The women's 4×100 metre freestyle relay took place on 14 August at the
Olympic Aquatic Centre of the
Athens Olympic Sports Complex
The Olympic Athletic Center of Athens Spiros Louis ( el, Ολυμπιακό Αθλητικό Κέντρο Αθηνών "Σπύρος Λούης", ''Olympiakó Athlitikó Kéntro Athinón "Spýros Loúis"'') or OACA ()), is a sport facilities c ...
in
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
.
For the first time in 48 years, the Australians (
Alice Mills,
Lisbeth Lenton
Lisbeth Constance Trickett, OAM (; born 28 January 1985) is a retired Australian swimmer. She was a gold medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the world record holder in the shor ...
,
Petria Thomas
Petria Ann Thomas, (born 25 August 1975) is an Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist and a winner of 15 national titles. She was born in Lismore, New South Wales, and grew up in the nearby town of Mullumbimby.
Career
In 1993, at the a ...
, and
Jodie Henry
Jodie Clare Henry, OAM (born 17 November 1983) is an Australian competitive swimmer, Olympic gold medallist and former world-record holder.
Early life and career
Henry was born in Brisbane, Queensland. She began swimming competitively at the ...
) overhauled the Team USA on the final leg to win a gold medal in the event. When Henry touched the wall at 3:35.94, the Australians broke a new world record under a 0.06-second mark set by the Germans in 2002 (3:36.00). Henry also unleashed a remarkable relay split of 52.95, the fastest of all-time in Olympic history.
The U.S. team of
Kara Lynn Joyce
Kara Lynn Joyce (born October 25, 1985), is an American former competition swimmer and four-time Olympic silver medalist. She competed as a member of the United States Olympic Team at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Early years
Joyce was bor ...
,
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall (born August 23, 1982) is an American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstro ...
,
Amanda Weir
Amanda Jo Weir (born March 11, 1986) is an American competition swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, world champion, and former world record-holder. She was a member of the 2004 and 2012 United States Olympic teams, winning two silver medals at t ...
, and
Jenny Thompson
Jennifer Beth Thompson (born February 26, 1973) is an American former competition swimmer and anesthesiologist.
She is one of the most decorated Olympians in history: twelve medals, including eight gold medals, in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 200 ...
finished out an American record of 3:36.39 to earn a silver medal, while the Dutch took home the bronze in 3:37.59, after
Inge de Bruijn
Inge de Bruijn (; born 24 August 1973) is a Dutch former competitive swimmer. She is a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record-holder.
Personal
De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, Netherlands. Inge is the sister of Olympic water ...
swam a split of 53.37 to hold off the Germans anchored by
Franziska van Almsick
Franziska van Almsick (; born 5 April 1978) is a German swimmer. She won her first Olympic medals in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympic Games aged 14.
Her career began at the SC Dynamo Berlin. She has the distinction of having the most career Olym ...
.
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.
Results
Heats
Final
References
External links
Official Olympic Report
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 by 100 metre freestyle relay
W
2004 in women's swimming
Women's events at the 2004 Summer Olympics