FINA World Short Course Championships: China Tracks Down United States to Win Women’s 400 Medley Relay

Lock in your Fantasy Swimming picks throughout the week as part of the World Short Course Championships festivities!

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, December 17. IT looked like the United States was in command of the women's 400 medley relay, China's Tang Yi used a sterling anchor leg to track down Jessica Hardy for an exciting victory at the FINA World Short Course Championships.

China's Zhao Jing (56.52), Zhao Jin (1:04.20), Liu Zige (55.80) and Tang (51.77) won the event in a meet-record time of 3:48.29. That effort beat the previous mark of 3:50.69 set by China during prelims. Heading into the meet, China's national record in the event had been a 3:55.76 set back in 2006.

The U.S. contingent of Natalie Coughlin (56.83), Rebecca Soni (1:03.73), Dana Vollmer (55.62) and Hardy (52.18) wound up falling to second in 3:48.36 to set an American record. That swim beat the ratified record of 3:51.36 set by Margaret Hoelzer, Hardy, Rachel Komisarz and Kara Denby in 2008, but came up well short of the world record (3:47.97) set by the U.S. last year at the Duel in the Pool. USA Swimming refused to recognize any techsuit swims after it implemented a domestic ban of the techsuit in Oct. 2009. This has led to many records being slower than the fastest legally-swum time by an American under FINA rules, which did not implement the ban until Jan. 1, 2010. Several of the discrepancies also include world records, like this event.

Australia's Rachel Goh (57.39), Leisel Jones (1:03.76), Felicity Galvez (55.56) and Marieke Guehrer (52.17) also gave the Chinese a run with a third-place 3:48.88, clearing the Aussie record heading into the meet of 3:51.84 set back in 2006.

Russia (3:53.08), Sweden (3:53.98), Canada (3:56.57), Italy (3:57.58) and Brazil (3:59.45) comprised the rest of the heat.

Day Three Finals Results

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