2022 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, December 13 to Sunday, December 18, 2022
- Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre, Melbourne, Australia
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In the first finals session of the World SC Championships, the United States’ quartet of Torri Huske, Kate Douglass, Claire Curzan, and Erika Brown set a new 4x100m freestyle American Record in a final time of 3:26.29. They also dipped below the previous World Record of 3:26.53, but finished behind Australia, who clocked a 3:25.43.
The prelims team that qualified in 4th had Erin Gemmell and Natalie Hinds on it rather than Douglass and Curzan. Hinds is entered in the individual event of the 100 free, but still did not make the finals team. She split nearly the same as Huske in the morning with a 52.70.
The previous American Record in this event of 3:27.70 was set at this meet in 2014 by Natalie Coughlin, Abbey Weitzeil, Madison Kennedy, and Shannon Vreeland. The former World Record of 3:26.53 was set by the Netherlands, also in 2014 at this meet.
Split Comparison:
| 2022 | 2014 |
| Torri Huske – 51.73 | Natalie Coughlin – 52.25 |
| Kate Douglass – 51.17 | Abbey Weitzeil – 51.57 |
| Claire Curzan – 51.59 | Madison Kennedy – 51.82 |
| Erika Brown – 51.80 | Shannon Vreeland – 52.06 |
| Total: 3:26.29 | Total: 3:27.70 |
Last year, the team of Douglass, Curzan, Katharine Berkoff, and Weitzeil, won gold with a 3:28.52. Huske actually only swam in prelims last year, and was left off of the finals relay. Her prelim anchor split in 2021 was 53.01.
Breaking an 8-year-old American record shows progress for the U.S. in this event, but they appear to still be lacking that final key piece of the relay to make them gold medal contenders. Brown was easily chased down by Australia’s Emma McKeon, who split a 49.96 to make up the deficit and win gold. The U.S. doesn’t have a split like that right now, making it difficult for them to win against a team like Australia, who does.
🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 49.96 first time for a woman under 50 seconds. Good luck beating that.
Incredible swims to break AR and WR. Curzan swam 2 prior events, Huske and Douglass 1 previous event and they still delivered. Brown did morning. Great job ladies!
They would have won with G Walsh
Team USA needs to find their hammer for the anchor leg. Paging GW to the white courtesy phone now. Such a lack of foresight by USA coaches to not be developing her for this.
Based on early returns, not even Bob Bowman can resurrect the dead.
Assuming GW is Gretchen Walsh, how is that resurrecting the dead?
Curzan – DOB 06/30/2004
Douglass – DOB 11/17/2001
Huske – DOB 12/07/2002
USA Swimming needs another young female swimmer for the women’s 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay.
short course at least the answer is Gretchen Walsh – she just needs to qualify next go-around.
Gretchen Walsh needs a breakout year in long course.
Would you like to take a second to compliment Greg Meehan’s efforts w/ Huske, Curzan, and Ruck on their swims today?
No
Maybe Gretchen Walsh could help if not for the antiquated U S Swimming system for choosing team members.
I don’t think she qualified under any selection process?
That’s the point of SFB123’s comment – defending NCAA 100 free champ, very good short course swimmer; The problem with the selection is that its based off long course results, when as most acknowledge, short course is a different animal. The US left the world record holder in the men’s SC 100 back off the team; probably many other examples of excellent SC swimmers who could have helped the US team. In races where 50-60% of the race is underwaters off the start and turn, selection based off SC results would likely yield a better team result. But the US has lots of young rising women superstars, I bet by 2024 Olympics the US women will reclaim all the relay… Read more »
How are they beating australia sorry?
Huske is a no brainer lead off on free relays. GM- take note!
Hey everyone- this is Meathead’s 100th comment saying the SAME thing. Kind of sad these young women broke an American AND World record yet this is the response you have.
Was complimenting the move…which lead to a WR…which was caused by the TH leadoff
Insufferable broken record
Douglass on the war path
She is looking good if she is on another relay events this week
Her IM was incredible.