2025 World University Games: All-Around Dominance From Team USA – Day 1 Women’s Relay Analysis

2025 World University Games

• July 17th-23rd, 2025
  • Prelims: 9 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST)
  • Finals: 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. EST)
• Berlin, Germany
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Meet Central
• Entries List
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1
  • Finals: Day 1

Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay – Final

• World Record: 3:27.96 – Australia, 2023
• World Junior Record: 3:36.19 – Canada, 2017
• World University Games Record: 3:37.51 – China, 2023

Top-8 Finishers:

1. United States – 3:36.21 (GOLD)
2. China – 3:38.70 (SILVER)
3. Italy – 3:39.86 (BRONZE)
4. Japan – 3:42.55
5. Spain – 3:43.67
6. Canada & South Africa – 3:44.18
7. N/A
8. Chinese Taipei – 3:46.77

The U.S were dominant in this relay as they shattered China’s Universiade record in 3:36.21 – they led wire-to-wire to take the United States’ first swimming gold of the Games and mark the return of the U.S. to the World University Games with a bang. China took silver ahead of Italy as both made it back onto the podium after finishing 1st and 2nd two years ago in Chengdu, although both were slightly slower this time around. 

Leadoff Legs (Flat Start)

1. Maxine Parker, USA – 54.28 (1)
2. Olivia Nel, South Africa – 54.96 (2)
3. Liu Shuhan, China – 55.01 (3)
4. Giulia D’Innocenzo, Italy – 55.43 (4)
5. Ainhoa Campabadal Amezcua, Spain – 55.75 (5)
6. Rio Suzuki, Japan – 55.94 (6)
7. Emma O’Croinin, Canada – 56.29 (7)
8. Liu Pei-yin, Chinese Taipei – 56.81 (8)

Maxine Parker led the field by seven-tenths of a second to give the U.S. a healthy lead. She was off her best of 53.51 as well as her season-best of 53.56, but was still one of only two swimmers to break 55 seconds, as she was joined by South Africa’s Olivia Nel. She delivered another swim under 55 seconds after hacking seven-tenths off her best set just this April in the heats. After only breaking 56 seconds for the first time at this year’s South African Championships, the NC State swimmer could be one to watch in the individual 100 free tomorrow.

China’s Liu Shuhan was within a tenth of her best of 54.93 to give China a solid foundation, and Italy’s Giulia D’Innocenzo was also only just off her best of 55.29 to keep them squarely in the hunt.

2nd Legs (Flying Start)

1. Caroline Larsen, USA – 54.16 (1)
2. Federica Toma, Italy – 54.57 (3)
3. Ge Chutong, China – 54.73 (2)
4. Alba Herrero Lazaro, Spain – 55.51 (4)
5. Riko Sawano, Japan – 55.58 (6)
6. Julie Brousseau, Canada – 55.92 (7)
7. Georgia Nel, South Africa – 56.43 (5)
8. Liao Yu-fei, Chinese Taipei – 56.61 (8)

Caroline Larsen continued her fantastic form in the 100 free, splitting 54.16 to add to a pair of 54-point swims from U.S. Nationals and extending the lead she had inherited from Parker to 1.3 seconds. China’s Ge Chutong and Italy’s Federico Toma were the only swimmers to split within a second of Larsen’s time, as a clear front three developed on this leg. Toma sliced a tenth off her split from this morning thanks to some extra front end speed, while Chutong was three-quarters of a second faster. South Africa fell down to fifth, as Georgia Nel added half a second to her flat-start best., with Alba Lazaro taking advantage to move Spain into the top four .

3rd Legs (Flying Start)

1. Julia Dennis, USA – 54.01 (1)
2. Viola Scotto di Carlo, Italy – 54.96 (2)
3. Ashley McMillan, Canada – 55.35 (7)
4. Michaela de Villiers, South Africa – 55.38 (4) & Yu Liyan, China – 55.58 (3)
5. –
6. Sakura Ohshima, Japan – 55.90 (6)
7. Julia Pujadas Rusinol, Spain – 55.97 (5)
8. Chiu Yi-chen, Chinese Taipei – 58.08 (8)

Julia Dennis gave team USA yet another fastest split, as she swam nearly a second faster than anyone else on this leg. This was four-tenths faster than he flat start time, and put Team USA 2.51 seconds clear with just 100 meters to go. Viola Di Carlo nudged Italy ahead of China in the battle for second with the only other split on this leg under 55 seconds, with Canada’s Ashley McMillan splitting 55.35 as she attempted to drag them into the fight for the top five. Michaela de Villiers had a great split for South Africa to put them into fourth heading into the final leg, almost exactly replicating her split from this morning.

4th Legs (Flying Start)

1. Ai Yanhan, China – 53.38 (2)
2. Isabel Ivey, USA – 53.76 (1)
3. Agata Ambler, Italy – 54.90 (3)
4. Ayu Mizoguchi, Japan – 55.13 (4)
5. Han An-chi, Chinese Taipei – 55.27 (8)
6. Paula Juste Sanchez, Spain – 56.44 (5)
7. Julia Strojnowska, Canada – 56.62 (=6)
8. Hannah Robertson, South Africa – 57.43 (=6)

The fastest split of the night came from China’s Ai Yanhan on the anchor, as she blew Italy’s Agata Ambler away with a split of 53.38. That was just under four-tenths faster than Isabel Ivey, who almost exactly matched her 53.80 from this morning, but the Florida swimmer had a significant buffer and held on to break the WUG record for Team USA. Yanhan is entered in just 54.72 in the individual 100 tomorrow, and is now a serious medal contender in that event. She was the only swimmer in the field to close sub-28, coming home in 27.85, and was significantly faster than the 55.30 she went leading off this morning.

Ayu Mizoguchi was 55.13 to blast Japan past Spain and South Africa into 4th, and Han An-chi delivered a strong 55.27 for Chinese Taipei to bring them within three seconds of Canada and South Africa in front of them, eight-tenths under her best time of 56.08.

Notes

• The U.S. women would not shock anyone by having two women end up on the podium in the individual 100 free tomorrow. Although Parker was slightly off her best on the leadoff, Julia Dennis looked strong and both Isabel Ivey and Caroline Larsen seem in good form for their individual events – and importantly, consistent with their swims from this morning. This could be the first of many gold medals for the U.S. women here in Berlin.
• China don’t have the same star power here that they brought to Chengdu two years ago, but Ai Yanhan could make a case to be their top swimmer in Berlin if she can springboard off her split tonight. A split of 53.3 is world-class, and could see her challenging the 54-second barrier tomorrow in the individual event. China is not entered in the mixed 4×100 free or women’s 4×100 medley relay, limiting the opportunities for more relay swims, but Ai will be in both the individual 100 and 200 over the next few days and could make a splash in both. The 4×200 free also looks in good shape with both Ai and Ge Chutong, the top two seeds in the individual 200, looking strong.