2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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There weren’t any big surprises in this morning’s prelims session of the women’s 800 freestyle relay. Only ten teams swam this morning, meaning everyone was in the same heat and only South Africa and Korea didn’t make it back for tonight’s final.
Top 8 Qualifiers:
- United States- 7:49.43
- Australia- 7:51.76
- China- 7:54.06
- Hungary- 7:54.69
- Canada- 7:54.90
- Great Britain- 7:56.41
- Italy- 7:57.02
- Japan- 7:58.90
United States
The US has two primary options that they can use for tonight’s final. Katie Ledecky (1:55.26 SB) and Claire Weinstein (1:54.67 SB) will be on the relay tonight replacing Bella Sims (1:58.46 flying) and likely Anna Moesch (1:57.75 flying). We can also be sure that Anna Peplowski will be reprising her role on the relay, having swum the fastest split in the field this morning of 1:55.16
The question comes in with Erin Gemmell and Simone Manuel. Gemmell had a rough swim in the 200 freestyle final on day four, finishing 8th in 2:00.16, which had people speculating that she was the latest American swimmer to get sick. She was able to rest this morning, so she might be feeling well enough to swim on the relay with her personal best time of 1:55.23 from Nationals in June. She has also already swam two separate 1:56s this meet. If she cannot swim it, it seems likely that Simone Manuel will be stepping up again to take over the spot, having led off the relay in 1:58.06 this morning, which was slightly slower than Moesch, but was from a flat start.
Australia
Australia will probably be making three replacements tonight. We can expect to see Mollie O’Callaghan (1:53.48 SB), Lani Pallister (1:54.89 SB) and Jamie Perkins (1:55.44 SB) replace Abbey Webb, Milla Jansen, and Hannah Casey from their prelims relay. Brittany Castelluzzo had the fastest split this morning at 1:55.93 and will likely get to swim in the final.
Australia is probably the favorite for the podium with three potential 1:55 splits putting them in a very comfortable position to overtake the rest of the teams, especially if O’Callaghan is on. Though, she swam slightly slower on this relay in Paris than she did in the individual event, and she will be coming off the 100 free semifinals which could affect her swim.
China
China will probably replace Yu Zidi and Wu Qingfeng, who had the slowest splits this morning with Li Bingjie (1:54.52 SB) and Yaxin Liu (1:54.96 SB). Yu Yiting and Peiqi Yang were the fastest China swimmers this morning at 1:58.36 and 1:57.32 respectively.
Li Bingjie was the silver medalist in the 200 freestyle yesterday and Yaxin Liu finished 9th. Depending on where they put these two swimmers, they could challenge for the gold, though Australia is a huge mountain.
Hungary
It doesn’t seem like the Hungarian team has any tricks up their sleeves in the 200 freestyle as their top swimmer Minna Abraham swam the prelims relay. They didn’t seem to be giving full effort this morning, since only two teams were not going to make it through. This is especially clear from Abraham’s 1:58.18 split after she swam 1:56.70 to finish 10th individually. They likely.
They might move around the order, but the team will likely still consist of Dora Molnar, Panna Ugrai, Nikolett Padar, and Abraham.
Canada
Canada has some huge question marks in this relay. They finished 5th, one-hundredth behind Hungary with the team of Ella Jansen (1:58.78 flat start), Sienna Angove (1:58.62 flying), Ella Cosgrove (1:59.41 flying), and Brooklyn Douthwright (1:58.09).
They have two potential weapons to add to the final. Mary-Sophie Harvey has been 1:56.46 this season and she was 1:57.72 in the prelims of the event a few days ago. She would replace Cosgrove if she steps into the relay, though she struggled in the semifinal where she swam 1:58.57 to finish 15th.
Their other option is Summer McIntosh, who is the best swimmer in the world right now. She has a lifetime best of 1:53.65, which would be huge for the relay, but she has the 200 fly final in the same session, and a lot more events to go at this meet. Do they use her here where they will have a difficult time winning a medal, potentially tiring her out? If she swims on it, they will automatically become medal contenders.
Great Britain
The British relay of Leah Schlosshan (1:59.50 flat start), Abbie Wood (1:58.86 flying), Lucy Hope (2:00.40 flying), and Freya Anderson (1:57.65 flying) will probably see one change in tonight’s final with Freya Colbert, the individual 4th place finisher in 1:55.06 replacing Hope.
The rest of the relay has also been faster in the past, with Wood and Schlosshan both having 1:57s in them. They could have slowed it down this morning to not tire themselves out and they will likely be faster in tonight’s final.
Italy
Italy doesn’t have any replacements to make for tonight’s final. Bianca Nannucci was their highest finishing 200 freestyler, taking 25th in the individual event in 1:59.24, and she was on the relay this morning.
Matilde Biagiotti led off in 1:59.39, Anna Chiara Mascolo was 2nd in 1:58.75, Bianca Nannucci was 1:58.44 in 3rd and Sofia Morini was 2:00.44 in the anchor position. Their 7:57.02 was just off the 7:55.29 they swam in Paris to finish 9th. Their biggest room for improvement comes from Morini who was over 2:00 this morning, and will need to be under if they want to drop time. She has been 1:57 before and if she can do that again, they can improve from their Paris time.
Japan
Japan also doesn’t have any swimmers to replace. Nagisa Ikemoto and Waka Kobori were their two individual 200 freestylers and they swam 1st and 3rd on the relay this morning splitting 1:58.90 flat start and 1:59.41 flying start respectively. These times were relatively close to what they swam in their individual, but they can find about a second of improvement if they even just match their individual times in tonight’s final.
Miyu Namba (1:59.32 flying) and Ichika Kajimoto (2:01.17 flying) were their other two swimmers this morning that helped the relay finish 8th in 7:58.80.
Sad that the Canadians aren’t sending it but I understand the decision. Will be good experience for the less experienced women and hoping this relay will be right up there by LA28.
Lineups are out:
ITA 🇮🇹 Mascolo – Nannucci – Biagiotti – Menicucci
CAN 🇨🇦 Douthwright – Angove – Cosgrove – Jansen
CHN 🇨🇳 Liu – Yang – Yu – Li
USA 🇺🇸 Weinstein – Peplowski – Gemmell – Ledecky
AUS 🇦🇺 Pallister – Perkins – Castelluzzo – O’Callaghan
HUN 🇭🇺 Padar – Ugrai – Molnar – Abraham
GBR 🇬🇧 Colbert – Anderson – Wood – Schlosshan
JPN 🇯🇵 Ikemoto – Namba – Kobori – Kajimoto
Pallister vs Weinstein and O’Callaghan vs Ledecky !!!
And Gemmell is in!
Interesting with Gemmell. If she swims like last night US may not medal.
This site may implode also 😆
Yes, almost as much as if they had picked Huske and she struggled.
I will 😂
I mean Walsh went from sick to almost WR the next day so maybe she’s okay.
200 m is more draining than 100, and Walsh went back to sick a day or so after the 100 fly almost WR. I can’t see Gemmell getting anywhere near her PB the night after doing 2.00.
Who’s beating them? Besides AUS/CHN.
Good lineup if Gemmell is healthy
It’s gonna be a real battle.
Disappointed with Canada’s lineup. Would’ve loved to see Summer lead off + MSH in the team
It’s been known since this morning they’re using the same team because MSH is injured and with MSH it’s not worth it for Summer when she has such a huge program.
It’s the best decision not to swim Summer and MSH. Let them focus on their own events especially with MSH having shoulder issues and Summer needing to manage her program to optimize her results.
It will be a good experience for the four other women to race in the final.
Lani has great starts
Ledecky hasn’t anchored this relay since 2021. It will be fun. As long as her teammates don’t spread the virus to her too.
Why didn’t Brazil field a team for this 🙁 I know Mafê isn’t in the best shape, but I thought with Balduccini they would be able to get a final lane
Second thoughts realised while typing: actually thinking about it is Gabrielle Roncatto swimming at this meet I haven’t seen her…
Go Aussie sheilas!!!!
Am I tripping or should china lowkey be the favorite?
Not on paper, no.
Australia’s 1,2,3 and 4 are all faster than China’s 1,2,3 and 4.
But China does have a habit of overperforming on this relay
Why would Ch1na be favourite? Not saying they aren’t a threat but they don’t have the numbers to be favourite.
You’re tripping.
This is China PB or most recent times:
Li Bingjie (1:54.52 SB) and Yaxin Liu (1:54.96 SB). Yu Yiting and Peiqi Yang were the fastest China swimmers this morning at 1:58.36 and 1:57.32 respectively.
Australia has 1:53, 1:54, and two 1:55 (one is from flying start)
On paper, Australia is the favorite followed by USA followed by China. Not saying China can’t win. This pre-race position is the exact same as Tokyo Olympics, and China won, USA silver, and AUS bronze
You’re tripping.
This is CHN PB or most recent times:
Li Bingjie (1:54.52 SB) and Yaxin Liu (1:54.96 SB). Yu Yiting and Peiqi Yang were the fastest CHN swimmers this morning at 1:58.36 and 1:57.32 respectively (both flying start)
Australia has 1:53, 1:54, and two 1:55 (one is from flying start)
On paper, Australia is the favorite followed by USA followed by CHN. Not saying CHN can’t win. This pre-race position is the exact same as Tokyo Olympics, and CHN won, USA silver, and AUS bronze.
Anything can happen in the final, but that is the pre-race form.
It will be ironic if the focus is on AUS-USA rivalry in w4x200, and then CHN steals the thunder like what they did in Tokyo Olympics.
It will be ironic if the focus is on AUS-USA rivalry in w4x200, and then China steals the thunder like what they did in Tokyo Olympics.
🥇AUS
🥈China
🥉USA