Dec. 19, 2009
MANCHESTER, England -- Former Wildcats Matt Grevers and Mike Alexandrov combined for three gold medals and a silver for Team USA Saturday against the European All-Stars at the Duel in the Pool. Grevers set a world record as a member of the 400 free relay while Alexandrov captured his first American record swim.
The men of Team USA smashed the men's 400-meter free relay world record with an amazing time of 3:03.30. Nathan Adrian led off with an American record time of 45.08 in the 100 free. Adrian (45.08), Grevers (44.68), Garrett Weber-Gale (47.43) and Michael Phelps (46.11) completed the world record swim in 3:03.30. That time crushed the 3:04.98 previously held by France.
The event will be broadcast by NBC on December 27 from 1-3 p.m. CT. The event will be packaged into a two-hour special with the most exciting swims and moments from the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool.
Grevers also won the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 49.32 and won a silver medal with a 20.93 in the 50-meter freestyle. He is the second American male to ever break 21.00 in the event after finishing second in Saturday's race behind compatriot Adrian.
Alexandrov, who recently switched his sport nationality to the USA after competing in two Olympic Games for his native Bulgaria, set his first American record with a time of 57.16 to win the 100-meter breaststroke Saturday. The time broke the 2002 mark of 57.47 set by Ed Moses.
Combined with Friday's performances, Grevers and Alexandrov collectively earned five gold medals and a silver in Team USA's 185-78 victory over the European All-Stars in the two-day meet. For more information and results on the meet, visit SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
(Information from the linked recap was used in this NUsports.com report).