Australian women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team have secured another gold and set a new world record.
Following their impressive performance in the 4×100 metre relay on the opening night of the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Australia has struck gold again with a stellar performance in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
On day 5 of the championships Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Brianna Throssell, and Ariarne Titmus set a new world record of 7:37.50 in the 4x200m freestyle relay. In addition to their blistering pace, the team brought Australia’s gold medal tally to nine, the nation’s highest at a world title competition since 2007.
Titmus was visibly emotional following the win, revealing the key to the team’s success lay in “pushing each other in training every day”.
“I think winning a relay is always special for Team Australia,” she told reporters.
“The girls this morning did such an incredible job to get it in a good lane tonight. I was just so honoured to be a part of the final team with these girls.”
Titmus had already been causing a stir in the pool, achieving a new world record in the women’s 400-metre freestyle on the competition’s first day.
Titmus left everyone in awe with her extraordinary performance, transforming what was expected to be an exciting three-way competition into a showcase of her abilities. She smashed the world record previously held by Canadian teen swimmer Summer MacIntosh, clocking in at a remarkable time of 3:55.38.
“I was really excited for this race coming in tonight, I haven’t really raced the best in the world since the Olympics,” Titmus told reporters at the time.
“Katie and Summer always put on a great fight and I’m glad we could put on a show.
“I feel like I didn’t have the most perfect prep coming into this and I think it all came together in the last few months. To swim like that and swim really free and fearless, I feel really over the moon to get that one.”
In addition, O’Callaghan’s contribution to the team’s impressive win followed shortly after she left the world in awe after breaking the oldest standing world record in the women’s 200m freestyle on Wednesday, July 26.
The 19-year-old superstar achieved the near-impossible with an outstanding time of 1:52.85 seconds, breaking the previous record set by Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini in 2009 at 1:52.98.
In an intense finish, O’Callaghan surged ahead in the final 20 meters, overtaking her teammate Titmus, who had already set a world record in the 400m freestyle the night before.
Emotions ran high as she touched the wall and realised the enormity of her achievement.
“I was a wreck,” O’Callaghan said after the race.
“I kind of looked (at the results board) and I was a bit like ‘oh, is that me or not?’.
“I couldn’t really explain it in the moment.
“There was tears. There was happiness. Very mixed emotions.
“I am just so proud of myself to do that. It was such an unexpected moment.”
