Australia Continues Relay Roll as Mack Horton Powers Dolphins to Gold in 4×200 Free Relay

by JOHN LOHN

26 July 2019, 06:23am

World Swimming Championships (Australia)

Gwangju, Day 6 finals

Men’s 4×200 freeestyle relay

There was a time, when a guy named Ian Thorpe was the sport’s headliner, that Australia owned the 4×200 freestyle relay on the world stage. During that era of the late 1990s and early 2000s, gold medals in the event were the norm. On Friday night at the World Championships, the Dolphins rekindled memories of those glory days and returned to the top of the podium, a splendid team effort securing the gold medal.

Emerging from a thrilling five-team battle, Australia received an anchor split of 1:44.85 from Mack Horton to take top honors in 7:00.85, good for an Oceania record and enough to turn back Russia (7:01.81) and the United States (7:01.98). Fourth place went to Italy in 7:02.01, Great Britain a tick behind in fifth in 7:02.04. Horton was joined on the winning squad by Clyde Lewis (1:45.58), Kyle Chalmers (1:45.37) and Alexander Graham (1:45.07), the victory marking the fourth gold of the week for the Australians in relay action.

Photo Courtesy: PATRICK B. KRAEMER

Better known for his ability in the longer freestyle races, Horton headed into the anchor leg with the lead, and faced with the task of repelling charges from the likes of Russia’s Martin Mayutin, Townley Haas of the United States and Great Britain’s James Guy. Not only did Horton hold off his foes, he delivered the fastest split of the event and gave Australia its first global title since it won three straight world championships from 1998-2003, years that sandwiched a 2000 Olympic crown.

The bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle, Malyutin split 1:45.42 to keep Russia in the silver-medal position while Haas, on the strength of a 1:45.16 split, lifted the United States from fifth to the podium. Haas’ effort was a major improvement over what she showed in the individual 200 free, where a clocking of 1:46.37 left him locked out of the final. For Great Britain, which saw its two-title reign come to an end, Duncan Scott led off in 1:44.91, better than the 1:45.63 in which he shared bronze with Malyutin in the solo 200 free, and quicker than the 1:44.93 that China’s Sun Yang posted to winthe individual gold.

Results

1. Australia 7:00.85
2. Russia 7:01.81
3. United States 7:01.98
4. Italy 7:02.01
5. Great Britain 7:02.04
6. China 7:04.74
7. Brazil 7:07.64
8. Germany 7:07.65