Notre Dame senior Chris Guiliano won his first gold medal after competing in the men's 4x100 freestyle relay. Guiliano was accompanied by Caeleb Dressel, Jack Alexy, and Hunter Armstrong, as they comfortably beat Australia and Italy, who came in second and third respectively. Guiliano becomes just the 33rd Notre Dame athlete to win a medal in the Summer Olympics.
Photo via Notre Dame Athletics
The US men's relay team were favorites going into the final race, but only by a slim margin. Australia's team was deemed a close second that could very well have beaten the US, as these two countries have always had a rivalry in the swimming pool. The race was neck and neck when Guiliano was tagged in, and by the time he swam the length of the pool twice, he had given the US a lead. The lead Guiliano gained was never let up, and even grew toward the end of the race. This gold medal was the first one of the olympics for the US swimmers, a huge momentum boost for all the swimmers, especially considering the magnitude of this particular event.
During his time at Notre Dame, Guiliano has had an incredibly accomplished career. He recently won the 2024 ACC Swimmer of the Year, and he's a six-time 2024 All-American, four-time ACC champion, and holds many of Notre Dame's school records. Along with this, he's won some awards, and has been named team captain .
Guiliano's time in Paris is just getting started, however. He will also compete in the 50, 100, and 200 meter freestyle, along with another relay in the 4x200 freestyle. He isn't the only Notre Dame athlete competing in this year's olympics, though. Korbin Albert is on this year's women's soccer team. Her time at Notre Dame was cut short when she signed a contract to play professional soccer in 2023. Molly Bruggerman graduated from Notre Dame in 2014, and she will now be competing in this year's rowing event. Nick Itkin, Lee Kiefer, Gerek Meinhardt, and Magda Skarbonkiewicz are all former Notre Dame fencers competing in Paris. Yared Nuguse is the solo Notre Dame track and field athlete in Paris, as he will compete in the 1,500 meter race. Last but not least, Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young will both represent Notre Dame on the US women's basketball team.
The Irish Tribune wishes the best of luck to all Notre Dame athletes representing the United States in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games!
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