2022 Commonwealth Games: Only 1 Team Opts for Typical MMFF Mixed Medley Order

2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

MIXED 4X100 MEDLEY RELAY – FINAL

  • World Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
  • Commonwealth Record: 3:37.58, Great Britain – 2021
  • Commonwealth Games Record: 3:45.34, Australia – 2022
  • Relay Lineups
  1. Australia, 3:41.30
  2. Canada, 3:43.98
  3. England, 3:44.03
  4. South Africa, 3:44.38
  5. Wales, 3:47.76
  6. Scotland, 3:48.55
  7. Jersey, 4:01.10
  8. Guernsey, 4:02.79

The 4×100 mixed medley relay here at the Commonwealth Games definitely had some interesting choices. Typically, mixed medley relay teams used the male-male-female-female lineup order. Tonight though, only one of the eight teams went with this typical order. Scotland swam Craig McNally, Ross Murdoch, Keanna Louise Macinnes, and Lucy Hope.

In addition to the typical MMFF order, teams also typically use a male breaststroke. Here, all teams did so except for South Africa who used Lara Van Niekerk on the breaststroke leg. Earlier in the session, Van Niekerk won the women’s 100 breaststroke. The men for South Africa only had 1 finalist in the men’s 100 breast as Brendan Crawford finished eighth.

Even gold medal-winning Australia did not go with the MMFF order instead using World Record holder Kaylee McKeown on the backstroke leg.

In sum, most relays went with a F-M-M-F order. Typically, the MMFF order is used to allow for clean water during the back half of the race.

Fastest Backstroke legs:

Swimmer Backstroke
Coetze- RSA 53.42
McNally- SCO 54.5
McKeown- AUS 59.01
Masse- CAN 59.11
Harris- WAL 59.48
Cox- ENG 1:00.81
Tostevin- GGY 1:03.95
Atherley- JEY 1:04.21

Only two men were used on the backstroke legs both giving their respective countries an early lead. The three medaling relays all swam the female leg here. Notably, gold medal winning Australia used the World Record holder in the women’s 100 backstroke as Kaylee McKeown led off in a 59.01. McKeown’s best and world record stands at a 57.45.

Fastest Breaststroke legs:

Swimmer Breaststroke
Wilby- ENG 58.94
Murdoch- SCO 59.45
Stubblety-Cook-AUS 59.52
Dergousoff- CAN 1:00.57
Booth-WAL 1:01.68
Jones-JEY 1:03.78
R. Hallett- GGY 1:04.45
Van Niekierk- RSA 1:05.41

Van Niekierk of South Africa was the only female here on the breaststroke leg, although her split of 1:05.41 was not far off of some of the men’s splits. World record holder in the men’s 200 breast Stubblety-Cook of Australia had the third fastest split of the seven men.

Swimmer Fly
Temple- AUS 50.89
le Clos- RSA 50.94
Guy-ENG 51.19
Shalamon-JEY 55.1
C. Hallett- GGY 56.14
MacNeil- CAN 56.5
Jones-WAL 58.26
Macinnes- 59.52 59.52

Only three women were used on the fly leg. Nottably, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil had the fastest female split with a 56.50. Earlier in the meet, MacNeil won the women’s 100 fly swimming a meet record of 56.36. Canada’s Josh Liendo won the men’s 100 fly earlier in the night with a 51.24.

Australia’s Matt Temple, who finished second behind Liendo in the 100 fly earlier, had the fastest split with a 50.89. That was faster than his individual finish of 51.40.

Swimmer Free
Gaziev- CAN 47.8
Richards-WAL 48.34
McKeon- AUS 51.88
Anderson-ENG 53.09
Canny-RSA 54.61
Hope-SCO 55.08
Scott-JEY 58.01
Rabey-GGY 58.25

Only two men anchored on the free leg. Ruslan Gaziev came home in a 47.80 for Canada to touch in second. Australia’s Emma McKeon had the fastest split of the women by over a second swimming a 51.88. Even though Canada used a male at the end, the gap was too big in addition to McKeon’s sub-52 split to overcome.

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Commonsense
2 years ago

Australia should have gone Emma to Kyle to finish the relay

JimSwim22
2 years ago

I don’t think the ‘typical’ order is even 50% of the total swims. Not that much data to collect and analyze. Just like ‘ fastest swimmer is anchor’ except Phelps, Dressel, Ledecky, etc.

Sean C.
2 years ago

Other than breaststroke, it really all comes down to the personnel at hand. For instance, Canada didn’t bring any of its best 100 m freestyle women, so using a woman for that leg wouldn’t have made any sense for them.

NJones
Reply to  Sean C.
2 years ago

Actually it was probably close between using Liendo on fly at 51.2 flat start and a hopeful 50.high relay with a 53low MacNeil on free (vs 56mid MacNeil and 48mid Guslav or Liendo or even Acevedo). On paper an approx 5sec difference either way. However Liendo had 2 other finals swims including 100 fly and likely would have had some fatigue. Guslav earned a spot with his 100 free final and swam even better on that relay!

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Sean C.
2 years ago

Placing a female on the breaststroke leg of the mixed 4 x 100 meter medley relay works only if Lilly King posts a 1:04.15 breaststroke split. Reference the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships for further details.

King: 64.15 mixed 4 x 100 m medley
Cordes: 58.89 men’s 4 x 100 m medley
Worrell: 56.30 women’s 4 x 100 m medley
Dressel: 49.92 mixed 4 x 100 m medley

Admin
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

It works if King splits a 64.15 and the male splits 58.89.

The US male breaststroker at a major meet should not be splitting 58.89.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

What about a 58.49 male breaststroke split?

Verram
2 years ago

I think the only certain is to use your male breastroker as much as you can ..

Robbos
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

This is the biggest time difference between men & women.

Verram
Reply to  Robbos
2 years ago

That’s why GBR gets the greatest advantage with Peaty swimming breastroke for them

Robbos
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

yep!!!! Peaty was the big difference.

Miss M
2 years ago

FMMF has to be close to the “typical” order. It’s what GBR used to win Tokyo and set the WR.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Miss M
2 years ago

The USA coaching staff finally came to its senses with the MMFF lineup and won the gold medal in the 4 x 100 meter mixed medley relay at the 2022 FINA World Aquatics Championships.

Ragnar
Reply to  Miss M
2 years ago

For any countries that don’t have 52 second men backstrokes, it does seem easier to find a sub 59 female

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Ragnar
2 years ago

There is no way Regan Smith would have survived a triple in the evening session let alone after swimming the semifinal of the women’s 200 meter butterfly. What the heck the USA Team coaching staff was even thinking?

Last edited 2 years ago by Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Scuncan Dott
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

No ones talking about USA here.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Scuncan Dott
2 years ago

The point went way over your head.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Miss M
2 years ago

Anna Hopkin posted the split of her life at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Anna Hopkin did not even qualify for the final of the women’s 100 meter freestyle at the 2022 FINA Aquatics Championships.

Scuncan Dott
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
2 years ago

Hopkin in general was on fire in 2021, she made the final of the 100 freestyle at the Olympics and posted a 52.75 NR in the heats there and made the finals where she went a 52.83, only 0.31 off getting an individual Olympic Medal. She hasn’t been as good as this year probably because she’s been recovering from Covid which she caught around british trials time. She’s definitely capable of getting back in the 52s again next year if she avoids illnesses/injuries.

About Anya Pelshaw

Anya Pelshaw

Anya has been with SwimSwam since June 2021 as both a writer and social media coordinator. She was in attendance at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Women's NCAA Championships writing and doing social media for SwimSwam. She also attended 2023 US Summer Nationals as well as the 2024 European Championships …

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