Alexy accelerates to the wall for 100m free win
Jack Alexy swam the men's 100m freestyle in 47.14 seconds, good for a Championship Record and gold in the men's 100m freestyle at the Pan Pacific Championships. Patrick Sammon of the U.S. secured the silver.
Video Transcript
Rowdy Jack Alexy looms large.
He's 6'8" tall only in size and speed.
He's the fast, or fourth fastest performer in the history of this event.
Yeah, and only eight guys in history have ever broken 47.
Two Americans, Alexy and Caeleb Dressel, and then you've got Patrick Salmon, who has such a great back half.
I mean, he'll come on like fire here if he's anywhere close to this field.
Keep an eye on the dark horse, I think, in this field, Gui Kourib.
He was 47.1 last year, third in the rural, but has a tall order with these two Americans from a very, very fast.
Kourib up there in lane number three from Brazil.
Take your marks.
Got the first 50 of Alexy, the second 50 of Salmon.
Kourib also has a m- an amazing first 50.
He'll be out lightning fast.
And that's him.
Yeah.
He had a blue cap, ahead of Alexy right now in the lead, but the length of Alexy and the speed taking over on the turn.
It's the American by almost three-tenths.
Salmon third best.
22.4 on the way out.
Now he's breathing wide.
He can see Kourib next to him, and here comes Salmon, though.
Again, his back half is so good.
Here he comes.
Here comes Salmon.
Alexy right there.
Alexy still in front.
Salmon with a late charge.
Alexy gonna hang on and grab gold.
Salmon will make it one-two, and it's a championship record for Jack Alexy, 47.14 seconds to take the win.
Salmon there in second spot, only about a tenth and a half off his lifetime best.
Solid.
You know, I know he probably wanted to be under 47, but when you're bunched up a lot of really fast swimmers in here, you had three guys go under 48, I mean, that's, that's a great swim.
He should nod his head in appreciation.
Salmon, Alexy right next to each other, Salmon on the left, Alexy on the right.
Boy, Alexy looked so easy going out, 22.4.
Jason, that's really good going out, and he's 24.7 coming back.
How many 24's have we had when they go 46 plus?
Right there in the middle, Salmon charging on on Kourib right here, and then you just saw that great American sprinter.
Now, you don't wanna miss the 400 free relay here in Irvine.
So the Americans in the top two spots.
Jacks- Jack Alexy with gold for Team USA, Salmon with silver, Kourib in there for bronze.
Jack, congratulations.
Amazing swim.
You took off like a bat out of you know what.
Whoa.
You're coming back off of illness.
Does that make this victory sweeter?
Yeah, a little bit.
I was, It's been a challenging season, and first year out of college as a professional, it's always a, hard transition.
So I'm proud of myself for how I handled my emotions and energy throughout the season and how I came here and raced.
The men's 100 meter freestyle is a very anticipated race.
What's going through your mind as you're walking out of this tunnel?
I mean, honestly, Chris set the stage for that one.
Chris and Destin, in the B final and just tried to, gulp energy and, race the field there.
I think I'm really excited for the 400 freestyle relay tomorrow.
I don't know about you guys, but- really excited for it.
You shouting out your teammates brings up how competitive prelims is.
Does it give you a little bit more anxiety going to prelims, more nerves?
Or how do you handle that competition just in the morning?
Yeah, I definitely have to handle expectations in the morning a little bit more than, world championships or Olympics.
I kind of looked at this meet like, national, like NCAAs, having to go really fast in the morning to earn a spot in the final.
And having the top four guys in prelims be an American, it really shows the depth of United States, not only in the 100 freestyle, but in every event we have here.
Congratulations.
Irvine, please give it up for your 100 meter freestyle champion.
