A Special Thanks to Deep Blue Media for providing the images from this meet Australia set a world record of 1:42,35 in the women’s 4×50 medley relay at the World Championships in Melbourne. The quartet of Mollie O’Callaghan, Chelsea Hodges, Emma McKeon and Madi Wilson sliced 0.03 from the previous mark of 1:42.38 held jointly by Sweden and the USA. The USA were second from lane one in 1:42.41 with Kate Douglass coming home in 22.72 (10.69/12.03) to overhaul Sweden who took third in 1:42.43 with 0.08 separating the top three. World Championships Relay Splits: O’Callaghan: 25.49 Hodges: 29.11 McKeon: 24.43 Wilson: 23.32 O’Callaghan handed over in first, giving the host country a 0.26 lead over the USA who drew within 0.15 at halfway thanks to Lilly King‘s 29.00 breaststroke leg. However, Sara Juvenik produced a shuddering 24.06 on the fly leg for Sweden, 0.37 faster than McKeon and 0.88 faster than Torri Huske for the USA, to propel Sweden into second, 0.23 behind Australia and 0.43 ahead of the USA. Douglass was the only woman inside 23 on the anchor leg and 0.45 swifter than Michelle Coleman whose freestyle 50 of 23.17 was second in the field. She passed Coleman and ate into Wilson’s lead only for the Australian to fend off her challenge to claim gold. It was O’Callaghan’s sixth medal of the World Championships so far and third relay gold after a year where it has rained medals for the 18-year-old. She said: “It’s so exciting, so fun and so fresh. It’s something we rarely get to do. “Being part of a team in front of a crowd like this is special. It has been great to be a part of this team alongside some amazing athletes.” Hodges added: “I didn’t realise it was that quick. At the beginning of the week, it was rough but I wanted to do something special tonight. McKeon, who would go on to win the 50 free in the final women’s event of the session, said: “It was good. I saw my splits and I was happy with it. I swam fly instead of freestyle and I knew I had to step up for this. “I have another race in two hours so there is plenty of time. My mindset is go as fast as I can.” Wilson revealed she was nervous about being selected to swim the free at the World Championships, saying: “The medley spot is usually saved for the #1 freestyle, but Emma swam fly and I definitely felt the pressure, but I could not be happier with how it turned out.” Douglass, who has six medals with one day remaining, said: “That race felt good, it was definitely a fun one to swim. We were all excited to do it beforehand and it was a close race so I really just wanted to get in and give it my all in the last fifty. “I’m definitely really happy with that. That was my second sub-23 split of the meet, so I’m super happy with that.” Juvenik said: “Yeah, it was amazing. We all came in with a pretty good energy and we thought that everyone just has to pull it off. “So we did and we had so much fun. I have the 4×100 relay tomorrow, otherwise I’m done.”
FLASH! World Championships, Day Five Women’s Finals: Australia Set WR In 4×50 Medley Relay
