Luke Hobson (1:38.91) of the United States, on Friday, led off the 4x200m freestyle relay team to the fastest time ever in the individual 200m freestyle, becoming the first American to hold the record.
Hobson, age 21, took down Biedermann’s 1:39.37 from 2009 as he paved the way for the United States to demolish the record the team set in Melbourne 2022.
This was the oldest standing Short Course-Worlds World Record.
“On these relays I like getting these boys out as far ahead as possible,” Hobson said. “I think I did a good job today. I was super happy to lead off under the world record and I am super proud of these guys we crushed this world record.”
The team of Hobson (1:38.91), Carson Foster (1:40.77), Shaine Casas (1:40.34), and Kieran Smith (1:40.49) swam 6:40.51 to demolish the record they set two years ago at 6:44.12.
“I knew going into it that Luke was going to challenge that world record,” Foster said. “To see Luke swim the first three 50’s and he was under it and I said, it’s going down!
“I’m glad to jump in and do my job on the second leg and set these guys up to close it hard.
“I remember we said in 2022 that the world record was never going down, And we just broke it by four seconds.”
It was hardly a race as Australia finished second at 6:45.54 with the team of Max Giuliani (1:40.73), Edward Sommerville (1:41.03), Harrison Turner (1:42.21), and Elijah Winnington (1:41.57).
The relay medalists matched the medalists from Melbourne two years ago as Italy finished with the bronze at 6:47.51 with the team of Filippo Megli (1:42.26), Manuel Frigo (1:42.15), Carlos D’Ambrosio (1:41.48), and Alberto Razzetti (1:41.62).
The quickest splits outside the top three came from Germany’s Rafael Miroslaw (1:41.25), Germany’s Timo Sorgius (1:41.87), Roman Akimov (1:42.29) of the Neutral Athletes, and Germany’s Kaii Winkler (1:42.32).
Germany finished fourth at 6:50.43 ahead of Spain (6:52.74), the Neutral Athletes (6:53.89), China (6:54.56), and Japan (7:07.90).