They’re still well-shy of the time that they swam at the 2012 European Short Course Championships in the 200 meter mixed free relay (1:29.64), but once ratified, France will still hold the World Record in the race. They finished the Doha World Cup with a 1:31.14 in one of newest official FINA record events, which broke the 1:32.52 that a Japanese relay swam three days ago in Dubai.
France | Japan | ||
Florent Manaudou | 21.22 | 21.63 | Shinri Shioura |
Jeremy Stravius | 20.87 | 25.28 | Sayaka Akase |
Melanie Henique | 24.61 | 20.70 | Kenta Ito |
Anna Santamans | 24.44 | 24.91 | Kanako Watanabe |
1:31.14 | 1:32.52 |
Nobody was as good as Japan’s Kenta Ito’s split, but the French made up a lot of ground as compared to Japan’s old World Record with their women, where Henique and Santamans were much faster than Sayaka Akase (a backstroker) and Kanako Watanabe (a breaststroker).
France also broke the 200 meter mixed medley World Record on Sunday, in another time that wasn’t quite as fast as they were to win gold at the 2012 European Short Course Championships.