The U.S. Ekes Out Medal Table Victory After Women’s Medley Relay World Record

2025 World Championships

The United States eked out the overall swimming medal table victory on the final day of competition at the 2025 World Championships.

Entering the last event of the women’s 4x100m medley relay, the U.S. and Australia were tied with 8 gold medals apiece, but that soon changed.

After the American men settled for bronze in their edition of the medley relay, their female counterparts busted out a new World Record of 3:49.34 to dominate the final and grab the last gold of the competition.

The U.S. finished its Singapore campaign with 9 gold, 11 silver and 9 bronze to bring its tally to 29 pieces of hardware in all.

Australia earned runner-up status in the table with a total of 20 medals, including 8 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze.

France rounded out the top 3 nations with 8 medals, including 4 golds at the hands of Leon Marchand and Maxime Grousset. The former pulled off the 200m IM/400m IM double while the latter reaped gold in the 50m/100m fly events.

As for the stars n’ stripes, the women pulled the bulk of the weight as the men came away with just one gold, courtesy of Luca Urlando in the 200m butterfly.

Gretchen Walsh was one of the top female performers with golds in the 50m and 100m fly and stalwart Katie Ledecky also put up two victories by winning the 800m and 1500m freestyle.

In fact, tonight’s 50m breast, 50m free and 400m IM were the only events across the entirety of the World Championships where an American woman did not stand on the podium.

Of note, despite being ill, Tori Huske, the 22-year-old multi-Olympic champion, was key on multiple relays for the Americans. She anchored the women’s silver-medal winning 4x100m free relay, the aforementioned world record-setting women’s medley tonight and earlier served as the last swimmer on the world record-setting mixed 4x100m free relay.

In other nations’ news, we saw Olympic champion Ruta Meilutyte collect her 4th consecutive world title in the women’s 50m breaststroke to put Lithuania on the board.

Pieter Coetze of South Africa completed a trifecta of national record-breaking swims, securing silver in the 50m back to go with his 200m back silver and 100m back gold.

Tunisian breakout star Ahmed Jaouadi beat a stacked field to take the men’s 1500m to pair with his 800m free win.

Aussie Meg Harris was too quick to catch in the women’s 50m free, earning her first-ever individual gold medal.

Summer McIntosh was a one-woman show in the 400m IM this evening, topping the podium in a new championship record of 4:25.78.

18-year-old McIntosh now joins American Michael Phelps and Swede Sarah Sjostrom as the only swimmers to win five individual medals in the pool at a long-course World Championships.

Medal Table Through Day Eight of 2025 World Championships

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1
U.S.
9 11 9 29
2
Australia
8 6 6 20
3 France 4 1 3 8
4 Canada 4 0 4 8
5 NAB 3 4 1 8
6 China 2 6 6 14
7 Germany 2 2 1 5
8 Romania 2 0 0 2
8 Tunisia 2 0 0 2
10 Italy 1 4 2 7
11 South Africa 1 2 1 4
12 Great Britain 1 1 0 2
13 Netherlands 1 0 2 3
14 Hungary 1 0 1 2
15 Lithuania 1 0 0 1
16 Japan 0 3 1 4
17 Switzerland 0 2 0 2
18 Belgium 0 1 1 2
19 Poland 0 1 0 1
20 Kyrgyzstan 0 0 1 1
20 South Korea 0 0 1 1
20 NAA 0 0 1 1

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Swimfan
9 months ago

A full strength Aussie team and a full strength American team in the 4×100 would most like gone the the American women ( is huske and Walsh swam the 3rd and 4leg with there times from nationals not including flying starts they’ve most likely would have won)

The 4×200 same thing a fully healthy squad they would have probably won but when the Aussie have titmus next year even if Weinstein splits 1:53.9 and gemmell goes 154.9 the Aussie are to much (MOC and Titmus are better than Weinstein and ledecky) and palates and Perkins are slightly better than peplowski and gemmell at the moment . Next year Pan pacs will be home advantage for the Americans hopefully that… Read more »

Jeff
Reply to  Swimfan
9 months ago

Walsh freestyle clrealy not as good here as nationals. Aussies. That was not the sickness. Every time we race, US make excuses in these relays. That s like me saying if the US had not been rude and passed on the illness Sam Short wins the 800. I am confident he does a small PB to win but really I havent got a clue. Like the what ifs in the relay.

OlympicCasual
9 months ago

US men: 1.5 golds
US women: 7.5 golds

Oz men: 2 golds
Oz women: 6 golds

?

Jeff
Reply to  OlympicCasual
9 months ago

did open water not happen or do we ignore it because US did not medal?

Jeff
Reply to  Jeff
9 months ago

down votes, maybe open water didnt happen and I imagined it, although I can see the races on youtube.

Rod Reeves
10 months ago

The US ended with one more gold medal than Australia in swimming, but when diving and Open Water swimming are added, the US ended with 10 gold medals to Australia’s 13, second to China’s 15.

CTXSwimmer
10 months ago

I think a decent amount of the disappointment/frustration with the performance of Team USA is not in the present moment, but on what it means for the bigger picture. It was still a very solid week, and I think everyone understands the role illness can play in performance, and would hope those of us who are current and former swimmers can sympathize with that. But it’s way more than this week’s showing, primarily in regards to the men. Paris was also disappointing, and there was no serious illness involved there. Yes, the world is catching up, and that’s great for the sport. But what are we doing in the US to keep pace with that evolution? Throwing your hands up… Read more »

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  CTXSwimmer
9 months ago

USA Swimming can go the way of US Soccer, recruit dual nationals.

Matta
10 months ago

If Kaylee enters 50m back Australia win medal table.

King H
Reply to  Matta
9 months ago

Also if Leon M enters 200m fly take away another gold from USA

Lisa
Reply to  Matta
9 months ago

A lot of things happened this week and if most of US team is healthy then they probably would have won one or two 4×100 free relay on the first day of the meet

Last edited 9 months ago by Lisa
Robbos
Reply to  Lisa
9 months ago

Not sure health was the issue with the men’s 4×100, the Aussies broke the textile WR, so faster than any American team without a supersuit.

The women’s yes, the Aussie team had an injured MOC (well below her best here), another swimmer focusing on the 50 free & winning it, not training for the 100 & 2 rookies, first experience in an international final, we were not favourite to win it, but we did.

Lisa
Reply to  Robbos
9 months ago

I think men issues was probably the mistake of putting a newbie to be an anchor for the relay just to split 47.9 against Chalmers .

Last edited 9 months ago by Lisa
Jeff
Reply to  Lisa
9 months ago

probably is a fancy way of saying maybe.

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
10 months ago

comment image

Jeff
Reply to  Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
9 months ago

we listened to all the Americans telling us that Australia domiation of womens sprint freestyle was over after C1, C2 and McKeon retired. Aussies won gold in 50 free, 200 free, 4x 100 free, 4 X 200 free relay and silver in the 100 free. Still dominating. As the well known US swimming commentator Bon Jovi said many years ago “Its all the same, only the names have changed”

Ldn
Reply to  Jeff
9 months ago

AUS – also retirements from relay stallwarts m wilson & b throssell with titmus (4×2) taking a year out

Lisa
Reply to  Jeff
9 months ago

After the trials US did looks like they have a good shot of winning the 100 free with Huske and the women 4×100 free but we saw last week the sickness affected most of the team including Huske and US changed the relay lineup at the last minute by dropping Walsh so that’s probably have the biggest impact on the relay.

Hmm
10 months ago

I guess the headline ‘US earns 45% more medals than Australia” didn’t fit the narrative….

GOATKeown
Reply to  Hmm
10 months ago

You could also try “USA earns 12% more golds than Australia with 1300% of their population”

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  GOATKeown
10 months ago

Bitter! Oh so, bitter!

GOATKeown
Reply to  Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
9 months ago

Literally responding to a bitter american lol

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  GOATKeown
9 months ago

USA Swimming
Most gold medals
Most silver medals
Most bronze medals

You lose!

Jeff
Reply to  Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
9 months ago

open water

Walsh-Madden-Grimes-Weinstein
Reply to  Jeff
9 months ago

It’s a separate category.

Hmm
Reply to  GOATKeown
10 months ago

The tired, sad ‘population’ argument. The defense submits India and Bangladesh

Jeff
Reply to  Hmm
9 months ago

that is discussion is clearly beyond your intelligence level. Its ok, we understand.

GOATKeown
Reply to  Hmm
9 months ago

This suggests you think India and Bangladesh have the same resources and standard of living as the USA. Do you think that?

Carlos
10 months ago

50 freestyle McEvoy & Meg

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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