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In the inaugural mixed 400 free relay at the FINA World Championships in 2015, the United States won gold as Missy Franklin out-dueled the Netherlands’ Femke Heemskerk at the finish. This year, a weakened Australian squad should mean the Americans are favored.
Australia is missing men’s 100 free Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers, out of World Champs with a heart issue, and women’s 100 free world record-holder Cate Campbell. Cameron McEvoy and Bronte Campbell should be strong here, along with either Emma McKeon or Shayna Jack, but finding a second man to keep pace with the U.S. will be the challenge.
The Americans, meanwhile, figure to roll out Nathan Adrian, Caeleb Dressel, Simone Manuel and Mallory Comerford, although Dressel could be replaced since he figures to swim in both the 50 free and 100 fly finals that night. Either way, the American men have relay depth pieces who could fill the void.
Read below to see what Swimming World’s trio of experts think will happen in Budapest. David Rieder, John Lohn and Andy Ross will each offer their predictions for who will finish on the podium.
Mixed 400 Free Relay
Current Records:
World Record: United States — Lochte, Adrian, Manuel, Franklin (2015) — 3:23.05
Championship Record: United States — Lochte, Adrian, Manuel, Franklin (2015) — 3:23.05
American Record: Lochte, Adrian, Manuel, Franklin (2015) — 3:23.05
2015 World Champion: United States — Lochte, Adrian, Manuel, Franklin — 3:23.05
Swimming World Predictions
David Rieder’s Picks:
Gold: United States
Silver: Australia
Bronze: Russia
John Lohn’s Picks:
Gold: United States
Silver: Australia
Bronze: Great Britain
Andy Ross’ Picks:
Gold: United States
Silver: Australia
Bronze: Japan
Previous Events
Day One:
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Day Three:
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Day Seven:
- FINA CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE
- ULTIMATE SCHEDULE GUIDE
- QUALIFIED HIGH DIVERS
- MEDAL TABLE
- 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
- LIVE RESULTS
- OPEN WATER LIVE RESULTS
- PSYCH SHEET
- DAY EIGHT FINALS HEAT SHEETS
- DAY ONE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY ONE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY TWO PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY TWO FINALS RESULTS
- DAY THREE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY THREE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY FOUR PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY FOUR FINALS RESULTS
- DAY FIVE PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY FIVE FINALS RESULTS
- DAY SIX PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY SIX FINALS RESULTS
- DAY SEVEN PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY SEVEN FINALS RESULTS
- DAY EIGHT PRELIMS RESULTS
- DAY EIGHT FINALS RESULTS
The question NOT posed by the writer is …… how many countries WILL actually contest this relay. The MMR now has Olympic status (albeit the announcement coming AFTER most teams had been named) but this one does not. Team sizes at this Worlds are probably significantly reduced from what you would see in 2019 so the question of “do you add another race to your peak performer’s program” is very much in play … esp if you may not have the numbers/quality to field an adequate substitute in this one.
Realistically, this one is USA first then …… anyone’s guess. A full strength AUS team WOULD probably challenge USA & quite possibly beat them …. but that is not what we will see here. No Chalmers, No C1, C2 still nursing shoulder issues and McEvoy in questionable form …… it’s frankly questionable that AUS will even bother racing this one.
GBR lacks quality freestyle sprinters since Halsall retired so their medal chances would be contingent on a lot of teams not bothering. I would actually see CAN as the nearest competition to USA …. albeit not a real threat to them winning.
You make a good point about countries not bothering with this relay, especially since it isn’t an Olympic event (and the mixed medley is). Outside of that possibility, Australia should be very strong with McEvoy, Bronte Campbell and McKeon/Jack. I know you are not hot on what McEvoy has been doing lately, but outside of his impressive last spring, 47-high has been par for the course with him.
Canada would probably be a medal pick here if it had Condorelli. Without him, men pretty weak.
– Cartwright swam 48.4 at AUS Trials after a sub49 in semis so there IS another reasonably quick male sprinter. Does have World Juniors behind him but this is his first senior team.
– Ditto Jack who had a break-out AUS season and her 53.4 has to be respected BUT she has not raced since Trials.
– McKeon will have a busy race schedule as is with 100/200free/100fly and the 3 standard Oly relays … why add another meaningless one ?
– There are questions re McEvoy’s ongoing motivation and hey, he’s nearing univ graduation. It wouldnt surprise to see him pull the plug within the next 9 months.
– For CAN, are the likes of Kisil & Thornmeyer on the team ? They should at least be respectable
However, in all honesty, when it comes to the minors in this races, they may as well hold a raffle !!
I think Scott will swim the free and a girl (Davies) the back. CWH is out of shape, they are good for at least second place.
Hungary will swim everything, this event too.
Brownish, whilst I would agree with what you are saying; you have the wrong thread. This is the Mixed Free relay not the Mixed Medley
What’s Andy Ross on about Betsy Perry
That would be the fault of David Rieder, not Andy Ross. Mistake corrected.
USA Aus GB
Sorry CW, perhaps I was too tired.