{"id":267596,"date":"2017-07-23T10:43:32","date_gmt":"2017-07-23T17:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=267596"},"modified":"2019-06-05T16:14:35","modified_gmt":"2019-06-05T23:14:35","slug":"simone-manuel-holds-off-400-free-relay-anchors-for-usa-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/simone-manuel-holds-off-400-free-relay-anchors-for-usa-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"Simone Manuel Holds Off 400 Free Relay Anchors for USA Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women’s 400 Free Relay FINAL<\/h3>\n

Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong> of Sweden jumpstarted the women’s 400 free relay final with a new 100 free world record as the lead off leg for Sweden. Sjostrom powered to a dominating 51.71, obliterating the previous world record of 52.06, which was set in 2016 by Australia’s\u00a0Cate Campbell<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Michelle Coleman<\/strong> of Sweden continued to hold Sjostrom’s lead throughout the second leg, but the Americans charged forward.\u00a0Katie Ledecky<\/strong>, fresh off a 400 free victory, pulled ahead on the third leg giving Team USA the lead as anchor\u00a0Simone Manuel<\/strong> dove in. Manuel, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, held off a quickly charging\u00a0Ranomi Kromowidjojo<\/strong> and\u00a0Emma McKeon<\/strong> to claim gold for Team USA.<\/p>\n

Mallory Comerford<\/strong> (52.59),\u00a0Kelsi Worrell<\/strong> (53.16), Ledecky (53.83), and Manuel (52.14) turned in a combined time of 3:31.72 to bring home Team USA’s first women’s relay gold. Comerford downed the Manuel’s American Record of 52.70 with her 52.59 swim, while the entire relay\u00a0took down the previous 400 free relay American Record of 3:31.89.<\/p>\n

Australia’s\u00a0Shayna Jack<\/strong> (53.75),\u00a0Bronte Campbell<\/strong> (52.14),\u00a0Brittany Elmslie<\/strong> (53.83), and\u00a0McKeon (52.29) picked up the silver with a combined time of 3:32.81.<\/p>\n

A dominating anchor leg by Kromowidjojo (51.98) powered The Netherlands to a bronze medal finish of 3:32.84. Teammates\u00a0Kim Busch<\/strong> (54.05),\u00a0Femke Heemskerk<\/strong> (52.84), and\u00a0Maud van der Meer<\/strong> (53.77) completed the relay for The Netherlands.<\/p>\n

Canada’s\u00a0Sandrine Mainville<\/strong> (53.77),\u00a0Chantal van Landeghem<\/strong> (52.97),\u00a0Kayla Sanchez<\/strong> (54.16), and\u00a0Penny Oleksiak<\/strong> (52.98) picked up fourth with a time of 3:33.88.<\/p>\n

Sweden settled for fifth overall with a final time of 3:33.94, followed by China’s combined time of 3:36.49.<\/p>\n

Japan and Denmark completed the top eight with times of 3:38.24 and 3:38.86, respectively.<\/p>\n

Swimming World Radio<\/h3>\n

Listen to the American women discuss their gold medal:<\/p>\n\n

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