EIDNHOVEN, Netherlands, March 18. THE Netherlands blasted the world record in the women's 400 free relay at the European Championships held in Eindhoven.
The foursome of Inge Dekker (53.77), Ranomi Kromowidjojo (53.61), Femke Heemskerk (53.62) and Marleen Veldhuis (52.62) clocked a blistering time of 3:33.62 to demolish the 3:35.22 set by Germany's Petra Dallmann, Daniela Goetz, Britta Steffen and Annika Liebs in 2006.
Dekker set the tone for the record-breaking swim as her 53.77 easily cleared the 54.53 leadoff from Dallmann in 2006. She nearly set took Velhuis' 100 free national record of 53.58 in the process.
Kromowidjojo then pushed the pace as her 53.61 cleared the 53.87 clocked by Goetz two years ago.
Steffen, who previously owned the best split in the event with her lightning fast 52.66 as the third leg, would have made up some tie on Heemskerk, who split a 53.62.
Veldhuis, however, split an even faster leg then Steffen with an anchor of 52.62 to destroy Liebs' 2006 anchor of 54.16 and complete the record-smashing result.
Notably, Italy's team of Erika Ferraioli, Federica Pellegrini, Maria Laura Simonetto and Cristina Chiuso placed second in 3:41.06.
Click here to view PDF results file.