{"id":615742,"date":"2025-06-25T12:38:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T19:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=615742"},"modified":"2025-07-14T12:19:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T19:19:37","slug":"world-championships-relay-analysis-no-one-stopping-american-women-in-medley-relay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-relay-analysis-no-one-stopping-american-women-in-medley-relay\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships Relay Analysis: No One Stopping American Women in Medley Relay"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships Relay Analysis: No One Stopping American Women in Medley Relay<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tokyo Olympic final of the women\u2019s 400 medley relay looks like a blip. Fueled by a career meet from Emma McKeon<\/strong> and an overperforming breaststroke split from Chelsea Hodges<\/strong>, Australia took down the United States for gold by 13-hundredths. But in every other global final dating back to 2016, the Americans have been golden, with most of the contests not particularly close.<\/p>\n

Capping off that run was the final at last year\u2019s Paris Olympics, where the American team won gold by almost three-and-a-half seconds and became the first group to ever crack the 3:50-barrier<\/a>. In a reversal of their finishes in the individual backstroke events earlier in the meet, Regan Smith<\/strong> comfortably beat Australia\u2019s Kaylee McKeown<\/strong> on the opening leg before Lilly King<\/strong> and Gretchen Walsh<\/strong> each had the fastest splits on their respective strokes. The Australian and Chinese freestylers out-split Torri Huske<\/strong>, but they were in a tight battle for placements while Huske entered with an insurmountable lead.<\/p>\n

\"regan-smith-\"

American backstroker Regan Smith — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n

A similar result is expected at this year\u2019s World Championships thanks to Smith, Walsh and Huske all entering the meet<\/a> as the top swimmers in the world this year<\/a> in their respective strokes<\/a>. King has won gold every time she has raced this event in a major final, with the lone loss in 2021 coming when Lydia Jacoby<\/strong> handled breaststroke duties. There might be a new breaststroke swimmer this time, though; Kate Douglass<\/strong> came from behind to beat King in the 100 breast at King\u2019s final U.S. Nationals, putting her in position to handle that stroke in this year.<\/p>\n

That said, it won\u2019t matter much is Walsh is two seconds clear of the competition on the butterfly leg, and that could be the case after she clocked 54.60 for a new world record in the 100 fly in May. Of the next three fastest swimmers in the Paris final, McKeon and Maggie Mac Neil<\/strong> are both retired while it\u2019s unclear if Zhang Yufei<\/strong> will be in Singapore.<\/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