SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers if the American women have the edge over the Australians in the 4×100 free relay:
Question: Do the U.S. women have a leg up on the Aussies in the 4×100 free relay heading to 2026 with Huske, Walsh, Douglass and Erisman?
RESULTS
- Yes – 58.3%
- No, AUS is still #1 – 41.7%
The Australian women have been dominant in the 4×100 freestyle relay for over a decade. The Aussies have won four consecutive Olympic titles (and four of the five since 2004), and claimed gold in four consecutive best-on-best World Championships, excluding the 2024 edition in Doha.
The last time the United States bettered them was at the 2017 World Championships, but since then, Australia has been untouchable.
Women’s 4×100 Free Results, Recent Major International Championships
| Meet | Australia | United States |
| 2018 Pan Pacs | 3:31.58 (1st) | 3:33.45 (2nd) |
| 2019 Worlds | 3:30.21 (1st) | 3:31.02 (2nd) |
| 2021 Olympics | 3:29.69 (1st) | 3:32.81 (3rd) |
| 2022 Worlds | 3:30.95 (1st) | 3:32.58 (3rd) |
| 2023 Worlds | 3:27.96 (1st) | 3:31.93 (2nd) |
| 2024 Olympics | 3:28.92 (1st) | 3:30.20 (2nd) |
| 2025 Worlds | 3:30.60 (1st) | 3:31.04 (2nd) |
Despite the one-sided head-to-head record of late, the Americans finished just 44 one-hundredths back at the World Championships earlier this summer in Singapore, which was the closest they’ve been since winning the world title in 2017. It’s also a stark contrast to the 2023 World Championships when the Aussies broke the world record and the Americans finished nearly four seconds back for silver.
At last summer’s Olympics, the U.S. closed the gap by a significant margin, earning silver in 3:30.20 behind Australia’s gold medal-winning effort of 3:28.92.
One reason for the race being much closer the last two years had to do with half of the Aussie roster, Shayna Jack and Emma McKeon, who both split sub-52 at the 2023 World Championships when they broke the world record. In Paris, both were in the Australian lineup but were slower than Fukuoka (averaging 52.37 after they averaged 51.79 in 2023), and then in Singapore, both were absent as McKeon is now retired and Jack didn’t make the team.
The other half of the Aussie relay, Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris, remain elite, but with McKeon and Jack not in the mix, the team was vulnerable at the 2025 World Championships, and only edged out the U.S. by 44 one-hundredths despite the absence of Gretchen Walsh, who was dealing with illness throughout the week.
In our most recent SwimSwam poll, we asked readers which nation has the advantage in the women’s 4×100 free relay entering the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships. It may seem like a silly question from the outside looking in, considering Australia’s dominance of late, but the Americans nearly took them down at Worlds without not only Walsh, but also rising star Rylee Erisman.
Erisman, who won the Junior Pan Pac title last summer in a time of 53.76, was a standout at the World Junior Championships last month, posting a blistering time of 52.79 in the 100 free to come within nine one-hundredths of the World Junior record despite being just 16.
With the emergence of Erisman, along with Torri Huske, the Olympic silver and World Championship bronze medalist in the 100 free, Kate Douglass, who split 51.90 on the relay in Singapore, and Walsh, the Americans have a pretty formidable quartet that should be able to give Australia all it can handle in this relay over the next few years.
Looking at each country’s four fastest times from 2025, flat or flying start, the U.S. has a decent advantage (despite all but Douglass being a flat-start time for the U.S., while Australia’s times are all with a relay takeover outside of O’Callaghan).
Split Comparison
| United States | Australia |
| Torri Huske – 52.42 |
Mollie O’Callaghan – 52.67
|
| Gretchen Walsh – 52.78 |
Meg Harris – 51.87
|
| Rylee Erisman – 52.79 |
Milla Jansen – 52.89
|
| Kate Douglass – 51.90 |
Olivia Wunsch – 53.05
|
| 3:29.89 | 3:30.48 |
In the poll, despite Australia’s head-to-head winning streak over the U.S., 58.3% favored the Americans heading into 2026.
At least on paper, it looks like the Aussies will need Jack to be back on top form, and either Milla Jansen or Olivia Wunsch to take another step if they want to keep pace with a fully-powered U.S. team.
Of course, circumstances are never perfect when it’s time to take to the blocks at major international meets, and recently, Australia has been the team that’s stepped up and performed time and time again. But there’s no doubt this is the best the U.S. has looked in this relay in some time.
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I love the idea that Australia is going in as underdogs heading into LA28 .. works out better that way I think
Oh 100%. Look what happened at worlds
From the past, when Australia were the underdogs, they’ll overperformed. So yes, I think it’s better for them if they’re not the favorites.
Most of the Aussie team will have done CGs a month before, some might skip Pan PAC’s altogether, and US are on home soil. US does seem like the obvious choice for 2026.
The only reasons I agree with this poll is the fact that the Aussies will be focused on Commonwealths and PanPacs are at home. On a neutral site the US isn’t close yet.
i think theyre pretty close on a neutral site w everyone in realistic form, even w shayna jack factored in
torri 52 low vs moc 52 low (flat start)
kate 51 high vs meg 51 high
gretch 52 low/mid vs olivia 52 low/mid
rylee/simone 52 mid vs shayna 52 low/mid (her paris form; being more conservative bc its not clear she can return to fukuoka form)
and the us has a faster 5th leg than australia (rylee/simone vs milla) which is relevant in the context it gives them more optionality in the scenario someone is out of form
On paper perhaps but the US just hasn’t stepped up lately. 2028? Perhaps.
the us stepped up last year in paris and those 4 legs have only gotten faster this year (healthy).
i think it will be very close in 2027 provided theres no random outside of pool curveballs. a lot depends on the form of australia’s 4th leg if its shayna or milla
How did they step up? Because they went fast? Still lost.
They were close already this year even with Gretchen missing.
And Torri obviously sick.
If all things were neutral (meet in Europe/Asia/Africa, no other major meets) then I would say it’s a toss up.
Both teams have a lot of upside. MOC had interrupted prep this year, Meg was focusing on the 50, Jack was basically not training, Wunsch got glandular fever which ruined her training for months etc. But then for US Huske, Walsh, Manuel and Erisman could all potentially be faster than the times from this year.
Yes the Australian sprint-freestylers will have Trials in June and then peak for C’wealth Games and then back up 2-3 weeks later in a distant time zone for Pan Pacs.
not sure many will back up.
not sure the Aussies will even send a (strong) relay team to Pan Pacs. Not a priority at all.
Australia has the Commonwealth Games next year- a meet Australia places high priority on.
I think AUS will be quicker than this year and continue their streak.
If the US women all swim what they are truly capable of, no issues. But they can’t afford an underperformer doing a 53 in the relay.
keep in mind torri dropped a 51. split on the mmr so she could get back down to that level at some point
USA women would’ve easily won in Singapore if they were healthy.
So yeah I’m very optimistic about their chances at pan pacs on home soil next summer.
Easily ? Hmmmmm. If we are doing ifs, then what if MOC didn’t have a knee issue? What if Jack had trained seriously this year?. What if Wunsch had not had mono this year?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdQGHwD2bHs
https://youtu.be/A-RfHC91Ewc
IF, IF, IF, if they swam faster than the Aussies, they would’ve won.
In an odd coincidence 58.3%os swimswam readers are American
Burgers > Vegemite
My mum > yours
Cautiously agree but seems like Aus always has some girl that comes out of the blue that can throw down a 52 as well. USA should have the upper hand the next few years but you just never know.
Yeah I think this is the only women’s relay that is not entirely locked heading to LA which is exciting
Agree!!!
You think the women’s 4×200 is locked?? Even more delusional that usual.
American women winning the medley are red hot favourites. Australia with MOC, Titmus, Lani and whoever number 4 turns out to be is as stacked as the American women in the medley. The 4×100 free is surely going to be the closest to call. But, its 3 years away, nothing is a lock, especially relays.
Lani Pallister is dropping massive PB’s in every race she swims (and she has only been training with Boxall for 3 months before world champs)
AND she’s St Peter’s Western’s THIRD best 200m swimmer! MOC has won the individual 200 in the last 3 WC/OG and Titmus has anchored in 1:52 every time she has swum this relay since 2022.
SPW’s 4x200m relay would easily dominate any country in the world between now and LA
I guess Lisa might’ve been calling it locked for Australia but I don’t think it’s locked either way with how quickly the US are improving but as you say based on what we currently know Australia are the favourites with an on form Titmus.
I definitely assumed she meant locked for Australia. I don’t think anyone could possibly say it’s locked the other way
It is Lisa …
If she was calling it for the US – then mind blown haha. I would say Aus are as strong favourites in the 4×2 as the US are in the medley.
You think USA w4x200 is locked to beat AUS MOC + Pallister + Perkins + Titmus?
Hilarious.
Nothing is locked 3 years out. That’s just silly. Injuries, huge time drops, poor taper. Some of those things will happen for sure