WOMEN’S 4X100M FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS – reported by SwimSwam / Tony Carroll
2013 World Champion: United States – 3:32.31
World Record: 3:31.72 – Netherlands – 2009
Championship Record: 3:31.72 – Netherlands – 2009
The sisters Campbell are carrying the Australian women to new heights, as Bronte Campbell and Cate Campbell back ended their relay to a new Championship Record, finished at 3:31.48. That broke the old Netherlands World Championships’ Record of 3:31.72 set in 2009.
Splits:
Emily Seebohm – 53.92
Ema McKeon – 53.57
Bronte Campbell – 51.77
Cate Campbell – 52.22
While Seebohm had the Australians in an early hole in this race (specifically being behind American Missy Franklin, with whom she’ll have many battles at this meet), the Aussies took control in the second leg and led the rest of the race.
Otherwise, there was a ton of back-and-forth action in this race as teams jockeyed for medal position. The Dutch moved Ranomi Kromowidjojo up to the leadoff leg after she anchored in prelims, and she swam 53.30 to give them the early lead on the feild.
But at 51.99 from anchor Femke Heemskerk wasn’t quite enough to run down the two-second gap to the Australians. Although it did pull them past team USA’s anchor Simone Manuel (53.09) and Swedish anchor Magdalena Kuras (55.06), to take the silver.
The American’s finished in third overall, at 3:34.61, where they remained after the second leg of the race.
The Swedes showed that they’re still in the same spot that they’ve been in for the last five-plus years: one leg short of a medal in both 400 relays. Sarah Sjostrom’s 52.38 split, even after breaking a World Record in the 100 fly earlier in the session, kept them in the battle after the third leg. But the Swedes were just one more sub-54 sprinter away from a medal.
Finish order:
1. Australia – 3:31.48
2. Netherlands – 3:33.67
3. USA – 3:34.61
4. Sweden – 3:35.71
5. Canada – 3:36.44
6. Italy – 3:37.16
7. China – 3:37.64
8. France – 3:38.46
Bronte’s split seemed to be the fastest I could find ever, I just went through Worlds and Olympic results back through ’08 though. Can anyone verify if that’s the case?
Cate went a 51.59 on the medley relay at the 2014 Comm Games.
Nice interview. That was the first time I’ve seen the two Campbell sisters standing together side by side. I couldn’t believe the height difference! Bronte looks to be a head shorter. Anyone know how tall each of them is?
Cate Campbell = 1.86m (6′ 1″)
Bronte Campbell = 1.79m (5′ 10.5″)