{"id":615076,"date":"2025-06-16T05:14:36","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T12:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=615076"},"modified":"2025-07-14T12:20:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T19:20:50","slug":"world-championships-relay-analysis-american-women-favored-for-first-400-free-relay-title-in-eight-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-relay-analysis-american-women-favored-for-first-400-free-relay-title-in-eight-years\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships Relay Analysis: American Women Favored for First 400 Free Relay Title in Eight Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships Relay Analysis: American Women Favored for First 400 Free Relay Title in Eight Years<\/strong><\/p>\n

The reign of dominance for Australia in the women\u2019s 400 freestyle relay stretches back more than a decade to the country\u2019s upset win at the London Olympic Games. Three further Olympic gold medals have followed, with the margins of victory in 2016, 2021 and 2024 all more than one second, along with four world titles and numerous world records. Swimmers such as Cate Campbell<\/strong>, Brittany Elmslie<\/strong>, Bronte Campbell<\/strong>, Emma McKeon<\/strong> and Meg Harris<\/strong> have been part of the finals squad on two or more occasions while Mollie O\u2019Callaghan<\/strong> was a prelims swimmer in Tokyo before leading the Dolphins to a dominant victory last year in Paris<\/a>.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Callaghan is only 21 years old, but she is the rare veteran presence on Australia\u2019s roster heading to this year\u2019s World Championships in Singapore<\/a> after winning the 100 free at the Australian selection meet in 52.87<\/a>. McKeon and the Campbell sisters have retired while Shayna Jack<\/strong>, who joined O\u2019Callaghan in the 100 free final at the Paris Games, did not qualify to represent her country at Worlds. Jack fell to fifth in the 50 free and a jarring eighth place in the 100 at Australia\u2019s recent selection meet. Harris will be in Singapore after a Trials win in the 50 free, but her 100-meter season-best of 53.01 is a long way from her Paris anchor split of 51.94.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the United States will bring its fastest-ever contingent of 100 freestylers. The event\u2019s final at U.S. Nationals<\/a> marked the first time three Americans have broken 53 in the same heat. Torri Huske<\/strong> swam the fastest time in the world this year at 52.43 while Gretchen Walsh<\/strong> went a best time at 52.78. Simone Manuel<\/strong> swam her fastest time in six years on the way to a third place finish while Kate Douglass<\/strong> was fourth at a still-respectable time of 53.16. Erin Gemmell<\/strong> and Anna Moesch<\/strong> also made the team as relay swimmers, but it is expected that the Americans roll out the same foursome that won silver in Paris.<\/p>\n

Only this time, the numbers show a different story in the long-standing rivalry between the two swimming powers. Composite times put the Americans significantly ahead.<\/p>\n

Below are the added-up times for the top countries in this event. Only 2025 season-best times are used here, but limitations of this analysis will be considered.<\/p>\n