{"id":511241,"date":"2022-08-13T11:22:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-13T18:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=511241"},"modified":"2022-08-13T14:46:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T21:46:53","slug":"european-championships-freya-anderson-anchors-great-britain-to-come-from-behind-400-free-relay-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/european-championships-freya-anderson-anchors-great-britain-to-come-from-behind-400-free-relay-win\/","title":{"rendered":"European Championships: Freya Anderson Anchors Great Britain to Come-From-Behind 400 Free Relay Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Championships: Freya Anderson Anchors Great Britain to Come-From-Behind 400 Free Relay Win<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a tale of two races in the women’s 400 freestyle relay at the European Championships as Sweden led off with 100 free world-record holder\u00a0Sarah Sjostrom<\/strong> and followed with\u00a0Louise Hansson<\/strong> in hopes of building a big lead while Great Britain countered with Anna Hopkin\u00a0<\/strong>on the second leg and Freya Anderson<\/strong> anchoring. Sjostrom built a huge lead for Sweden, but the British team had enough balance and depth to come back and earn the continental title.<\/p>\n

Sjostrom was out in a blistering 25.16 on her first 50 meters, already more than a second ahead of the field. Sjostrom, who turns 29 next week, won silver in the 100 free at the World Championships this year but skipped the event at the European Championships to focus on the 50 free and 50 fly, so this was her only chance to put up an elite 100-meter time this week. However, she faded down the stretch before touching in a still-solid mark of 53.12. Great Britain’s Lucy Hope<\/strong> had the next-best leadoff split at 54.88.<\/p>\n

But the Brits got back into the race on the second leg with Hopkin going 53.44, and Medi Harris<\/strong> was solid at 54.61 before Anderson dove in and surpassed Sweden. Anderson pulled away on the last length to touch in 3:36.47, eight tenths ahead of the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels amazing! It felt great to race with the girls and to defend the title from last year. Really, you couldn\u2019t ask for more,\u201d Hopkin said. Anderson added, \u201cThis was really good, a race put together well. The girls put me in a position where it was really difficult to lose. I\u2019m very happy about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sjostrom, Hansson,\u00a0Sarah Junevik<\/strong> and\u00a0Sofia Astedt<\/strong> of Sweden won silver in 3:37.29. \u201cThat\u2019s a huge thing that we won a silver because we miss Michelle Coleman<\/strong> here, who is one of the best freestylers in the world. But we fought for each other to achieve the best we could.\u201d<\/p>\n

A fast-finishing team from the Netherlands won bronze in 3:37.59. Kim Busch<\/strong>,\u00a0Tessa Giele<\/strong> and\u00a0Valerie Van Roon<\/strong> swam the first three legs before\u00a0Marrit Steenbergen<\/strong>, the European titlist in the individual 100 free, closed in 53.02 to move her team past Italy into medal position. The Italians got a 53.56 anchor leg from\u00a0Silvia Di Pietro<\/strong>, but they ended up fourth in 3:38.01.<\/p>\n

\"w400fr-relay-euro\"<\/p>\n