With a little help from his friends

Lezak, swimming the anchor leg of the United States’ 4x100-metre freestyle relay, hit the water a half-second after Alain Bernard of France, who came into the race as the world-record holder in the 100-metre freestyle.

“I knew I was going to have to swim out of my mind,” Lezak said, adding: “I had more adrenaline going than I’ve ever had in my life.”

Dragging off Bernard, who was hugging the lane line that separated them, Lezak made up ground, but with 25 metres remaining it appeared as if he would run out of pool. Trailing Bernard by half a body length, Lezak put his head down and surged to the wall.

“His last 50 metres were absolutely incredible,” Phelps said.

After Lezak touched, Phelps, who swam the first leg, raised his arms and let out a primal scream. Garrett Weber-Gale, who swam second, came up from behind him and swallowed him in a hug.

The US were timed in three minutes 8.24 seconds, shattering by nearly four seconds the world record that their B team had set the previous night. France won the silver in 3:08.32. Australia, benefitting from a world-record setting lead-off swim of 47.24 from Eamon Sullivan, were third.

Bernard, who in a matter of minutes lost the 100 world record to Sullivan and the relay gold to Lezak, was bereft. He broke down in tears in the pool.

Though not well-known outside of swimming circles, Lezak, a native Southern Californian, has a reputation in USA Swimming for being the Mariano Rivera of sprinters. “Jason is the most phenomenal closer I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Cullen Jones, who swam the third leg.

After making the turn, Lezak said he momentarily lost the courage of his convictions. Bernard had a 0.6 of a second lead and Lezak was not sure he could...