The USA lost to China in the men's 4x100m medley relay at the Paris Olympics, thus making it the very first time they did not win gold in the discipline. The Chinese quartet clocked 3:27.46, while the Americans clocked 3:28.01.
The men's 4x100m medley relay was first held at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, and the United States have won gold in the discipline whenever they have participated. They did not win at the 1980 Moscow Games because they did not compete.
However, the Americans' streak of golds in the 4x100m medley relay came to an end owing to China's team of Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang, Sun Jiajun and Pan Zhanle. They beat out the USA quartet of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Caeleb Dressel and Hunter Armstrong. France clinched bronze thanks to their team, which had Yohann Ndoye-Brouard, Leon Marchand, Maxime Grousset and Florent Manoudou.
USA have won three golds in swimming relay events at Paris Olympics
The United States have had an incredible Olympics in swimming and won medals in each of the seven relay events. The nation won three relay golds, the first of which came in the 4x100m freestyle, thanks to the quartet of Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong, Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano, who clocked a world record time of 3:37.43.
The Americans won the mixed 4x100m medley relay, with the team comprising of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske. Their third relay gold came in the women's 4x100m medley event, with Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske clocking a world record time of 3:49.63.
In other relay events at the Paris Olympics, the USA clinched silver in the women's 4x100m freestyle, the women's 4x200m freestyle and the men's 4x200m freestyle. They lost to Australia in the two women's competitions and were defeated by Great Britain in the Men's 4x200m freestyle event.
All in all, the United States have won 28 swimming medals at the Paris Olympics so far, eight of them being gold.