Campbell Splits 50.93 As Aussies Post 2nd Fastest Mixed Medley Ever

2018 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 9 – Tuesday, August 14, 2018
• Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center, Tokyo, Japan
• Meet site
• Psych Sheet
• Start Lists
• Meet Results

The Australian team of Mitch Larkin, Jake Packard, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell posted the 2nd fastest mixed 400 medley relay in history to win gold at the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo in a time of 3:38.91. That breaks the Commonwealth Record of 3:40.18 set just a few days ago by Great Britain at the European Championships, and takes out their Oceanian and Australian mark of 3:41.21 from the 2017 World Championships.

Larkin led off with his fastest 100 back of the year in 53.08, just behind Japan’s Ryosuke Irie (52.83), and Packard (58.68) and McKeon (56.22) had strong legs to keep the team within striking distance of Japan.

Campbell anchored the Aussies in 50.93, the fastest freestyle leg in history, as they roared past Japan for the gold. That split for Campbell eclipses her 51.00 from the Commonwealth Games.

Along with the top backstroke split from Irie, Japan had the fastest breast and fly legs in the field from Yasuhiro Koseki (58.57) and Rikako Ikee (55.53), and Tomomi Aoki brought them home in 54.05 as they set a new Asian Record in 3:40.98. That took out China’s 3:41.25 from the 2017 Worlds, and crushes their previous Japanese Record of 3:53.69.

The Americans were the heavy favorites coming in after setting the world record in Budapest last summer, but went with a questionable lineup and ultimately were back in 3rd place in 3:41.74.

The lineup they used last summer was man/woman/man/woman, and that was their expected lineup once again. Lilly King is the top female breaststroker in the field, either Ryan Murphy or Matt Grevers is the top male backstroker, and Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel are slam-dunk choices on the back end. The team of Grevers, King, Dressel and Manuel set the world record last summer in 3:38.56.

However, they opted to use Kathleen Baker on the backstroke leg and Michael Andrew on the breaststroke leg instead of Murphy/Grevers and King. Baker set a new world record at Nationals in the 100 back in 58.00, but was well off that here in 59.29. Andrew split 59.21, much better than he did individually earlier in the session (1:00.04), and Dressel (50.50) and Manuel (52.74) were both off their best but still solid. The team may have underperformed a bit, but it was the lineup choice that really hurt them.