Australian Olympians and Rising Stars Set 100×400 World Record

On Sunday, Australian swimmers of a variety of levels in South East Queensland combined to set the 100×400 free relay world record.

As previously reported, the team included Olympians David McKeon, Brittany Elmslie, 2017 FINA World Championships team members Kaylee McKeown and Jack Cartwright, World Junior Team Members Minna Atherton and Gemma Cooney, and open water Worlds team member Josh Santacaterina, among other high-profile swimmers.

Late additions to the race included distance phenom and 2017 Worlds team member Ariarne Titmus, Senior Team IMer Jared Gilliland, open water Worlds team member Kiah Melverton, and three-time national champion Mikayla Messer.

The remainder of the team was made up of registered volunteers.

Swimmers averaged just under five minutes each to finish in 8:18:36.71, obliterating the previous record of 9:02:32. David McKeon led off the race in 4:06.86, and Jack Cartwright waited through 99 other swimmers to anchor in 4:07:

The group is waiting on the official certification from Guinness World Records.

At $10 per relay entry along with extra donations, the effort raised over $1000 for the Eloise Gannon Foundation, which raises awareness and develops initiatives to reduce instances of sudden cardiac death in youth.