LA County Olympian Helps US Post Fastest Time In Swim Relay

SAUGUS, CA — Saugus High School graduate Abbey Weitzeil helped the U.S. post the fastest time in Friday's heats of swimming's mixed 4x100-meter medley relay at the Paris Olympics.

With Weitzeil swimming the final leg in 53.36 seconds, the U.S. won the second of two heats in 3:40.98, topping Australia's time of 3:41.42 in the first heat at Paris La Defense Arena.

Weitzeil's time was fourth among the six women swimming the leg.

Mixed medley relay teams consist of two men and two women with the coach deciding the order of swimmers.

Regan Smith swam the opening butterfly leg in 57.87, the fastest of the four women swimming the leg and fifth-fastest overall.

Charlie Swanson swam the backstroke leg in 59.65, the second-fastest time, with seven of the eight coaches choosing a male for the leg, lifting the U.S. into second.

The Americans took the lead after Caleb Dressel swam the breaststroke leg in 50.10, the leg's fastest time.

The final will be held at 12:58 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) Saturday and be streamed on Peacock.

The U.S. has not announced its lineup and changes from the heat to the final are common.

Under Olympic rules, swimmers who swim in heats but not the final also receive medals.

The 27-year-old Weitzeil has won five Olympic medals including a silver medal for swimming a leg in a heat of the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay last Saturday.

Weitzeil graduated from Saugus High School in 2015 and received a bachelor's degree in health and welfare studies from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020.

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