It took until the final race of the Olympic swimming competition, but the United States went home with a lead in the gold medal count — and a world record to boot.
Team USA edged ahead of Australia to win its eighth gold in the women’s 4×100-meter relay final, setting a world record with a 3:49.63 ahead of Australia in second and China in third.
The foursome of Torri Huske, Lilly King, Regan Smith and Gretchen Walsh led wire to wire and was unchallenged for the duration.
From left: USA’s Gretchen Walsh, Lilly King, Regan Smith and Torri Huske celebrate winning the 4×100 medley relay at the Olympics on Aug. 4, 2024.REUTERS
That handed the United States a decisive eighth gold medal after it came into Sunday with six, one behind the Australians.
Team USA also led in the overall swimming medal count, with 28 to Australia’s 18.
The meet looked to be going in the wrong direction with a series of disappointments, including Caeleb Dressel failing to win an individual medal.
It was not an American who broke out as a swimming superstar, but France’s Leon Marchand on the men’s side and Canada’s Summer McIntosh on the women’s side.
The combined star power and depth on the American side, though, proved to be enough to lead the gold medal count in the pool, even as Australia pushed Team USA to the limit.
At the tail end, and in the nick of time, it was the Americans who found their best