(L-R) Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, Jack Conger and Michael Chadwick pose after winning the men's freestyle 4x50m at FINA World Swimming Championships on Dec. 14, 2018 in Hangzhou, China.
Another American record fell at the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Hangzhou, China, on Friday, as two-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel picked up a pair of medals. Team USA had podium finishes in four events on day four of the short course championships.
Dressel swam the 50-meter freestyle leg of the men’s 4x50 freestyle in 20.43 seconds, even faster than his time 20.51 in the semifinals of the men’s individual event, which lowered the U.S. record.
The U.S. would go on to win gold in the relay before Dressel competed in the individual 50-meter freestyle later in the evening, where he swam a 20.54 to pick up the silver medal. Russia’s Vladimir Morozov, the 2012 champion in the event, took gold with a time of 20.33, and South Africa’s Brad Tandy got the bronze after Great Britain’s Ben Proud was disqualified.
The U.S. made it 6-for-6 in relays with the gold medal and a world record in the men’s 4x50 freestyle to open the evening’s finals. Dressel, Ryan Held, Jack Conger and Michael Chadwick finished in 1:21.80 to defeat Russia (1:22.22) and Italy (1:22.90) in the other medal positions.
It was a tight race in the men’s 50-meter backstroke, with Russia’s Evgeny Rylov just edging three-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy of Team USA and Shane Ryan of Ireland. Rylov finished in 22.58 with Murphy at 22.63 and Ryan at 22.76.
Kelsi Dahlia also picked up a medal in the women’s 50-meter butterfly, taking the bronze in 24.97 behind the Netherlands’ Ranomi Kromowidjojo (24.47) and Australia’s Holly Barratt (24.80). Dahlia now has six medals in Hangzhou.
Team USA finished fourth in the men’s 4x200 freestyle relay to end their winning streak in relay events.
The competition continues through Sunday.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.