FINA World Junior Swimming Championships
Budapest 2019
Day Six Finals (Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay)
- World Junior Record:
3:35.17, Russia (2018) - Championships Record:
3:36.15, United States (2017)
The Russian Federation ended the United States’ perfect streak in relays on the final night of the World Juniors in Budapest with a world junior record in the men’s 4×100 medley relay. Both the Russians and the Americans were under the old world junior record as Russia’s 2018 record was obliterated. The team of Nikolay Zuev (53.84), Vladislav Gerasimenko (59.53), Andrei Minakov (50.93) and Aleksandr Shchegolev (48.89) swam a 3:33.19 to take their Youth Olympics . record down by nearly two full seconds.
It wasn’t easy though with the Americans trailing in second at 3:33.66. Their team of Will Grant (54.45), Josh Matheny (59.55), Blake Manoff (51.72) and Adam Chaney (47.94) gave the Americans all the could handle but had to settle for the runner-up.
The Russians were big favorites coming into the relay with Gerasimenko and Minakov having won golds in the breast and fly, and Zuev winning silver in 100 back. The Americans were also expected to be tough but lacked the star power that the Russians possessed. Matheny won silver in the 100 breast but he was the only one of the four to win medals in the 100 of their strokes. Chaney was the bronze medal winner in the 50 free and Grant led off the mixed medley relay in a time that would have won the bronze so they had talent, but the big question mark was with Manoff, who was over a second behind Minakov in the individual 100 fly final.
Nonetheless, the Americans gave the Russians all they could handle, including Chaney coming home in a monstrous 47.9 to nearly take down Shchegolev, but it was not enough as the Russians win their first relay gold medal in Budapest after four silver medal performances in the men’s free relays and both mixed relays.
The Canadians won the bronze medal at 3:36.35 after the Italians originally touched third but ended up getting disqualified for an illegal takeover by butterflyer Federico Burdisso. The Canadian team of Cole Pratt (54.79), Gabe Mastromatteo (59.82), Joshua Liendo (51.90) and Finlay Knox (49.84) got to stand on the podium to see their flag hoisted amongst the Americans and Russians.
Hungary (3:40.46) finished a distant fourth as they never were really in medal contention. Australia (3:41.28), Brazil (3:42.34) and Czech Republic (3:42.63) also competed in the final.
| 1 |  RUS |
3:33.19, WJ, CR | Zuev, 53.84, | Gerasimenko, 59.53, | Minakov, 50.93, | Shchegolev, 48.89 | |
| 2 |  USA |
3:33.66 | Grant, 54.45, | Matheny, 59.55, | Manoff, 51.72, | Chaney, 47.94 | |
| 3 |  CAN |
3:36.35 | Pratt, 54.79, | Mastromatteo, 59.82, | Liendo, 51.90, | Knox, 49.84 | |
| 4 |  HUN |
3:40.46 | Jaszo, 55.83, | Bohm, 1:02.27, | Kos, 52.98, | Zombori, 49.38 | |
| 5 |  AUS |
3:41.28 | Edwards-Smith, 55.26, | Yong, 1:02.46, | Quach, 54.42, | Neill, 49.14 | |
| 6 |  BRA |
3:42.34 | Figueiredo, 56.29, | Martins, 1:02.90, | Bondra, 53.18, | Sartori, 49.97 | |
| 7 |  CZE |
3:42.63 | Cejka, 55.28, | Matatko, 1:02.69, | Lunak, 54.37, | Prochazka, 50.29 | |
 ITA |
DSQ |
all is good. This is what competition is all about.