I can understand non-swimmers calling the Men's 400 Free Relay the "best swimming relay ever", but I even hear many long time swimmers calling it that too. I'm not saying it isn't (especially in the context of being part of Phelps' 8 gold's quest), but there are others to consider.
Does anyone remember the 1984 Olympic Men's 800 Free Relay in Los Angeles, in particular the anchor leg of USA's Bruce Hayes versus West Germany's Michael Gross? Gross was the 200 LCM Free WR holder, winning the 200 by 1.7 seconds and highly considered not just unbeatable, but untouchable (West Germany also had the 200 Free 3rd place finisher on their relay). Gross was a touch behind Hayes at the start, but quickly made up the difference, with Hayes fading even more. Some how, some way, with the same inner resolve that Lezak displayed, he came back and overtook Gross for a win by .04. I found several references to the final times on the internet, I wish I could find the splits from that race. Here's one result I found: www.databaseolympics.com/.../gamessport.htm
It's easy to say the current relay was a better win, but I think a lot of that is just because it's so fresh in our minds. And I still might pick the current relay as the best myself, but considering that 800 Free Relay, it's not the obvious hands down choice that people make it out to be.
Just my opinions, just my thought. Either way, the USA won them both, and I couldn't be happier!
Joe (joemagiera at ameritech dot net)
joemagiera@ameritech.net
In both relay examples, the anchor leg of the winning team dove in first. They were resilient to hold off the other team, but the 400 free relay in 2008 was an exact reversal.
In 1984 and in 2000, the winning anchor-leg swimmers (Bruce Hayes and Ian Thorpe) were not considered to be faster than the men chasing them (Michael Gross and Gary Hall Jr.). So, yes, the winners dug deep to hold off the superior swimmer (just as Klete Keller did in 2004).
But in this case, Lezak was chasing down the world record holder (at least before te race started), a man who had swum the fastest split in history in the prelims. No one at the elite level can chase down someone that's a body length in front -- unless the man they are chasing splits 21.6 and hugs the lane line. It was sheer triumph of the will.
In both relay examples, the anchor leg of the winning team dove in first. They were resilient to hold off the other team, but the 400 free relay in 2008 was an exact reversal.
In 1984 and in 2000, the winning anchor-leg swimmers (Bruce Hayes and Ian Thorpe) were not considered to be faster than the men chasing them (Michael Gross and Gary Hall Jr.). So, yes, the winners dug deep to hold off the superior swimmer (just as Klete Keller did in 2004).
But in this case, Lezak was chasing down the world record holder (at least before te race started), a man who had swum the fastest split in history in the prelims. No one at the elite level can chase down someone that's a body length in front -- unless the man they are chasing splits 21.6 and hugs the lane line. It was sheer triumph of the will.
