{"id":507711,"date":"2022-06-25T01:13:53","date_gmt":"2022-06-25T08:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=507711"},"modified":"2022-06-25T01:17:03","modified_gmt":"2022-06-25T08:17:03","slug":"world-championships-australia-claims-top-seed-in-womens-400-medley-relay-u-s-advances-in-seventh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-australia-claims-top-seed-in-womens-400-medley-relay-u-s-advances-in-seventh\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships: Australia Claims Top Seed in Women’s 400 Medley Relay; U.S. Advances in Seventh"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships: Australia Claims Top Seed in Women’s 400 Medley Relay; U.S. Advances in Seventh<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reigning Olympic champion Australia put itself in position to maintain its No. 1 status in the women’s 400-meter medley when it qualified first in the prelims of the World Championships in Budapest. Behind the quartet of Kaylee McKeown<\/strong>, Jenna Strauch<\/strong>, Brianna Throssell<\/strong> and Madison Wilson<\/strong>, Australia got through the morning in 3:56.77, just ahead of the Netherlands. The Dutch squad touched the wall in 3:57.48 for second place.<\/p>\n

The United States advanced as the seventh seed and will be in an outer lane in the final after the squad of Rhyan White<\/strong>, Alex Walsh<\/strong>, Natalie Hinds<\/strong> and Erika Brown<\/strong> produced a time of 4:00.06.\u00a0With Torri Huske<\/strong> and Claire Curzan<\/strong> doubling up in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, and Curzan also in the 100 backstroke, the American coaches had multiple options for Team USA’s morning-relay order. Ultimately, they went with White (1:00.12) on the backstroke leadoff, Hinds (58.88) on the butterfly leg and Brown (53.46) on the freestyle anchor. The interesting decision was to insert Walsh (1:07.60) on the breaststroke leg, rather than Annie Lazor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Although the morning effort from Team USA was far from crisp, the U.S. will have a chance at the title at night. Regan Smith<\/strong> will take over the backstroke duties, followed by Lilly King<\/strong> on breaststroke and some order of Huske and Curzan on fly and freestyle.<\/p>\n

Sweden and Canada posted the third- and fourth-fastest times of prelims, with the Swedes clocking 3:57.81 and the Canadians going 3:58.38. Sweden has minimal room for improvement in the final, as it used a loaded relay just to get to the night. Canada, though, will have the luxury of adding Kylie Masse<\/strong> (backstroke) and Penny Oleksiak<\/strong> (freestyle) to the championship heat.<\/p>\n

Great Britain was expected to easily advance to the final, but the Brits were disqualified for an infraction on Molly Renshaw’s breaststroke leg.<\/p>\n