2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
WOMEN’S 4×200 FREESTYLE RELAY – FINALS
World Record: Australia – 7:39.29 (2022)Championship Record: United States – 7:41.45 (2022)- 2022 World Champion: United States – 7:41.45
- 2022 Time to Medal: 7:44.76
Top 8:
- Australia (O’Callaghan, Jack, Throssell, Titmus) — 7:37.50 (WORLD RECORD)
- United States (Gemmell, Ledecky, Sims, Shackell) — 7:41.38
- China (Li, Li, Ai, Liu) — 7:44.40
- Great Britain — 7:46.63
- Canada — 7:49.98
- Netherlands — 7:52.93
- Hungary — 7:54.65
- Brazil — 7:59.10
The Australian women won the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay on night 5 of competition in Fukuoka, Japan. The race was close between Australia and the US through the 600 mark. Australia led until that 600 mark, until Bella Sims of the US touched for the final exchange 0.09 seconds ahead of Australia. Ariarne Titmus, who notably was second in the individual 200 free behind fellow teammate Mollie O’Callaghan who led off the relay, had a strong final leg of the relay to secure the win, breaking the Championship and World Records in the process.
As always, it is rare that all of the fastest splits are all swum on the same team so let’s look at who had the fastest splits.
Top Flat Start Splits
| Name | Country | Time |
| O’Callaghan | AUS | 1:53.66 |
| B. Li | CHN | 1:55.83 |
| Gemmell | USA | 1:55.97 |
| Colbert | GBR | 1:56.16 |
| Padar | HUN | 1:56.74 |
| van Kooten | NED | 1:58.17 |
| Harvey | CAN | 1:58.50 |
| Balduccini | BRA | 2:01.05 |
As expected, Mollie O’Callaghan was out fast for Australia, giving them the lead from the start. O’Callaghan won the women’s 200 free individually in a World Record. China’s Bingjie Li and Erin Gemmell of the US touched only 0.14 seconds apart in a close battle.
Top Flying Start Splits
| Name | Country | Time |
| Titmus | AUS | 1:52.41 |
| McIntosh | CAN | 1:53.97 |
| Ledecky | USA | 1:54.39 |
| Sims | USA | 1:54.64 |
| Liu | CHN | 1:55.46 |
| Steenbergen | NED | 1:55.47 |
| Ai | CHN | 1:55.57 |
| Jack | AUS | 1:55.63 |
| Throssell | AUS | 1:55.80 |
| Anderson | GBR | 1:56.30 |
| Shackell | USA | 1:56.38 |
| Wood | GBR | 1:56.85 |
| Hope | GBR | 1:57.32 |
| J. Li | CHN | 1:57.54 |
| Douthwright | CAN | 1:58.27 |
| de Silva Costa | BRA | 1:59.01 |
| Molnar | HUN | 1:59.16 |
| Roncatto | BRA | 1:59.22 |
| O’Croinin | CAN | 1:59.24 |
| Abraham | HUN | 1:59.30 |
| Kesely | HUN | 1:59.45 |
| de Jong | NED | 1:59.60 |
| Holkenborg | NED | 1:59.69 |
| Siqueira Almeida | BRA | 1:59.82 |
As previously mentioned, Titmus had a huge split for Australia. In fact, Titmus swam the fastest split in history, and had the fastest flying start of the field by over a second and a half.
Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh also had a huge split, contributing to the team’s fifth place finish. McIntosh had already won gold on night 5 in the 200 butterfly.
The US had its fastest two splits on the middle two legs as both Katie Ledecky and Bella Sims swam 1:54mids.
Surprised Douthwright only managed a rolling 1:58 when she was 1:42 at ncaas
I think she might be in that adjustment phase. Similar to Crooks last year
O’Callaghan was slower than yesterday mostly because she didn’t have a “rabbit”-Titmus to motivate her and she still has another and maybe the most important individual race in her program to complete.
Titmus swam basically same time. Last 150m: yesterday – 1:26.29; today – 1:26:30.
Also MOC swam a 100 free earlier in the session, and has had a massive program
Unless Ledecky wanted this silver medal to her collection there was no need to put her on this relay and it would be better to save her energy for the 800FR race. Putting poor performing (below high expectations, actually, but pretty much acceptable under current circumstances) Weinstein would make more sense. Then there would be another world records, I think: the youngest ever relay team in the final, the youngest ever relay team on the podium.
Ledecky is winning the 800 regardless. No reason for her not to swim this.
The guy you’re replying to is desperate for Ledecky to win the 800 by as much as possible and as fast as possible so he can take a dig at Titmus
Katie Ledecky has been a staple for USA Swimming in the W 4 x 200 FR-R since the 2013 World Aquatics Championships.
Katie Ledecky adds to her medal total at the World Aquatics Championships:
World Aquatics Championships
All Events
Phelps, Michael – 26 G, 6 S, 1 B, 33 Total
Ledecky, Katie – 20 G, 5 S, 0 B, 25 Total
First time on forever that the fastest split is under the World Record individual swim
I think that Titmus did it least year at comm games when they broke the relay record, but I think it was the first time ever a split had been faster than 1:52.98.
I think JimSwim meant faster than the world record, not the winning time in the individual 200 fr
Well last year the wr was 1.52.98 and Titmus split faster than that as well
Titmus split in common wealth was faster than WR.
She split 1:52.8 last year