FLASH World Championships, Day 6, Women’s Finals: USA Smash World Record In A Classic 4x100m Medley Relay Duel
The power-packed US women have finished their World Short Course campaign with a stirring world record breaking performance in a classic 4x100m medley relay duel in front of a raucous Melbourne crowd.
The Americans called on all their dynamic underwater skills to keep arch rivals Australia and Canada at bay in a classic showdown – clocking a time of 3 minutes 44.35 seconds – 0.17 seconds under their own world mark set in Budapest in 2020 and under their 2018 Championship mark set in 2018 in Hangzhou.
Claire Curzon, who had won silver in the 200m backstroke earlier in the night led off in 56.47, before the unflappable Lilly King, who had won bronze in the 50m breaststroke earlier, clocked the fastest breaststroke leg of 1:02.88 to give the US a winning edge.
It was then over to Torri Huske, silver earlier in the 100m butterfly for her fly split of 54.53 with the iron woman of the team Kate Douglass anchoring the team home with the equal fastest freestyle split of 50.47 (with The Netherlands Marrit Steenbergen) at the World Championships.
It was King’s second SC world’s 4x100m medley relay triumph of her career, after she spearheaded the US girls to gold in 2016 in Windsor – with tonight’s win their fourth Championship title after their first win in Shanghai in 2008, then 2016 and 2018 in Hangzhou.
Her split of 1:02.88 is the equal second fastest relay split in history with fellow American Katie Meili in 2015 – King owns the fastest split of 1:02.40 swum in the 2020 ISL Final).
The Australians, as hard as they tried, couldn’t quite match the American skills, taking the silver in 3:44.92, a new Oceania record with Canada third in 3:46.22 at the World Championships.
Kaylee McKeown, who won the 200m backstroke earlier in the night, led off for the Dolphins in 55.74, with Jenna Strauch splitting 1:04.49 in the breaststroke, before Emma McKeon produced the fastest ever butterfly split of 53.93 to put the Aussies back in the race with Meg Harris bringing the team home in her lightning anchor swim of 50.76.
(McKeon’s split of 53.93 makes her the first female to swim under 54 seconds for 100m butterfly coming after her 49.96 to anchor the Australians to a world record in the 4x100m freestyle)
The Canadians got off to a flyer with Ingrid Wilm giving the Canucks the lead with her backstroke opener of 55.36, before Sydney Pickrem‘s 1.04.42 in the breaststroke and 100m butterfly world champion and world record holder (54.05) from tonight Maggie MacNeil splitting 54.59 before freestyler Taylor Ruck brought the team home in 51.85.
Why didn’t Mollie O swim the freestyle leg for Australia?
Congratulations Team USA
So proud of you girls!!❤️