United States Building Case as Men’s 400 Free Relay Favorites
When we last checked on the U.S. men’s 400 freestyle relay, there were trouble spots that needed addressing. After an undefeated run during the five major meets when Caeleb Dressel was leading off the squad, the Americans ended up with bronze at the 2023 World Championships, and they may have been off the podium entirely if not for the strong squad from Great Britain getting disqualified in prelims.
The group that swam last year in Fukuoka included veteran Ryan Held on the leadoff leg before international rookies Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano and Matt King finished up. Held struggled down the stretch of his leg, while the younger swimmers behind him acquitted themselves nicely. Still, there was uncertainty; would the Americans be able to assemble a squad capable of winning gold by the time the Paris Olympics rolled around in one year?
Well, the developments over the past few months have been extremely promising for that endeavor, thanks to both long course results and times recorded in short course yards during the just-concluded collegiate season.
Chris Guiliano — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Let’s begin in long course with the Americans who have excelled over the past year. Alexy broke out at the World Championships when he won silver in the 100 free in 47.31, becoming the second-fastest American ever. Then, in February 2024, Guiliano became the fifth American man under 47.5 as he clocked 47.49 in a time trial the day after the ACC Championships. Over the past two years, only six men total have posted times under 47.5, and two of them are Americans. That’s a pretty good starting point.
It’s worth noting that Alexy has shown clear improvement over the past year, with 100-meter in-season times of 48.24, 48.28 and 48.37, whereas his early-season top mark a season ago was above 49. At the recent NCAA Championships, Alexy dropped several tenths in both the 50 and 100-yard free, hanging tough in events where short course specialists were dominant, and he went from not even swimming the 200-yard free last season to dropping three seconds from his best time (1:29.75) and moving to No. 7 all-time in Indianapolis, a great sign for his improvement in the long course 100-meter race.
Held, Destin Lasco and King have all posted sub-48 times within the past year, with King splitting as fast as 47.32 on relays at both the 2023 and 2024 World Championships and qualifying for the individual 100 free final at the most recent Worlds in February. The only swimmer out of that trio to swim at the recent NCAA Championships was Lasco, who swam American records in winning both the 200-yard IM and 200-yard backstroke, more promising signs for this year.
Luke Hobson is another name to watch after impressive performances at both the February World Championships and again at the NCAA Championships. He won World Championships bronze in the 200 free and recorded a relay split as quick as 47.68. Then, he swam the fastest time ever in the 200-yard free (1:28.81) on the way to winning the NCAA title in that event, and he posted a sub-41 100-yard split for the first time in his career. While the 200 free will be his main event at the upcoming Olympic Trials, there is a real chance for Hobson to get below 48 in the individual event.
Also in 2023, both Jonny Kulow and Maximus Williamson split sub-48 in international competition, and Brooks Curry has been sub-48 from a flat start in the past (2022).
Caeleb Dressel — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Perhaps most significantly, Dressel has shown signs of returning to top form following his extended break from the sport. His freestyle has lagged behind his butterfly form, but at last month’s TYR Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Ill., Dressel swam a time of 48.57 to finish just two tenths behind Alexy.
With all that in mind, we cannot anoint the American men as gold-medal favorites, not yet. But imagine what is possible at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis this June.
Alexy and Guiliano have become the obvious favorites in the 100 free given their recent form. Dressel owns a best time of 46.96, which is the American record he clocked in winning the world title in the event in 2019, but he won’t need to get back to that speed in order to make a significant impact on the 400 free relay.
Imagine Dressel reaching the 47-mid range. This all-important selection meet usually produces a flurry of improvements, so could at least three out of King, Hobson, Curry, Williamson, Lasco and Held reach 47.8 or so? Probably. And we haven’t mentioned the likes of Macguire McDuff, Justin Ress, Drew Kibler and Hunter Armstrong. We also cannot forget about Blake Pieroni, a two-time Olympian on the comeback trail who has already hit 48-second swims this year.
Over the past few months, the potential swimmers that could race for the Stars and Stripes in Paris have impressed to an extent that it could take a sub-48 swim or very close to even reach the final at Olympic Trials. A field that quick is likely to produce a formidable challenger for Olympic gold.
