Armstrong, Team USA places in medley qualifier; Americans to compete in finals Saturday night

By Mitch Spinell

TOKYO, Japan - The U.S. men's swimming team posted a seventh-place finish in Friday morning's (Saturday night Tokyo time) 400-meter medley heats, setting up the American squad to compete in Friday night's finals at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

Dover native Hunter Armstrong led off the four-man relay for Team USA with a 53.51 time in the 100m backstroke, followed by teammates Andrew Wilson (breaststroke), Tom Shields (butterfly) and Blake Pieroni (freestyle).

Armstrong and his qualifier teammates would be eligible for gold  medals should the Americans win for the fourteenth time since 1964.

Italy took the heat victory with a 3:30 qualifying time.