USA roasted for 'questionable' relay tactics

3 years ago 415

American aquatics fans were near scratching their heads pursuing immoderate questionable tactics deployed by Team USA during the debut of the 4x100-metre mixed medley relay, successful which they finished fifth.

American aquatics sensation Caeleb Dressel's hopes of claiming six golden medals astatine the Tokyo Olympics contiguous was ended aft USA misfired during the relay event.

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Britain yet claimed the golden with a satellite grounds of 3 minutes, 37.58 seconds, portion metallic went to China successful 3:38.86. Australia took location the bronze with a clip of 3:38.95.

The lawsuit allows each squad gets to determine connected who swims successful each portion of the race. The Americans tried a antithetic strategy than everyone else, going with Dressel connected the freestyle portion the different 7 teams each closed with a woman.

Caeleb Dressel of Team United States (Getty)

When 18-year-old Torri Huske passed disconnected to Dressel aft the butterfly leg, the Americans were much than 7 seconds down the leaders successful past place.

That was excessively daunting adjacent for the world's top antheral swimmer. Dressel turned successful the fastest time, of course, but it wasn't astir capable to pursuit down each the teams up of him.

Following the missed opportunity, Americans flocked to Twitter to dependable their frustrations, which included the likes of legendary NFL subordinate Shannon Sharpe.

Another questionable maneuver by Team USA was the determination to permission Dressel, who earlier successful the time won golden successful the 100m fly, retired of the 4x200m last for an lawsuit that saw him utilized arsenic an anchor for the mixed relay.

Co-Founder and editor-in-chief of SwimSwam, Braden Keith, was 1 notable pundit who struggled to recognize the decision.

"If you determine it's each excessively galore swims, take the 800 and not the mixed 400. (Zach) Apple could've astir apt divided 46.9 too. Saved Dressel a swim," helium tweeted.

While determination are nary restrictions connected whether a antheral oregon pistillate swims a definite changeable successful the mixed medley relay, determination are immoderate wide strategies that teams travel astatine the highest levels.

Most teams enactment a pistillate connected the last freestyle limb due to the fact that the clip quality betwixt women and men is mostly little connected that changeable than the different three. The Americans switched things up with Dressel the lone antheral to aquatics the last leg.

- with AP

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