NANTERRE, France — Team USA set an American record in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. But it wasn’t enough to win swimming gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The American team of Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske and Simone Manuel won silver with a time of 3:30.20, while Australia won gold and China took the bronze. It was Team USA’s 24th overall medal in the event, which dates back to the 1912 Olympics – 12 more than any other country.
The Australians set an Olympic record in 3:28.92, going out front with Mollie O’Callaghan’s strong lead-off leg and never letting up. It’s the fourth consecutive gold for Australia in the event, but well off their world record of 3:27.96.
The final followed a strong prelim midday session where the Australians qualified first with a time of 3:31.57 ahead of the American team of Abbey Weitzeil, Manuel, Erika Connolly and Douglass, who collectively posted a 3:33.29 time.
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