Australia Wins 800 Freestyle Relay Gold; Mollie O’Callaghan Holds Off a Determined Katie Ledecky in Classic Relay Shootout
Olympic and world champion Mollie O’Callaghan has held off a spirited challenge from US legend Katie Ledecky to anchor Australia to a memorable victory in an exciting women’s 4x200m freestyle relay duel on night five in Singapore.
After three neck-and-neck legs it all came down to the final strokes of the final lap – Australia’s 21-year-old new age champion O’Callaghan v the 28-year-old greatest freestyler in swimming history.
Four enthralling laps with Ledecky pushing O’Callaghan to the very end– Australia taking the gold by 0..65 – clocking 7:39.35 to the USA’s 7:40.01, with China claiming the bronze in 7:42.99.
COOL DUEL: Katie Ledecky and Mollie O’Callaghan at the end of the 800m freestyle relay.
O’Callaghan, the 200m individual winner from last night backing up after the 100m semi-final win earlier in the evening, brought in her powerful kick, splitting 1:53.44 with Ledecky, who has been in four World Championship winning relay teams, swimming clocking a sizzling 1:53.71, with personal coach Dean Boxall, also the relay coach telling his charge after the race:”Great job…backing up!”
Ledecky was all smiles as she congratulated an exhausted O’Callaghan, – both girls pushing it to the limit in one of the great relay shoot outs.
Australia led off with Paris relay golden girl and 1500m freestyle bronze medal winner here, Lani Pallister, who clocked a personal best of 1:54.77, touching just ahead of US teen and Paris relay silver medallist Claire Weinstein (1.54.83) – third in last night’s 200m behind O’Callaghan after illness forced her out of the 400m
Before US newcomer Anna Peplowski (1:54.75) sent the Americans into the lead against Australia’s Paris heat swimmer Jamie Perkins (1:55.13).
The third leg saw Erin Gemmell (1:56.72) take off through the first 150m until Australia’s rookie Brittany Castelluzzo produced a barnstorming finish, splitting 1:56.01, to give the Dolphins a narrow lead.
The US team celebrate silver in the 800m freestyle relay Photo Courtesy: Emily Cameron
And it was O’Callaghan who was pushed every stroke by the never-say-die Ledecky; the young Australian powering to the wall to give Australia it’s fifth gold medal of the meet, O’Callaghan’s second gold and her 11th World Championship gold – tied with Australia’s Olympic legend Ian Thorpe for the most Wor;ld Championship gold medals by an Australian.
O’Callaghan the only survivor from the victorious World Championship team from 2023 that set the world record (with Ariarne Titmus, Shayna Jack and Brianna Throssell) and along with Pallister the two survivors from the Paris gold medal team -Perkins and Castelluzzo coming in for Titmus and the now retired Throssell.
And it was Pallister behind the blocks. who made sure O’Callaghan knew who she was as she prepared to take off. Ariarne Titmus, Shayna Jack, Brianna Throssell,
“When you’ve (been) the former world record holder, and you’ve won the World Championship the day before, going in. I was pretty much saying to Mollie ‘Do you know who you are?’ ‘Do you know who you are?” shouted Pallister, who graduated from a heat swimmer from 2023 Worlds’s into the starting four for the Paris Olympic gold last year.
“Even in my mind, as soon as Mollie dives in, I know we’ve won it. I have so much confidence in her and her abilities and seeing her do her thing in the 200m is always so wicked. So having her anchor was the best thing for our confidence, really.”
Pallister said leading off she felt a fair bit of pressure just to do her part for the relay.
“I think having swum my best time in the 400m I’m really happy with swimming (another) PB…. just getting up and doing my part for the girls and that relay was all I wanted from tonight and having (relay coach) Dean Boxall let me do the lead-off was just what I wanted.
“I knew it would be pretty hot, but all of us have a thing for relays.
“It’s Jamie’s first World Championships gold medal as well, it’s really special to be here with the girls and just doing it for our country.”
Castelluzzo, from South Australia’s Tea Tree Gully Swim Club, is on her first Open Team and the relay has more than made up for her missing the 200m butterfly final by one place. And she knew she had to focus on herself and her own race plan.
“That’s something that is super important in relays, but I know my back end is my strength, so I was just trying to keep calm and then have fun,” said Castelluzzo.
“When we touched in front and Mollie’s our anchor leg, you know, I was quietly confident and obviously she had a big night tonight, but we all had faith in her.
“Obviously, all the rest of the girls setting us up pretty well. It was really exciting
“Without Arnie (Ariarne Titmus) there were big shoes to fill.
“Being a Dolphin and representing Australia is always a really big honour, so winning gold for Australia it’s very exciting.’
After the race the four Australian girls walked arm-in-arm around the pool deck draped in the Australian flag – Pallister and Perkins propping up O’Callaghan, her legs a little wobbly. I guess that’s what happens after being chased down the pool by the one and only Katie Ledecky.
