Paris 2024 swimming: Australia set Olympic record on way to gold in women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
Australia emerged victorious in a thrilling women’s 4x200m freestyle relay final at Paris La Defense Arena on Thursday, 1 August, setting an Olympic record with a time of 7:38.08 at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The dolphins from Down Under led the entire race, chasing their world-record mark from the 2023 World Championships.
Their dominance was undeniable, as they never let another team place even a single finger in front of them during the 800m-long relay.
“It was really fun,” said Ariarne Titmus. “I feel like a bit of redemption for us. Tokyo 2020 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.”
She added: “I’m proud they had the faith in me to put me last and get the job done."
Mollie O’Callaghan got the team off to a flying start, completing the first leg in a time of 1:53.52.
The Olympic champion in the women’s 200m freestyle at Paris 2024 then handed the hypothetical baton to Lani Pallister, who was recovering from illness that threatened to sideline her from competition.
“When Dean [Boxall] came and told me this morning, I bawled my eyes out then,” said Pallister, recounting the moment she learned she would compete in the final.
She added: “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.”
She swam the third fastest leg on the team, touching the wall in 1:55.61.
“I’m not 100 per cent happy with the time, considering I had a flying start, but at the Olympics you’re looking for positions,” explained Pallister.
She certainly didn’t let herself, or her team, down in that regard. She passed on to Brianna Throssell, maintaining the lead she was given by Mollie O’Callaghan.
Throssell had the unenviable task of holding off Team USA’s Katie Ledecky, but she accomplished her mission, touching the wall in 1:56. Titmus then took over, and the race was history.
Titmus swam the final leg in 1:52.95, losing out on the relay world record, but setting the Olympic record by a comfortable margin.
It was a memorable performance during a thrilling night of racing, one enjoyed by 15,000 spectators.
“The atmosphere was just electric,” said Throssell. “And I just wanted to absorb all of that.”
“Knowing that this will be my final Olympics and standing on the podium is just such an honour.”
Katie Ledecky becomes a history maker
It was a historic day for Team USA as well, with Katie Ledecky becoming the most decorated female Olympian of all time from the USA, tallying 13 medals in four appearances at the Olympic Games.
She led the American quartet, including herself, Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden and Erin Gemmel, to a silver medal behind the green-and-gold torpedoes.
“It’s just an honour to even be on the same team as Katie,” said Claire Weinstein. “She’s the most humble person I know and she’s such an inspiration too, even before I was ever on a high-level team with her.”
“I’ve always looked up to her since I was a little kid, so it’s really crazy being on the same relay as her and being on the same team as her and having her as a mentor.”
The American quartet touched the wall more than 2.5 seconds behind the Australians, finishing with a time of 7:40.86.
They beat the People’s Republic of China, who spent the first half of the race in second place, before fading into third place on the final two legs.
Liu Yaxin was pleased with the team’s results, telling reporters: “Everyone has been great in the competition. I’ve done everything I could and taken care of the pressure pretty well.”
She leaves Paris La Defense Arena with a bronze medal, joined by her teammates Yang Junxuan, Li Bingjie and Ge Chutong.
Swimming: Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay
Gold: Australia
Silver: United States of America
Bronze: People’s Republic of China
See all the results on Olympics.com.