2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
- Meet Info
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- Omega Results
- Pick ’em Contest
- Event-by-Event Previews
The mixed medley relay world record was broken for the second time today, as the USA became the first team to ever break 3:40 in the event with a time of 3:38.56. Matt Grevers led off with 52.32, faster than the winning time in last night’s individual 100 back. Lilly King split 1:04.15, right about where she was on last night’s world record setting swim, then Caeleb Dressel blasted a 49.92 fly split to the US well into the lead. Simone Manuel, swimming with clear water by that point, brought it home in 52.17.
This morning, the USA squad of Ryan Murphy, Kevin Cordes, Kelsi Worrell, and Mallory Comerford combined for a 3:40.28, almost a second and a half faster than the previous world record. That mark, a 3:41.71, was set by Great Britain at the 2015 World Championships.
Split Comparison
| Prelims Swimmer | Prelims Time | Finals Time | Finals Swimmer | |
| Back | Murphy | 52.34 | 52.32 | Grevers |
| Breast | Cordes | 58.95 | 1:04.15 | King |
| Fly | Worrell | 56.17 | 49.92 | Dressel |
| Free | Comerford | 52.82 | 52.17 | Manuel |
| Total | 3:40.28 | 3:38.56 |
As expected, plenty of other records went down as well. Australia’s team of Mitch Larkin, Daniel Cave, and Emma McKeon set a new Oceanian record of 3:41.21. Xu Jiayu, Yan Zibei, Zhang Yufei, and Zhu Menghui combined to give China a new Asian Record in a time of 3:31.25. Great Britain set a new European Record with a 3:41.56 effort by Georgia Davies, Adam Peaty, James Guy, and Siobahn O’Connor.
There’s nothing shocking about the Olympic champ getting the benefit of the doubt in relay selection. The Comerford fan club is over the top.
I really like this relay because it has so much strategy. Adds an interesting factor to swimming. Look at all the chatter here.
I think they can be even more creative like track. Track has world records in events not swam at the Olympics (like the stroke 50’s in swimming) but at odd distances (mile, 4x 1500 relay, distance medley relay, decathlon, 1000 and 2000 m, 600 m, etc.). An argument against adding events is that it taxes the athletes. But having more events, particularly at meets other than the world’s or olympics, would add excitement and would also likely open up to more athletes competing at the world class level.
My other idea is to allow swimmers to… Read more »
They all get medals right?
Yes
Yes, yes this is now an Olympic event but am I the only one who feels underwhelmed by it? This relay has a circus element about it and is superfluous in my view. Does it really tell us anything new about the relative strengths and weaknesses of each nation? I’d say it’s just another opportunity for the major swimming nations like the USA and Australia to pick up some more cheap medals.
I was wondering how this post got so many comments. Then I started reading them and I hanged myself. Thanks, guys, I’m dead now.
Well that’s not going to help you recover for the rest of the meet!
If the coaches had put Simone on the first leg of the 4 x100 free relay….would she have been faster? We don’t know because it didn’t happen. Because it didn’t happen…the only thing they had to go on are the relay splits. Mallory was 52.8 anchoring this morning and Simone has been 52.1 twice. Until these girls swim a individual 100 free It’s only fair to go by the relay anchor times. The winner of the 100 free between our US girls will be the rightful evening anchor of the 4 × 100 medley relay. They were trying to maximize relay gold. Picking 8 different people and getting it done is just brilliant to me. Also, Mallory’s has been anchoring… Read more »
Well, you could also “go with” the American record holder who set the record 2 days ago. There’s a thought.
Here’s a thought: go with the girl that swam faster on that same relay than the American record holder. You do know that Simone anchored that same relay in a 52.1 with a very conservative reaction time right? I’m confused a coach wouldn’t understand this.
Race video?
check dailymotion – the Italians have uploaded all finals over there
There is also something called experience to factor in here. This is Mallory’s first major international meet and that will play a role in relay decision making.
And she missed a valuable opportunity to gain experience in an event we won by 2 seconds…..
Not to mention “experience” is completely overrated in swimming. She’s not sinking a 10 footer at Augusta. You just get in and swim. (can’t wait for the down votes on that comment)