By Stephen J. Thomas
ATHENS, August 20. SO this was only the prelims, correct?
And the USA has the best men's medley team by a country mile, right? So why swim your main man – Michael Phelps – in the fly leg when he has to swim the final of the individual race tonight?
OK, Ian Crocker will be there too this evening in what will be an exciting duel, but doesn't anyone else swim fly on the men's team?
We believe the reason was that young Michael was getting edgy without a swim this morning. So what the heck, why not swim just one more race? His race program this meet adds up to around 3.7km, which has had some scribes suggesting he should just swim the four legs of the relay on his own!
Phelps actually wasn't that fast this morning. He didn't have to be. His 52.43 for the fly leg was perfectly adequate for the task, as the USA team of Krayzelburg, Gangloff, Phelps and Walker was fastest in 3:35.10. Krayzelburg's leadoff backstroke leg of 54.27 would have earned him the silver in the individual event.
The US was followed by Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Hungary, France, Ukraine and Russia. Any one of this seven teams go take two minor medals.
Notice someone missing from this list? That's right, the Aussie men will not be in the final again. In Barcelona they were DQ'ed for a 'fast' change. Here they were just too bloody slow, finishing ninth.
Men 4 x 100m Medley Relay Heats
Record Splits NOC Location Date
WR 3:31.54 53.71 1:53.32 2:43.71 3:31.54 USA Barcelona (ESP) 27 JUL 2003
OR 3:33.73 53.87 1:53.71 2:45.81 3:33.73 USA Sydney (AUS) 23 SEP 2000
Final Event No: 32
Rank Heat Lane NOC Name R.T. 50m 100m Time Time
Behind
1 2 4 USA 3:35.10
KRAYZELBURG Lenny 0.63 26.26 54.27 54.27
GANGLOFF Mark 0.19 27.77 1:00.27 1:54.54
PHELPS Michael 0.28 24.95 52.43 2:46.97
WALKER Neil 0.38 22.63 48.13 3:35.10
2 2 8 GER 3:36.65 1.55
DRIESEN Steffen 0.72 26.72 54.75 54.75
KRUPPA Jens 0.45 27.88 1:00.80 1:55.55
MEEUW Helge Folkert 0.41 24.57 52.73 2:48.28
CONRAD Lars 0.30 23.17 48.37 3:36.65
3 2 2 GBR 3:36.94 1.84
TAIT Gregor 0.64 26.83 55.36 55.36
GIBSON James 0.09 27.47 1:00.30 1:55.66
HICKMAN James 0.06 24.23 52.23 2:47.89
KIDD Matthew 0.21 23.25 49.05 3:36.94
4 2 5 JPN 3:37.04 1.94
MORITA Tomomi 0.53 26.83 54.63 54.63
KITAJIMA Kosuke 0.23 27.99 59.69 1:54.32
YAMAMOTO Takashi 0.18 24.83 52.66 2:46.98
OKUMURA Yoshihiro 0.33 24.50 50.06 3:37.04
5 2 6 HUN 3:37.27 2.17
CSEH Laszlo 0.62 26.72 55.22 55.22
BODOR Richard 0.21 28.22 1:00.31 1:55.53
GASPAR Zsolt 0.26 24.31 52.96 2:48.49
ZUBOR Attila 0.30 23.45 48.78 3:37.27
6 2 3 FRA 3:37.60 2.50
DUFOUR Simon 0.69 27.43 55.69 55.69
DUBOSCQ Hugues 0.06 27.96 1:00.10 1:55.79
ESPOSITO Franck 0.20 24.53 52.52 2:48.31
BOUSQUET Frederick 0.17 23.21 49.29 3:37.60
7 1 4 RUS 3:38.07 2.97
VYATCHANIN Arkady 0.84 27.72 55.47 55.47
SLUDNOV Roman 0.36 28.62 1:01.22 1:56.69
KOROTYSHKIN Evgeny 0.15 24.42 52.35 2:49.04
KAPRALOV Andrey 0.06 22.75 49.03 3:38.07
8 1 3 UKR 3:38.85 3.75
ILLICHOV Pavlo 0.72 27.62 56.40 56.40
DYMO Valeriy 0.09 28.78 1:01.23 1:57.63
SYLANTYEV Denys 0.23 24.33 52.41 2:50.04
YEGOSHIN Yuriy 0.00 23.05 48.81 3:38.85
9 1 5 AUS 3:39.14 4.04
WELSH Matt 0.64 26.92 55.36 55.36
PIPER Jim 0.35 28.95 1:02.10 1:57.46
PINE Adam 0.00 24.63 53.02 2:50.48
KLIM Michael 0.19 23.40 48.66 3:39.14
10 1 6 CAN 3:39.36 4.26
JANES Riley 0.70 27.13 56.17 56.17
BROWN Mike 0.18 29.29 1:01.73 1:57.90
MINTENKO Michael 0.12 24.02 52.48 2:50.38
HAYDEN Brent 0.10 23.36 48.98 3:39.36
11 1 2 FIN 3:41.64 6.54
SIEVINEN Jani 0.59 27.70 56.84 56.84
PIHLAVA Jarno 0.12 28.36 1:01.39 1:58.23
HARD Jere -0.01 24.03 53.19 2:51.42
RAJAKYLA Matti 0.18 23.37 50.22 3:41.64
12 2 1 NZL 3:42.74 7.64
TALBOT CAMERON Scott 0.64 27.39 56.11 56.11
LABOWITCH Ben 0.09 29.17 1:03.88 1:59.99
SWANEPOEL Corney 0.00 24.03 52.41 2:52.40
GIBSON Cameron 0.28 23.91 50.34 3:42.74
13 2 7 RSA 3:43.94 8.84
ZANDBERG Gerhard 0.73 26.47 56.23 56.23
PARKIN Terence 0.46 29.86 1:03.89 2:00.12
BOTES Eugene 0.35 25.32 54.57 2:54.69
THANING Karl Otto 0.03 22.88 49.25 3:43.94
14 1 7 SLO 3:44.17 9.07
MEDVESEK Blaz 0.76 27.68 56.47 56.47
TAHIROVIC Emil 0.23 28.56 1:02.52 1:58.99
MANKOC Peter 0.20 24.97 53.75 2:52.74
GODEC Jernej 0.34 24.12 51.43 3:44.17
15 1 1 BRA 3:44.41 9.31
MACHADO Paulo 0.63 28.20 57.33 57.33
FISCHER Eduardo 0.29 28.86 1:02.58 1:59.91
ALMEIDA Kaio 0.28 24.91 53.52 2:53.43
SOUZA Jader 0.49 24.44 50.98 3:44.41
1 8 ITA DSQ
MERISI Emanuele 0.61 27.46 56.55 56.55
BOSSINI Paolo -0.06
NALESSO Mattia
VASSANELLI Giacomo