2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 6th – December 11th, 2016
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- WFCU Centre
- SCM (25m)
- Prelims: 9:30 AM EST/Finals: 6:30 PM EST
- Start Lists/Results
- Live Stream ($)
Team USA didn’t go with their usual strategy in tonight’s 200 mixed medley relay, but their plan paid off as the Americans came away with the gold. While we don’t see the mixed relays contested all that often, we don’t usually see teams field women on the breaststroke leg. The USA strayed from this usual trend when they made the decision to put in Lilly King as their breaststroker tonight.
They had a few options on their roster for the breaststroke leg of this relay. In prelims, they went with Cody Miller, who split a 25.88 to help the Americans take the top seed for finals. If they chose to go with one of the men in finals, Michael Andrew, who is slated to swim the 50 breast at this meet, was also likely in the conversation.
In addition to the change in the breaststroke leg, the USA also switched things up by using the men on the bookends. In doing so, they opted not to swim Tom Shields on the fly leg, but Shields was still a member of the relay. He led them off with a 23.45 backstroke split.
Though Worrell had the 2nd fastest fly split of the field behind Brazil’s Nicholas Santos, the U.S. sat in 7th headed into the freestyle leg as most of the teams had an edge after using their men on the breaststroke leg. Michael Chadwick, the only male anchor in the field, was able to get the job done by outsplitting every other team by at least 3.5 seconds.
With that, Team USA set a new Championship Record en route to gold. Brazil formerly held the Championship Record, which they set at 1:37.26 at the 2014 Short Course World Championships in Doha. They just barely missed the World Record, which was set by Team USA’s Eugene Godsoe, Kevin Cordes, Claire Donahue, and Simone Manuel at 2013 Duel in the Pool.
Splits Comparison:
| Team | Back Split | Breast Split | Fly Split | Free Split | Final time |
| USA 2013 (World Record) | Godsoe- 22.88 | Cordes- 25.40 | Donahue- 25.28 | Manuel- 23.61 | 1:37.17 |
| USA 2016 (Championship Record) | Shields- 23.45 | King- 28.74 | Worrell- 24.59 | Chadwick- 20.44 | 1:37.22 |
| BRA 2014 (Former Championship Record) | Medeiros- 25.83 | Silva- 25.45 | Santos- 21.81 | Oliveira- 24.17 | 1:37.26 |
It really was a beauty to watch. Just when I was thinking it was over, Chadwick came in and blew the field away. I bet the USA lineup of bookending with male swimmers will become something other countries emulate.
I can’t help but think they would’ve snagged the WR if it weren’t for this lineup. Breaststroke is the slowest stroke and because of that there is the largest time gap between men and women. Times don’t take proportion into account. With that being said, the gold and CR are certainly a testament to the skill of the swimmers on this relay though, well done.
I think that in general, you are correct, but it’ll vary based on the roster you happen to have at a given meet. When your fly and breast swimmers are exceptional, like Worrell and King, you can’t just automatically overlook them. In this case, I’m not sure there would have been a faster combination.
I’d love to see video of this race — anyone have a link?
Ditto.
I watched it live. I was hilarious. The US was in 7th when Chadwick dove in. Rowdy said the US was out of it, but after the first 25, Chadwick had cut the lead in half. They ended up winning by a margin. Strange race these mixed relays.
http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fina/swimming/#dm9kOzIxMDQw