Dutch Women Break 4×50 Free Relay World Record In Copenhagen

EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017

• December, 13th to 17th
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• 25m
• Entry lists
• Live timing
• Webcast (for Europe)
• Results 
• Recap Day 1, prelims
• Recap Day 1, finals 
• Recap Day 2, prelims
• Recap Day 2, finals
• Recap Day 3, prelims
• Recap Day 3, Finals

The Dutch women closed out day three of the European Short Course Championships in style, breaking the world record in the 4×50 free relay in a time of 1:33.91. The team of Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Tamara Van vilet and Valerie van Roon combined to take out the previous record of 1:34.24, also set by the Netherlands at the 2014 SC Worlds in Doha.

Kromowidjojo got the team out ahead off the start with a quick 23.42 lead-off, and Heemskerk’s 23.19 extended the lead. van Vilet had the fastest 3rd leg in the field at 23.65, and van Roon matched her to have the 2nd fastest anchor overall. They won by over two seconds, with Sweden taking silver in 1:35.92 and Denmark 3rd in 1:36.02.

The previous record was held by the Dutch quartet of Inge Dekker, Heemskerk, Maude van der Meed and Kromowidjojo. Check out a comparison of the splits from the new and previous world records:

Sweden’s held off Denmark for silver thanks to Sarah Sjostrom, who had the fastest split in the field at 22.94. Pernille Blume moved the Danes into the bronze medal position and nearly ran down the Swedes with her 23.42 anchor.

Though this is the official world record, the Dutch team of Dekker, Kromowidjojo, Hinkelien Schreuder and Saskia de Jonge went even faster back at the 2009 European Championships in 1:33.25. This was before the 4×50 relay world records were tracked by FINA, as that didn’t begin until 2013. This is also the case for the men’s 4×50 free and women’s 4×50 medley relay events.