Swimming

Day 4 Relay Lineups: U.S. Brings In The Big Guns On Mixed Medley

February 14, 2024

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 11th – February 18th
Doha, Qatar
LCM (50m)
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Day 4 Relay Lineups

As expected, the United States has done a complete overhaul of its lineup for the final of the mixed medley relay, making them the big favorites for gold tonight in Doha.

Individual male world champions Hunter Armstrong and Nic Fink will lead things off on the back and breast legs, and then women’s 100 fly runner-up Claire Curzan and the fastest American in the women’s 100 free last year (and #2 all-time among Americans) Kate Douglass will bring things home.

Day 4 Relay Lineups

All four members of the U.S. squad have won an individual title through three nights of racing in Doha, as in addition to Armstrong winning the men’s 100 back and Fink claiming the men’s 100 breast, Curzan topped the women’s 100 back field on Tuesday and Douglass was victorious in the women’s 200 IM on Monday.

The top-seeded team from Great Britain has switched both of their male swimmers, bringing in 100 breast bronze medalist Adam Peaty and Matt Richards on fly in exchange for James Wilby and Duncan Scott, while Medi Harris and Anna Hopkin remain. Hopkin had the fastest anchor split in the field this morning in 52.73.

The Aussies keep Bradley Woodward and Sam Williamson in the top two spots, but bring in Brianna Throssell and Shayna Jack on the back half. Throssell was 4th in the 100 fly on Day 2, while Jack is among the favorites in the 100 free and split 52.64 on the 400 free relay on Day 1.

There weren’t too many changes from the other teams, with Poland bringing in Jakub Majerski and Kasia Wasick on fly and free, Sweden switching in Bjorn Seeliger on the anchor leg and the Italians bringing in 100 breast silver medalist Nicolo Martinenghi. Greece and Japan made no changes from the prelims.

The Swedes opted not to use Sarah Sjostrom, who could’ve been a big add on the freestyle leg. However, with a lack of Swedish depth in men’s backstroke—they would have had to use Seeliger there, with his PB at 55.89 from 2018—it didn’t make sense. Louise Hansson won bronze in the women’s 100 fly and Sjostrom has steered away from that event in recent years.