Paris Olympics, Day 6 Finals: Ariarne Titmus Anchors Australia to No. 2 Time in History in 800 Freestyle Relay

Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell, Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O'Callaghan

Paris Olympics, Day 6 Finals: Ariarne Titmus Anchors Australia to No. 2 Time in History in 800 Freestyle Relay

A little less than a week ago, Australia opened the Olympic Games in Paris with a dominant victory in the women’s 400-meter freestyle relay. It was an expected triumph, a win that extended the Dolphins’ reign to four consecutive Games. Amazingly, it might not even be Australia’s premier relay. That billing can be argued for the 800 freestyle relay, which put on a clinic to close out Thursday night competition at La Defense Arena.

Relying on the foursome of Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus, Australia thumped the field behind an Olympic-record time of 7:38.08, the second-fastest mark in history. That effort enabled Australia to register a 2.78-second triumph over the United States (7:40.86). The bronze medal was earned by China in 7:42.34.

Australia’s title was its first since the 2008 Games in Beijing and atoned for an upset defeat three years ago in Tokyo. At the 2020 Olympics, delayed by a year to 2021 due to COVID-19, Australia was the overwhelming pick to run away with the 800 free relay. But a subpar performance not only crushed the Aussies’ gold-medal aspirations, it dropped them to the bronze medal.

Another lost opportunity was not acceptable.

“It was really fun,” Titmus said. “I feel like a bit of redemption for us. Tokyo was definitely not the result we wanted and I wasn’t personally happy with my performance in Tokyo. I put pressure on myself to lift this team. I feel like I have a role to play. I think I did that tonight. I’m proud they had the faith in me to put me last and get the job done.”

As was the case in the 400 freestyle relay, O’Callaghan provided an immediate spark. The Olympic champion in the 200 freestyle, where she fended off Titmus, O’Callaghan provided a leadoff split of 1:53.52. Pallister followed and turned in a split of 1:55.61 to give the Aussies a margin of .44 over China. Throssel was next in the water and went 1:56.00, which yielded more than a second to the United States and Katie Ledecky, who went 1:54.93. Still, Australia went into the anchor leg with a .33 cushion.

Titmus immediately extended the lead and kept lengthening the gap between Australia and the United States. It was nothing shocking from Titmus, the premier middle-distance swimmer in the world. For her four laps, Titmus went 1:52.95 and the last length was a victory lap. Only Australia’s performance from the 2023 World Championships was faster on the all-time list.

Pallister’s presence on the relay was a feel-good story. Earlier in the week, she was forced to scratch the 1500 freestyle after being diagnosed with COVID. The medical issue cost the second-generation Olympian a chance to contend for a medal. But Pallister rebounded admirably in the morning heats of the 800 free relay, as her leadoff split of 1:55.74 guaranteed her a place on the evening unit.

“When (Aussie coach Dean Boxall) came and told me this morning, I bawled my eyes out then,” Pallister said of learning her inclusion on the night relay. “When I got COVID, I honestly thought I’d be out completely. I didn’t know if I’d race the heat, let alone stand on the podium with the girls tonight. I’m not 100% happy with the time, considering I had a flying start, but at the Olympics you’re looking for positions. To wave at friends and family in the stands, to be able to be a proud Australian. I’m really stoked.”

En route to the silver medal, the United States just missed its third American record of the night, as Regan Smith (200 butterfly) and Kate Douglass (200 breaststroke) set national marks in individual action. Still, the U.S. outing was superb, coming up just .13 shy of its time from the Tokyo Games.

Claire Weinstein handed the American squad a tremendous start, thanks to a career-best swim of 1:54.88. Paige Madden handled the second leg in 1:55.65 before Ledecky went her sub-1:55 split. The anchor saw Erin Gemmell split 1:55.40, which helped Team USA comfortably beat China to the wall. The silver medal lifted Ledecky’s career total to 13, making her the most-decorated female swimmer in history.

“It’s a lot of pressure to anchor a relay like that,” Gemmell said. “And it can be kind of nerve wracking to sit there for six minutes before you race. But I always know I can trust my teammates to put us in a good spot, and then I just have to bring us on. (Coach Todd DeSorbo) told me I was going to anchor the relay, basically right after the prelims relay. I kind of looked at him and he said, ‘You’re not afraid.’ And I said, ‘OK, I’m not afraid.’”

China had no difficulty claiming the last place on the podium, largely due to Yang Junxuan’s leadoff of 1:54.52 and the 1:55.05 second leg of Li Bingjie. While Ge Chutong yielded ground with her third leg of 1:57.45, Liu Yaxin came through in 1:55.32 on the anchor leg.

Canada placed fourth, with Summer McIntosh going 1:53.97 on the third leg.

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