USA Women Go 3:37.99 to Break 400 Free Relay Record at World University Games

2019 World University Games/Summer Universiade – Swimming

  • July 4th-9th, 2019
  • Napoli, Italy
  • LCM (50m)
  • Live Stream: Olympic Channel (in US), Rai Sport (in Italy)
  • Entry Lists & Live Results

Wen’s 4×100 Freestyle – Final

  • World Record – 3:30.05, Australia, 2018
  • Meet Record – 3:38.12, USA, 2015

The United States quartet of Veronica Burchill, Claire Rasmus, Catie DeLoof, and Gabby DeLoof won a decisive victory in the 400 freestyle relay final to end the women’s meet on Day 1 of 2019 World University Games. Their combined 3:37.99 broke the meet record, which had been set by the USA in 2015, and was more than 4 seconds faster than the rest of the field.

  1. United States, 3:37.99
  2. Japan, 3:41.74
  3. Italy, 3:41.84
  United States 2015 United States 2019
Abbey Weitzeil 54.78 Veronica Burchill 55.39
Shannon Vreeland 54.34 Claire Rasmus 54.63
Maddie Locus 54.95 Catie DeLoof 54.10
Lia Neal 54.05 Gabby DeLoof 53.87
  3:38.12   3:37.99

Prior to 2015, the meet record was a 3:38.15, set by Russia when they hosted the 2013 edition of this event.

The American quartet got off to an early lead with Burchill’s 55.39, the fastest lead-off in the field by .36. Italy’s Paola Biagioli was the only other sub-56 on the first leg (55.75). From there the US continued to build their lead while Italy and Japan battled for the silver medal. After a 54.63 from Rasmus gave the foursome a body-length lead, Catie and Gabby DeLoof brought it home with respective splits of 54.10 and 53.87. Japan made it to the wall just ahead of Italy, claiming their silver medal in 3:41.74 to Italy’s 3:41.84. Runa Imai anchored Japan’s relay in 54.44 while Aglalia Pezzato went 54.85 for the host nation.

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Tomek
5 years ago

Way to go ladies setting the new record on 4th of July!

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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