2000 Olympic 4x100m Freestyle Relay Results

A Look Back at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists

Context

Prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the 4x100-meter freestyle relay had been contested seven times at the Olympic Games. Australia had won the event twice, in 1956 and 1972. The United States had also won twice, in 1960 and 1964. France, East Germany, and the Soviet Union had each won once.

The 2000 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay was held on September 16, 2000, at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre. Sixteen teams competed in the event, with each team swimming two heats. The eight fastest teams advanced to the final.

Results

The final was a close race, with the United States, Australia, and France all in contention for the gold medal. In the end, the United States team of Anthony Ervin, Neil Walker, Jason Lezak, and Gary Hall Jr. won the gold medal in a time of 3:13.86. The Australian team of Michael Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus, and Ian Thorpe won the silver medal in a time of 3:14.16. The French team of Romain Barnier, Nicolas Kintz, Hugues Duboscq, and Frédérick Bousquet won the bronze medal in a time of 3:14.91.

Legacy

The 2000 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay was a memorable event. The United States team's victory was their first in the event since 1964. The Australian team's silver medal was their first in the event since 1972. The French team's bronze medal was their first in the event since 1952.

The 2000 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay is still considered one of the greatest races in Olympic history. It is a race that will be remembered for years to come.