Caeleb Dressel anchors relay to Team USA’s first gold medal of Paris Olympics
Eric Goodman
It didn’t take Team USA long to reach the top step of the swimming podium at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as the U.S. men’s 4x100m freestyle relay team secured the nation’s first gold of the Games in dominant fashion.
The American relay squad, featuring Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel, combined to post a time of 3:09.28, good enough for gold by more than a second over silver medalists Australia. Italy finished third to claim the bronze.
The U.S. extended its winning streak in the event to three consecutive Games. The Americans have won gold in 11 of the last 13 editions of the men’s 4x100m free relay at the Olympics.
For Dressel, the victory marked his eighth-career gold medal across three Olympics, elevating him into a tie with countryman Matt Biondi for third all-time in the sport.
Guiliano and Alexy, both 21, earned gold medals in the first race of their Olympic careers. For Armstrong, it’s a second career gold medal after the Tokyo men’s 4x100m medley relay, where he swam in the prelims only. The 23-year-old Ohioan posted the best split of the quartet, completing his third leg in 46.75 seconds.
Matt King and Ryan Held, who swam for the U.S. in Saturday morning’s prelims, will also receive gold medals.
