American Women Nearly Notch World Record in 400 Free Relay at Pan Pacs

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Aug. 19. SHORTLY after Aaron Peirsol popped the cork on a world record in the 200-meter backstroke, the American women’s contingent of Amanda Weir, Natalie Coughlin, Kara Lynn Joyce and Lacey Nymeyer nearly went back-to-back in global standards in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Overall, the Americans put together a 3:35.80 for the meet record at the 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday night.

Weir started the American quartet off right with a 53.76 split, which also broke the 100-meter freestyle meet record. That time far surpassed the 54.53 split recorded by Petra Dallman, who swam first for the German’s world-record relay during the European Championships on July 31.

Coughlin kept the Americans under record pace with a 53.21 split for a 200-meter time of 1:46.97. That 53.21 also eclipsed the 53.87 posted by Daniela Goetz last month.

The tide turned during the third leg of the relay as Joyce could not keep up with the fastest split ever of 52.66 by world-record holder Britta Steffen. Joyce wound up with a 54.54 to punch the 300-meter clock at 2:41.51.

Nymeyer brought it home with a 54.29 to close out a meet-record time of 3:35.80. Annika Liebs, however, anchored the Germans to the world record with a 54.16 to compile a 3:35.22

“We didn’t fall short of (the world record),” Weir said. “We’re rising towards it.”

Overall, the performance still smashed the meet record of 3:39.78 previously held by Australia since 2002. The effort also downed the American record of 3:36.39 previously set by Joyce, Coughlin, Weir and Jenny Thompson at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Canada’s team of Victoria Poon, Genevieve Saumur, Julia Wilkinson and Erica Morningstar captured silver in 3:41.83, while Australia’s squad of Shayne Reese, Kelly Stubbins, Linda MacKenzie and Melanie Schlanger came in just behind for bronze in 3:41.84.

Click Here to view event results PDF file

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