{"id":533529,"date":"2023-07-25T18:24:53","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T01:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=533529"},"modified":"2023-07-25T18:24:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T01:24:53","slug":"world-championships-katharine-berkoff-leads-off-u-s-mixed-medley-as-top-countries-rest-stars-relay-lineups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-katharine-berkoff-leads-off-u-s-mixed-medley-as-top-countries-rest-stars-relay-lineups\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships: Katharine Berkoff Leads Off U.S. Mixed Medley as Top Countries Rest Stars (Relay Lineups)"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships: Katharine Berkoff Leads Off U.S. Mixed Medley as Top Countries Rest Stars (Relay Lineups)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Relay action returns to the World Championships Wednesday with the mixed 400 medley relay, and most of the top contending countries are utilizing alternate lineups in prelims to the groupings set to race in the finals session. For the United States, however, the so-called “B” team includes a swimmer already with an individual medal in Fukuoka, 100 backstroke bronze medalist\u00a0Katharine Berkoff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Click here to view the full lineups<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The defending champions will follow Berkoff with\u00a0Josh Matheny<\/strong>,\u00a0Dare Rose<\/strong> and\u00a0Abbey Weitzeil<\/strong>. Both of those men swam in individual finals earlier in the meet while Weitzeil helped the American women to silver in the 400 freestyle relay. Swimming this group in prelims likely means that\u00a0Ryan Murphy<\/strong>,\u00a0Nic Fink<\/strong>,\u00a0Torri Huske<\/strong> and\u00a0Kate Douglass<\/strong> will be called upon at night.<\/p>\n

China, seemingly the favorite for gold based on a composite times analysis<\/a>, will also rest several of its big names, including individual world champions\u00a0Qin Haiyang<\/strong> (men’s 100 breaststroke) and\u00a0Zhang Yufei<\/strong> (women’s 100 butterfly).\u00a0Xu Jiayu<\/strong> will lead off in prelims ahead of\u00a0Yan Zibei<\/strong>,\u00a0Wang Yichun<\/strong> and\u00a0Wu Qingfeng<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Australia goes with\u00a0Bradley Woodward<\/strong>,\u00a0Sam Williamson<\/strong>,\u00a0Emma McKeon<\/strong> and\u00a0Shayna Jack<\/strong> in the morning while the Netherlands, the winners of bronze last year behind the U.S. and Aussies, will swim\u00a0Maaike de Waard<\/strong>,\u00a0Arno Kamminga<\/strong>,\u00a0Nyls Korstanje<\/strong> and\u00a0Marrit Steenbergen<\/strong>, their full-strength lineup likely to return for the final.<\/p>\n

Canada’s team includes\u00a0Maggie Mac Neil<\/strong> on the butterfly leg but no\u00a0Josh Liendo<\/strong> or\u00a0Kylie Masse<\/strong> on backstroke, with\u00a0Ingrid Wilm<\/strong> subbing on that leg, so changes could be in order if the Canadian qualify for the final. Italy has\u00a0Lorenzo Mora<\/strong> and\u00a0Federico Poggio<\/strong> on the front half of the relay, with\u00a0Thomas Ceccon<\/strong> and\u00a0Nicolo Martinenghi<\/strong>, respectively, waiting in reserve.<\/p>\n

Great Britain, the Olympic champions in this event, will go with\u00a0Medi Harris<\/strong>,\u00a0James Wilby<\/strong>,\u00a0Jacob Peters<\/strong> and\u00a0Anna Hopkin<\/strong>, with the only potential change the insertion of\u00a0Freya Anderson<\/strong> to swim freestyle. Germany could have a good one with\u00a0Ole Braunschweig<\/strong>,\u00a0Lucas Matzerath<\/strong> and\u00a0Angelina Kohler<\/strong> on the squad, and Japan has veterans\u00a0Ryosuke Irie<\/strong> and\u00a0Rikako Ikee<\/strong> as bookends.<\/p>\n