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FINA World Swimming Championships
Gwangju 2019
Day Seven Finals (Mixed 4×100 Free Relay)
USA’s Simone Manuel helped end Australia’s hot streak in the relays this week at the 2019 FINA World Swimming Championships as she split a 52.00 to anchor the United States to a new world record at 3:19.40.
It was almost a spitting image of the mixed medley relay earlier in the week where Australia’s Cate Campbell ran down Manuel on the anchor leg. The Aussies rested Cate for this relay and went with her younger sister Bronte on the anchor leg. But Manuel was able to exorcise some of those demons as she didn’t let Campbell get past her on the anchor leg.
“I really took the mixed medley relay really hard,” Manuel said. “I went out there and swam my best on that relay but it wasn’t what I would have liked it to. It was all about regrouping and trying to put my best foot forward not only for myself but for Team USA. Getting on that relay tonight I wanted to do that and hopefully I did. Not every race is perfect and you kind of just have to have short term memory loss and move on to the next race and make it as best as possible.”
Campbell has a swim-off in the 50 free and will compete alongside China’s Liu Xiang after the medal ceremony. The two tied for eighth place at 24.46.
The win also meant that Caeleb Dressel got his third gold medal of the night after taking wins in the 50 free and 100 fly. He set the world record last night in the 100 fly and also broke the American record in the 50 free earlier tonight.
“It was not easy in 17 and it was not easy this year,” Dressel said of his triple. “I don’t want it to be easy, I really don’t. I think I commented yesterday, this is just about getting better every day. From 17 just going along the way, learning event from event, practice to practice, it doesn’t come together by accident.
“I knew what was ahead of me the moment I finished Pan Pacs last year and knew what I was qualified for. I knew it was ahead of me, it took a lot of focus not only today but leading up to the meet. It wasn’t easy then and it wasn’t easy now. I’m glad it’s over. I certainly don’t want to swim anymore events tonight but tomorrow I will be ready to swim one more and one more fast.”
This is the second time Dressel has completed this triple as he led off with a 47.34. He lined up alongside Kyle Chalmers of Australia on the lead-off leg as the two were able to put on another show in the 100 free like they did in the individual event.
Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
The American team of Dressel (47.34), Zach Apple (47.34), Mallory Comerford (52.72) and Manuel (52.00) lowered the world record to a 3:19.40, taking it down from the 3:19.60 they set in 2017.
“I think it’s really fun to do a mixed relay to be up there with these guys and Team USA,” Comerford said. “It’s really an opportunity to race and do it for each other.”
“I certainly wanted to do my part,” Dressel said. “I’m glad I did it tonight but it was really just two individuals and I had a lot of help on that relay. 47.3 would not have even won the individual title so it would have gotten third. I could have been a little better on that relay but I got some help with Zach, Simone and Mallory so of course we are happy with it. Any time we get a relay up there and any time we get an individual it’s a special moment.”
“I think we are definitely happy with the win,” Manuel said. “I think our relays have not been as good as we have would have liked them to so to get a gold medal tonight is something we are really proud of.”
“It’s always great to go out and represent Team USA,” Apple said. “The goal is to always come out on top and to do that is pretty satisfying.”
The mixed free relay has been contested three times at the World Championships and the Americans have won on all three occasions. Canada and the Netherlands were second and third at the last two Worlds but that streak ended on Saturday night in Gwangju. Australia’s team of Chalmers (47.37), Clyde Lewis (48.18), Emma McKeon (52.06) and Campbell (52.36) won the silver medal with a 3:19.97 for a new Oceania record.
France won the bronze medal at 3:22.11 with the likes of Clement Mignon (48.44), Mehdy Metella (47.78), Charlotte Bonnet (52.87) and Marie Wattel (53.02). This is France’s first mixed relay medal at the World Championships and their second medal of the meet, adding to David Aubry’s bronze in the 800 free.
Canada finished in fourth as they ended their streak of getting the bronze medal in this event at Worlds. Their team was fourth at 3:22.54 as Penny Oleksiak’s 52.00 anchor split was not enough to get a medal.
The Netherlands also were left off the podium for the first time in this event as they were sixth at 3:23.48.
| 1 |  USA |
3:19.40, WR | Dressel, 47.34, | Apple, 47.34, | Comerford, 52.72, | Manuel, 52.00 |
| 2 |  AUS |
3:19.97, OC | Chalmers, 47.37, | Lewis, 48.18, | McKeon, 52.06 | Campbell, 52.36 |
| 3 |  FRA |
3:22.11 | Mignon, 48.44 | Metella, 47.78, | Bonnet, 52.87 | Wattel, 53.02 |
| 4 |  CAN |
3:22.54 | Thormeyer, 48.84 | Kisil, 48.58, | Ruck, 53.12, | Oleksiak, 52.00 |
| 5 |  RUS |
3:22.72 | Grinev, 48.42, | Morozov, 48.31, | Kameneva, 52.95, | Ustinova, 54.04 |
| 6 |  NED |
3:23.48 | Stolk, 48.97, | Puts, 47.84, | Heemskerk, 52.81, | Kromowidjojo, 53.86 |
| 7 |  JPN |
3:24.67, AS | Nakamura, 48.49, | Matsumoto, 47.99, | Omoto, 54.36 | Sato, 53.83 |
| 8 |  ITA |
3:25.58 | Frigo, 48.80 | Miressi, 48.27 |
“I think doing it for Caeleb too, he had a great night. Having him lead off is really awesome.”-Mallory.
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????????❤️
Australia actually let US win this one. If Australia had used the best team, US would have lost.
Kalina Grace Emaus these photos are so nice
Why wasn’t Cate who anchored that relay?
Australia has been known not to put their best relay out there in the mixed free since it is not an Olympic event.