Texas-Ex Jimmy Feigen wins Olympic gold medal in 4x100m freestyle relay
RIO DE JANEIRO – Former Longhorn Jimmy Feigen won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, and UT rising sophomore Townley Haas advanced to the 200m freestyle finals Sunday night at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Feigen competed in the preliminary round of the 4x100m freestyle relay and helped the Americans qualify second for the final in 3:12.48 with his 48.55 leadoff leg.
Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian swam the event's final and brought home the gold in 3:09.92. Feigen earns a gold medal by way of his preliminary round swim.
France claimed the silver at 3:10.53 while Australia won the bronze in 3:11.37.
Feigen collects his first Olympic gold medal after winning silver in the same event four years ago in London. The San Antonio native, who won two NCAA individual titles and helped Texas to the 2010 NCAA team title, gives Texas men's swimming and diving its 43rd Olympic gold medal and 68th Olympic medal overall.
Haas placed fourth in his 200m freestyle semifinal heat in 1:45.92 and qualified sixth for Monday's final after advancing with room to spare from the preliminary round. Haas becomes the first Longhorn to swim the 200m freestyle final at an Olympic Games since Josh Davis at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Haas' placement in Monday's final is the latest accolade in a spectacular five-month span for the Richmond, Virginia, native. Haas won NCAA individual titles in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events and set NCAA and American records in the former event. He helped the Longhorns set an NCAA record in the 800-yard freestyle relay as Texas secured its 12th NCAA title.
Haas secured his place on the U.S. Olympic Team in June when he edged Conor Dwyer in the 200m freestyle final. Monday night, Haas goes for Olympic gold in the finals set for 10 p.m. local, 8 p.m. CT. The finals will air live on NBC.
