Tokyo Olympics swimming: Australia smash world record in women’s 4x100 freestyle relay, FIRST to achieve mark

Australian women's 4x100m freestyle relay team which smashed the world record to win gold at Tokyo Olympics. (Source: Twitter)

Australia won the gold medal in the women’s 4x100 freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday in a world record time of 3:29.69. Canada won silver in 3:32.78 and the bronze went to the United States in 3:32.81. Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell claimed Australia’s first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics, clocking an incredible 3:29.69 seconds — the first team ever to go under 3:30 — to finish more than three seconds ahead of silver medallist Canada (3:32.78) and the USA (3:32.81).

The world record performance was set up by a mind-blowing performance from Emma McKeon on the third leg, and came after Australians Jack McLoughlin and Brendon Smith had earlier won silver and bronze medals respectively. “Under three minutes 30. This is an iconic swim for world swimming,” swimming legend from Australia Ian Thorpe was quoted as saying on Channel 7.

That feeling when you win Australia's first #gold at #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/20naO9pBWx — #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 25, 2021

“The first women’s team to ever be under that. Absolutely amazing to see,” Thorpe added.

Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui stuns with 400m freestyle gold

Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui pulled off a major shock on the opening day of the Tokyo Olympics swimming medal events on Sunday with a stunning victory in the men’s 400m freestyle while the hosts celebrated a surprise gold for Yui Ohashi in the women’s 400m medley. Chase Kalisz powered to victory in the men’s 400m medley as part of a United States one-two with Jay Litherland taking silver.

Hafnaoui’s gold is only the fifth by a Tunisian athlete at the Olympics, but their third in swimming, and he was left stunned by his performance. “I just can’t believe it. It’s a dream and it became true. It was great. It was my best race ever,” he said.

There was no crowd in the arena to cheer on Ohashi but her team mates and Japanese officials celebrated after she produced an immaculate swim to win gold in a time of 4:32.08.

American Emma Weyant took the silver medal 0.68 behind and compatriot Hali Flickinger picked up the bronze in 4:34.90.

Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, who has dominated the event in recent years and was the defending champion, could finish only fifth. Ohashi pulled away from Flickinger in the breaststroke leg and went into the freestyle with a lead of 1.99 seconds, giving her a comfortable cushion to hold off Weyant.

Kalisz, the 400 medley silver medallist in Rio, went one better in Tokyo with a time of 4:09.42 with Litherland 0.86 behind. Australia’s Brendon Smith was a further tenth of a second back taking bronze.

Kalisz, 27, grabbed the lead on the first length of the backstroke after France’s Leon Marchand had led after the butterfly leg and never looked back. He battled with New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt through the breaststroke but the Kiwi faded badly in the freestyle and finished seventh.

“It means the world. This is the last thing that I really wanted to accomplish in my swimming career,” said Kalisz. “It was something that was a dream of mine for as long as I could remember. I can’t believe it.”