The 4x100 relay filmed completely underwater! - This is how swimming should be viewed!

Jason Lezak and Cullen Jones have more of a glide phase to their strokes than do the French or the Australians. That may not be a good thing. This race is even more amazing when viewed underwater than it was watching it from above.

Jason Leezak fundraiser - Help get Jason to London in 2012!

Admit it, the 4x100 freestyle was the greatest Olympic moment in the entire 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was better than seeing Dara place second or Phelps out-touch Cavic. It was like witnessing "divine intervention." If you want to contribute and/or witness the possibility of seeing lightening strike twice, check out this fundraiser.

Swim Coach Ahelee sent me this tidbit regarding the fundraiser: There will be an auction of various Olympic items, and one of the items is the LZR Racer suit that contributed to the 46.06 split during 4x100 free relay.

Click on the image to see a larger size.

The 'New York Times': How The USA won the 4 x 100 relay!

Visa congratulates Michael Phelps - Includes "This is Spaaaaarta" reaction to the 4x100 realy win!

"THIS IS SPAAAAAARTA!"

They ought to give Jason Lezak two gold medals, a sword and shield for that effort! What a hero! From Associated Press: "... When his veteran teammate touched the wall, Phelps let out a scream of triumph, punching his arms in the air as teammates Garrett Weber-Gale and Cullen Jones joined him in the celebrations.

"Unbelievable! Jason finished that race way better than we could have even asked for," Phelps said. "For that last 50, I was thinking 'this is going to be one close race'.

"The last 10 to 15 metres were incredible. I lost my voice, and I was definitely pretty emotional after that."

Trailing at the final turn, Lezak relentlessy pursued Bernard, but it wasn't until the final 10 meters that the American was able to pull level and, finally, edge ahead as he touched with an astonishing split of 46.06sec. ..." [Splits at Swimming World]

FINA World Swimming Championship: Back half of of the 4x100 Relay featuring Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak

I found a YouTube video of the 4x100 relay. Unfortunately it only shows the swims of, Cullen Jones, and a blazing fast, Jason Lezak. We missed the two great swims from Michael Phelps and Neil Walker. (Jason Lezak had the fastest American time of the four.)

Australian women beat the USA and Germans in the 4x100 relay

From Eurosport: "...Libby Lenton - formerly the 100m freestyle world record holder - got the race off to a flying start swimming the second fastest 100m in history to put Australia in front of the United States' Natalie Coughlin after the first leg ..." [Link]

Gold - AUS 3:35.48 Course Record
1.)LENTON (53.42), SCHLANGER (53.95), REESE (54.90), HENRY (53.21)

2.) Silver - USA 3:35.68 COUGHLIN (54.13), NYMEYER (53.50), WEIR (54.02), JOYCE (54.03)

3.) Bronze - NED 3:36.81 DEKKER (54.57), KROMOWIDJOJO (54.82), HEEMSKERK (54.13), VELDHUIS (53.29)

STEFFEN (52.65) Fastest time

Gold in the 4x100 relay

The USA stormed it but look at Magnini's time for Italia. Also the race featured two swimmers of African ethnicity: Sicot and Jones. From Eurosport: [Link]

1.) USA 3:12.72 Course Record
PHELPS (48.42), WALKER (48.31), JONES (48.67), LEZAK (47.32)

2.) 2. Silver - ITA 3:14.04
ROSOLINO (49.35), CALVI (49.06), GALENDA (48.45), MAGNINI (47.18) Fastest time

3. Bronze - FRA
3:14.68 GILOT (49.18), BOUSQUET (48.48), SICOT (48.84), BERNARD (48.18)

USA 4 x 100 freestyle relay WR at Pan Pacific Championships - Cullen Jones just storms it!

The cleanest video yet illustrating Cullen Jones' powerful stroke and flawless technique. Those swimming, Michael Phelps, Neil Walker, Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak.