Australian Women Crush World Record in 400 Free Relay

On the first day of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, the Australian women have broken the World Record in the 400 free relay.

The team of Bronte Campbell, Mel Schlanger, Emma McKeon, and Cate Campbell combined for a 3:30.98, which broke the old World Record of 3:31.72 swum by the Netherlands at the 2009 World Championships.

The Australian coaches made a gutsy call, pulling out three of the four prelims swimmers including Alicia Coutts, but it was the right call based on the results. The final splits:

• Bronte Campbell – 53.15
• Mel Schlanger – 52.76
• Emma McKeon – 52.91
• Cate Campbell – 52.16

Mel Schlanger, back from injury, was brilliant just as she was in prelims. Bronte Campbell’s lead-off split was itself a new Commonwealth Games Record in the individual 100 free; and Emma McKeon, on her third race of the session, went under 53 as well. They just missed becoming the first relay to ever have all four swimmers under 53 seconds, and Cate Campbell on the anchor may have even left some in the water, but was still more than fast enough for the record.

The comparative splits from the old record:

• Inge Dekker – 53.61
• Ranomi Kromowidjojo – 52.30
• Femke Heemskerk – 53.03
• Marleen Veldhuis – 52.78

This also broke the old Australian, Oceanic, and Commonwealth Games record of 3:32.43 done by Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon, and Alicia Coutts at Worlds last year. That’s an interesting comparison as it was done by 75% of the same group just one year ago.

• Cate Campbell – 52.33
• Bronte Campbell – 53.47
• Emma McKeon – 53.19
• Alicia Coutts – 53.44

This relay was almost as fast as the Australian National Record in short course meters, which is just .06 faster.