BEIJING – Whatever endorsements Michael Phelps gets after these Olympics, a cut should go to Jason Lezak.
Lezak, a 32-year-old Californian, swam the fastest relay leg in history, coming from way behind to edge out former world-record holder Alain Bernard of France to capture the gold in the men’s 4×100-meter relay earlier today. The remarkable swim gave Michael Phelps, who swam the first leg of the race, his second gold medal of these Olympics and kept him on track for his shot at a record eight golds.
PHOTOS: Men Win 4×100 Freestyle
“His last 50 meters were absolutely incredible,” Phelps said of Lezak. “He had a perfect finish.”
Phelps let out a primal scream as Lezak reached the wall and the National Aquatics Center erupted. The winning time of 3:08.24 was a world record.
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The victory was particularly sweet for the Americans because Bernard predicted the French team would “smash” the Americans. Instead, Lezak ran him down and sent him home with a silver.
Bronx native Cullen Jones gave up the lead in the third leg of the race, getting passed by Frenchman Frederick Bousquet. The French lead was 0.59 seconds when Lezak dove into the pool. After his first 50 meters the deficit grew to 0.82. That’s when he turned on the jets.
“The thought crossed my find for a split second that there’s no way,” Lezak said. “I just got like a supercharge and took it from there.”
Lezak swam an amazing 24.56 over the last 50 meters, reaching out to touch the wall just before Bernard. Lezak is the American record holder in the 100 meters with a time of 47.52, and Bernard’s world record is 47.50. Bernard swam 46.06 in his final 100.
“It was a crazy thing to watch,” said Garrett Weber-Gale, who gave the Americans the lead during the second leg. “I said if there’s a guy on this team, or in the world, to pull this off, it’s Jason.”
The three U.S. team members had to listen to the chatter here and back home that they might be the weak links that cost Phelps his shot at history. Instead, they made history of their own. The 23-year-old Phelps is now a quarter of the way to the record eight gold medals. He’s back in the pool tonight for the 200-meter freestyle final.
Phelps opened today’s race and swam his 100 in 47.51, leaving the U.S. team in second after his leg. After Weber-Gale gave the U.S. the lead, Jones swam the third leg. The only African-American swimmer here, he was born in The Bronx and grew up in Irvington, N.J. It appeared he might cost the team the medal when his time of 47.65 put them back behind France, setting up Lezak’s dramatic swim.
In other swimming events, American Brendan Hansen finished a disappointing fourth in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. Hansen, the world record holder entering the race, was considered a favorite for the gold medal but finished .066 seconds behind gold medalist Kosuke Kitajima of Japan, who set a new world record of 58.91.
Katie Hoff was beaten to the wall by Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington and had to settle for silver in the women’s 400-meter freestyle. She already has a bronze from these Games in the 400-meter IM.
Christine Magnuson of Illinois took silver in the women’s 100-meter butterfly. Magnuson was third at the turn but had the quickest final 50 meters to finish second to Australia’s Libby Trickett.