▁of ▁the ▁world ▁records ▁in ▁fre est yle ▁sw imming ▁events ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁meters . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁US ▁Olympic ▁tri als ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁ 4 x 2 0 0 - meter ▁fre est yle ▁relay , ▁several ▁sw imm ers ▁who ▁had ▁already ▁qualified ▁in ▁other ▁events ▁slow ed ▁down ▁in ▁their ▁he ats ▁or ▁sw am ▁fast ▁in ▁the ▁pre lim s ▁and ▁scratch ed ▁themselves ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁to ▁allow ▁more ▁sw imm ers ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁US ▁Olympic ▁Team . ▁Smith ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁inst ig ators ▁of ▁this ▁" con sp i racy ". ▁▁ ▁Ult imately , ▁coach ▁Robert ▁Ki ph uth ▁did ▁hold ▁a ▁time ▁trial ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁actual ▁tri als ▁with ▁eleven ▁of ▁the ▁sw imm ers . ▁ ▁This ▁time ▁trial ▁had ▁Jimmy ▁Mc L ane ▁as ▁first ▁overall ▁with ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 2 : 1 1 . 0 , ▁Bill ▁Smith , ▁and ▁W ally ▁Wolf ▁in ▁ 2 : 1 1 . 2 , ▁and ▁W ally ▁Ris ▁in ▁ 2 : 1 2 . 4 . ▁ ▁This ▁quart et ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁Olympic ▁final ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁gold ▁medal . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁four - E ug ene ▁Rog ers ▁in ▁ 2 : 1 4 . 2 , ▁Ed win ▁Gilbert ▁in ▁ 2 : 1 5 . 4 , ▁Robert ▁Gib e ▁in ▁ 2 : 1