2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
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- La Défense Arena — Paris, France
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Maria Fernanda Costa lowered her own South American record in the 200 freestyle while leading off the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay on Thursday, helping Brazil equal its best-ever finish in the event with a 7th-place showing in 7:52.90.
The 21-year-old Costa led off the Brazilian relay in 1:56.06, knocking a few tenths off her continental standard of 1:56.37 from May. Rising Michigan sophomore Stephanie Balduccini (1:57.32), Maria Paula Heitmann (2:00.54), and Gabrielle Roncatto (1:58.98) rounded out the quartet.
| Costa’s New South American Record – 1:56.06 | Costa’s Old South American Record – 1:56.37 |
| 27.33 | 27.78 |
| 29.17 | 28.98 |
| 29.49 | 30.04 |
| 30.07 | 29.57 |
The Brazilians were slightly slower than prelims (7:52.81 for the No. 5 seed) as well as their own national record of 7:52.71 from February’s World Championships, where they placed 4th. Aline Rodrigues swam the third leg of that relay in 1:59.73 instead of Heitmann, who posted the only split of the field slower than two minutes in the final. Both Heitmann and Roncatto were faster during prelims this morning at 1:59.43 and 1:58.56, respectively.
It was South America’s first appearance in the women’s 4×200 free relay final in two decades since Brazil placed 7th (8:05.29) at the Athens 2004 Olympics. The Brazilian women’s 4×200 free relay was almost seven seconds faster than it was a few years ago in Tokyo, where the squad placed 10th in 7:59.50.
“The year I was born, this relay team reached an Olympic final and I’m very happy to be able to repeat this feat 20 years later,” said Balduccini, who turns 20 in September.
“After 20 years, we put Brazil in an Olympic final,” Roncatto said. “I really believe in this generation, in these girls. That’s what relays are. We were in the final and we need to celebrate that. We are very consistent and we will believe in this relay.”