA 7:12.80
GOLDBLATT Scott 0.71 25.99 53.76 1:21.65 1:49.53 1:49.53
LOCHTE Ryan 0.35 24.59 51.83 1:19.39 1:47.39 3:36.92
KETCHUM Dan 0.42 25.40 52.50 1:20.77 1:48.10 5:25.02
VANDERKAAY Peter 0.11 24.60 52.01 1:19.97 1:47.78 7:12.80
2 2 4 AUS 7:14.85 2.05
PEARSON Todd 0.81 25.77 53.45 1:21.52 1:49.09 1:49.09
MATKOVICH Antony 0.10 25.46 52.93 1:20.69 1:49.34 3:38.43
SPRENGER Nicholas 0.23 24.95 51.95 1:19.78 1:47.73 5:26.16
STEVENS Craig 0.08 25.60 53.10 1:21.07 1:48.69 7:14.85
3 1 5 GER 7:16.75 3.95
OESTERLING Johannes 0.85 26.39 54.22 1:22.26 1:50.37 1:50.37
HERBST Stefan 0.09 24.45 51.52 1:19.96 1:48.92 3:39.29
HELL Heiko 0.19 25.44 52.72 1:20.91 1:48.66 5:27.95
KELLER Christian 0.18 24.59 51.77 1:20.28 1:48.80 7:16.75
4 2 6 GBR 7:17.41 4.61
BURNETT Simon 0.75 26.77 54.44 1:22.50 1:50.43 1:50.43
DAVENPORT Ross 0.30 25.30 52.77 1:21.24 1:49.24 3:39.67
MEADOWS Gavin 0.16 24.51 51.80 1:20.24 1:48.46 5:28.13
CARRY David 0.31 25.22 52.85 1:20.99 1:49.28 7:17.41
5 1 3 CAN 7:18.05 5.25
JOHNSTON Mark 0.86 26.14 54.07 1:22.39 1:50.87 1:50.87
HURD Andrew 0.18 25.23 52.99 1:21.11 1:48.86 3:39.73
JOHNS Brian 0.20 24.91 52.58 1:20.74 1:48.73 5:28.46
SAY Rick 0.30 25.21 52.80 1:21.22 1:49.59 7:18.05
6 2 5 ITA 7:18.26 5.46
PELLICIARI Matteo 0.92 26.41 54.07 1:22.58 1:50.63 1:50.63
CERCATO Simone 0.46 25.69 53.18 1:21.03 1:49.08 3:39.71
CAPPELLAZZO Federico 0.27 25.58 53.51 1:21.75 1:50.08 5:29.79
ROSOLINO Massimiliano 0.36 25.66 52.89 1:20.92 1:48.47 7:18.26
7 2 2 GRE 7:19.71 6.91
ZISIMOS Andreas 0.86 25.84 53.55 1:22.17 1:50.99 1:50.99
MANGANAS Dimitrios 0.37 25.51 53.51 1:22.20 1:50.21 3:41.20
ANTONOPOULOS Apostolos 0.24 25.10 53.01 1:21.29 1:48.58 5:29.78
XYLOURIS Nikolaos 0.58 25.24 52.46 1:20.98 1:49.93 7:19.71
8 1 6 FRA 7:21.31 8.51
LEVEAUX Amaury 0.76 26.01 54.19 1:22.43 1:49.65 1:49.65
HORTH Fabien 0.23 24.94 52.36 1:20.98 1:49.64 3:39.29
KINTZ Nicolas 0.13 25.27 53.24 1:21.71 1:50.36 5:29.65
ROSTOUCHER Nicolas 0.45 25.81 53.83 1:22.78 1:51.66 7:21.31
9 2 7 BRA 7:22.70 9.90
CASTRO Rodrigo 0.69 26.40 54.31 1:22.83 1:50.67 1:50.67
BONFIM Bruno 0.31 25.71 53.83 1:22.59 1:51.45 3:42.12
JAYME Carlos 0.16 24.63 52.63 1:21.67 1:51.46 5:33.58
MOSCA Rafael 0.03 24.79 52.35 1:20.90 1:49.12 7:22.70
10 1 2 CHN 7:22.87 10.07
LIU Yu 0.83 26.15 54.08 1:22.81 1:51.36 1:51.36
CHEN Zuo 0.47 25.29 53.09 1:22.07 1:49.79 3:41.15
ZHENG Kunliang 0.44 25.68 53.63 1:22.05 1:51.34 5:32.49
HUANG Shaohua 0.47 25.01 52.51 1:21.05 1:50.38 7:22.87
11 2 3 RUS 7:23.97 11.17
KUZNETSOV Maxim 0.84 25.75 53.84 1:22.40 1:50.81 1:50.81
ZATSEPINE Alexei 0.16 25.24 53.07 1:22.43 1:51.75 3:42.56
GANZEY Stepan 0.32 25.01 52.74 1:21.33 1:50.18 5:32.74
NATSVIN Evgeny 0.25 25.60 53.65 1:22.50 1:51.23 7:23.97
12 1 7 UKR 7:24.13 11.33
PHYESENKO Serhii 0.91 26.33 54.45 1:22.91 1:50.86 1:50.86
KOKOSHA Maksym 0.31 25.27 53.82 1:22.94 1:52.03 3:42.89
VEREITINOV Dmytro 0.43 25.82 53.62 1:21.67 1:50.34 5:33.23
ADVENA Sergii 0.40 26.42 54.21 1:22.73 1:50.90 7:24.13
13 2 1 CZE 7:26.26 13.46
RUBACEK Michal 0.82 25.78 53.84 1:22.52 1:51.37 1:51.37
SVOBODA Kvetoslav 0.23 25.16 52.61 1:20.58 1:49.25 3:40.62
HORKY Josef 0.15 25.74 54.33 1:23.31 1:53.29 5:33.91
SKACHA Martin 0.42 25.12 53.00 1:22.42 1:52.35 7:26.26
14 1 8 POR 7:27.99 15.19
MONTEIRO Luis 0.88 26.08 53.96 1:22.63 1:50.43 1:50.43
NIZ Adriano 0.42 25.76 54.34 1:23.29 1:52.35 3:42.78
ARAUJO Joao 0.14 26.42 55.10 1:25.10 1:54.50 5:37.28
PIRES Miguel 0.51 25.43 53.04 1:21.68 1:50.71 7:27.99
15 1 1 MEX 7:29.54 16.74
ILIKA BRENNER Josh 0.76 25.90 53.97 1:22.32 1:51.01 1:51.01
SIQUEIROS QUIROZ Alejandro 0.31 25.29 53.21 1:22.44 1:52.51 3:43.52
DIAZ GONZALEZ Javier 0.33 25.98 53.81 1:22.75 1:53.34 5:36.86
SALINAS SALDANA Leonardo 0.11 26.64 55.26 1:24.11 1:52.68 7:29.54
16 2 8 HUN 7:31.78 18.98
KEREKJARTO Tamas 0.72 26.52 54.96 1:23.84 1:52.65 1:52.65
GERCSAK Balazs 0.41 26.39 54.97 1:24.32 1:54.03 3:46.68
MAKANY Balazs 0.14 25.38 53.99 1:23.57 1:52.75 5:39.43
SZUCS Tamas 0.54 25.75 53.97 1:23.15 1:52.35 7:31.78