Australia Rattles World Record in Women’s 4×100 Free Relay in Gwangju with 3:30.21; Cate Campbell Splits 51.45 (RACE VIDEO)

cate-campbell-relay-celebrate-2018-commonwealth-games

Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr/Swimming Australia Ltd.

Editorial content for the 2019 World Championships coverage is sponsored by FORM Swim Goggles. See full event coverage. Follow FORM on Instagram at @FORMSwim #swimwithform

World Swimming Championships (Women’s 4×100 Free Relay)

Gwangju 2019

Day 1 finals

Women’s 4×100 Free Relay

Australia closed the first night of the 2019 FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea with a 3:30.21 in the women’s 4×100 free relay. The time is off the world record of 3:30.05 set last year as the Aussies were shooting for the first sub-3:30 relay in history. They will have to wait until next summer’s Olympics to do so. The team of Bronte Campbell (52.85), Brianna Throssell (53.34), Emma McKeon (52.57) and Cate Campbell (51.45) won the gold medal ahead of the United States (3:31.02) and Canada (3:31.78).

The time is a new championships record for the Australians, taking down their record of 3:31.48 from the 2015 Worlds.

The US broke the American record that was set in the 2017 Worlds. Their team of Mallory Comerford (52.98), Abbey Weitzeil (52.66), Kelsi Dahlia (53.46) . and Simone Manuel (51.92) won the silver medal as they were leading through 250 meters before Australia’s back half ran them down. The Americans have now won a medal in 17 of the 18 World Championships.

Campbell’s 51.45 is the fourth fastest relay split all-time while Manuel’s 51.92 is the ninth fastest relay split.

Canada won the bronze medal as they were in the race through the whole 400. The team of Kayla Sanchez (53.72), Taylor Ruck (52.19), Penny Oleksiak (52.69) and Maggie MacNeil (53.18) set a Canadian record in the process. They won the bronze for the first time in this event at Worlds since 1978.

This is the fourth gold medal for the Australians in the women’s 4×100 free relay at the World Championships. The Aussies previously won golds in 2005, 2007 and 2015.

Sweden finished in sixth place as Sarah Sjostrom led off with a 3:36.33. Superstar Sarah Sjostrom led off with a 52.23, which is the eighth fastest time of all-time. She holds the world record in this event at 51.71.

The Netherlands finished in fourth place at 3:35.32 with the usual likes of Ranomi Kromowidjojo (52.92) and Femke Heemskerk (52.41) going second and fourth.

China finished in fifth at 3:35.83 while Japan (3:36.79) and Germany (3:39.07) were seventh and eighth.

1	AUS	3:30.21	Campbell 52.85,	Throssell, 53.34,	McKeon 52.57,	Campbell, 51.45
2	USA	3:31.02	Comerford 52.98,	Weitzeil, 52.66,	Dahlia, 53.46,	Manuel, 51.92
3	CAN	3:31.78	Sanchez, 53.72,	Ruck, 52.19,	Oleksiak, 52.69,	MacNeil, 53.18
4	NED	3:35.32	Busch, 55.23,	Kromowidjojo, 52.92,	Toussaint, 54.76,	Heemskerk, 52.41
5	CHN	3:35.83	Yang, 53.68,	Zhu, 53.39,	Wu, 54.26,	Wang, 54.50
6	SWE	3:36.33	Sjostrom, 52.23,	Coleman, 53.88,	Hansson, 54.33,	Hansson, 55.89
7	JPN	3:36.79	Aoki, 54.62,	Sato, 53.91,	Shirai, 54.23,	Omoto, 54.03
8	GER	3:39.07	Steiger, 54.59	Mrozinski, 55.02,	Foos, 54.72,	Bruhn, 54.74

Fastest Relay Splits:

50.93, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.00, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.36, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.45, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.77, Bronte Campbell, AUS
51.80, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.82, Taylor Ruck, CAN
51.91, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
51.92, Simone Manuel, USA
51.93, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED
51.97, Cate Campbell, AUS
51.98, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, NED

Fastest 100 Free Performances:

51.71, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
52.03, Cate Campbell, AUS
52.06, Cate Campbell, AUS
52.07, Britta Steffen, GER
52.08, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
52.17, Cate Campbell, AUS
52.22, Britta Steffen, GER
52.23, Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
52.27, Simone Manuel, USA
52.27, Bronte Campbell, AUS

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

Name*

Email*

13 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

David Couturier

4 years ago

Good job!????

Bek Reed

4 years ago

Would be nice if we could actually watch it.

Aida Davis

4 years ago

Reply to Bek Reed

Bek Reed ESPN live

Vanessa Essam

4 years ago

Reply to Bek Reed

Bek – you can via the iswim app for free. There are more details on the Swimming Australia FB page

Bek Reed

4 years ago

Reply to Bek Reed

Thank you

Thomas A. Small

4 years ago

Congratulations

commonwombat

4 years ago

Your list is slightly incorrect. C2 does have the 5th fastest ever relay split but its a 51.57 (from 4XMED 2018 CG) rather than the 51.77.

Felicity Cook

4 years ago

CONGRATS Aussies
???

Nancy Pulham

4 years ago

Good job Canada! What an exciting race!

Rob Anderson

4 years ago

Reply to Nancy Pulham

Nancy Pulham the gap is closing fast. Canada has by far the youngest squad in the field

Dianne Greene

4 years ago

Go the Aussies! Fantastic swimming Ladies!

Njones

4 years ago

Every single swim team in Canada; year round, summer, school, non-league, whichever should be ensuring that every swimmer in their club, girls especially, is aware of this achievement. These girls are by far the youngest quartet, 5 including Rebeca Smith’s prelim help, and are threatening the Aussie/Us stranglehold on relays.
We all know Penny from Rio, but the development of the entire women’s team is on a remarkable upswing. This is day 1 only, day 2 brings Sidney Pickrem and Maggie McNeal finals and medal threats. Yet to swim individual other then Penny are Taylor Ruck in multiple medal possible events, Kylie Masse #2 all time 100 back and more…
Young swimmers in Canada need to know this is happening now and follow all week! Go ??

Lorraine Burford

4 years ago

What a great performance!! Well done girls!????