The quartet, who rested their leading lights including powerhouse Michael Phelps, roared into the finals in a time of 3:12.23 that destroyed the record of 3:12.46 set at the 2006 Pan-Pacific championship in Canada.
Phelps, who can expect to compete in the final to continue his bid for a record eight golds in a single Olympics, had already won his first title of the Games in the 400 individual medley while he also qualified for the 200 freestyle semi-finals.
The world champions will face their toughest opponents in France, who were without 100 world record holder Alain Bernard but still qualified inside the old world record in 3:12.36.
Third placed Australia, with 50-metre world record holder Eamon Sullivan yet to figure, also broke the previous record in 3:12.41.
"That was fantastic, I can't complain much about today," said Matt Grevers, who swam the anchor leg for the United States.
"We've been talking all week about breaking that world record, the prelim guys, to show the final guys we're pretty good."
All squad members who swim in the qualifiers, even if not selected for the final, still get any medals won.
The record looks sure to be slashed further on Monday. Although the final line-up has yet to be confirmed, the United States are likely to summon Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale alongside Sunday's qualifier Cullen Jones.
"That relay out there tonight, that's a great relay. We're real glad they wanted to break that world record but tomorrow, two seconds better than that record will not win," said U.S. head coach Eddie Reese.
"The relay is going to be fast. The French were real, real good and they left off their world record holder and the second fastest guy at their trials. They're already two and a half seconds faster."
The French are likely to add Bernard, who has talked already about "smashing" the Americans in the relay, and Fabien Gilot.
"They didn't look at us. I could feel it, they were a little bit afraid of us," said French anchorman Frederick Bousquet of the Americans attitude to them in the ready room.
"Our goal was to beat the world record tonight. In a way we still did it.
"We did what we wanted do. Our coach told us that it was better to be second. It's looking very good for tomorrow. Fabien and Alain watched the race from the sofa and I know they'll have only one thing in mind tomorrow, give it everything."
No comments:
Post a Comment