| | Event type

4 x 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Women

Date	13 – 14 August 2008
Status	Olympic
Location	Beijing Guojia Youyong Zhongxin, Beijing Aolinpike Gongyuan, Beijing
Participants	75 from 16 countries

Traditionally this event has been the domain of American victories. Since its’ introduction at the 1996 Olympic Games the USA had won all three editions and never by less than a clear second. Here the US were still favourites but the relative underperformance of some of their star names had given hope to the rest of the world. The heats saw a few surprises with world championship silver medalists Germany and potential medal winners Great Britain, who elected to rest some of their best swimmers, eliminated.

Although France led after the first leg of the final, it was the performance of double medley champion Steph Rice who was chasing her 3rd gold of the Games that proved decisive, and without a weak link in the chain the Australians pulled away from the field to victory. The winning team shattered the world record by nearly six seconds with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams also ducking well below the record as well. After a disappointing Olympic campaign Katie Hoff finally found her best form with a blistering anchor leg but it still left the USA tantalizingly short of the Chinese team who won a surprising silver medal.

Pos	Swimmer	NOC	R1	Final
1	Australia	AUS	7:55.10 (3 h2)	7:44.31 (1)	Gold
	Steph Rice • Bronte Barratt • Kylie Palmer • Linda MacKenzie • Felicity Galvez • Angie Bainbridge • Mel Schlanger • Lara Davenport
2	People's Republic of China	CHN	7:53.77 (2 h1)	7:45.93 (2)	Silver
	Yang Yu • Zhu Qianwei • Tan Miao • Pang Jiaying • Tang Jingzhi
3	United States	USA	7:52.43 (1 h2)	7:46.33 (3)	Bronze
	Allison Schmitt • Natalie Coughlin • Caroline Burckle • Katie Hoff • Christine Marshall • Kim Vandenberg • Julia Smit
4	Italy	ITA	7:53.38 (2 h2)	7:49.76 (4)
	Renata Spagnolo • Alessia Filippi • Flavia Zoccari • Federica Pellegrini • Alice Carpanese
5	France	FRA	7:50.37 (1 h1)	7:50.66 (5)
	Coralie Balmy • Ophélie Etienne • Aurore Mongel • Camille Muffat • Alena Popchanka • Céline Couderc
6	Hungary	HUN	7:55.26 (4 h2)	7:55.53 (6)
	Ágnes Mutina • Evelyn Verrasztó • Eszter Dara • Zsu Jakabos
7	Japan	JPN	7:55.63 (5 h2)	7:57.56 (7)
	Haruka Ueda • Misaki Yamaguchi • Maki Mita • Emi Takanabe
8	Sweden	SWE	7:53.83 (3 h1)	7:59.83 (8)
	Josefin Lillhage • Gabriella Fagundez • Ida Marko-Varga • Petra Granlund
9	Great Britain	GBR	7:56.16 (6 h2)	–
	Jo Jackson • Melanie Marshall • Hannah Miley • Fran Halsall
10	Canada	CAN	7:56.26 (4 h1)	–
	Stephanie Horner • Geneviève Saumur • Erica Morningstar • Julia Wilkinson
11	Netherlands	NED	7:56.60 (5 h1)	–
	Femke Heemskerk • Ranomi Kromowidjojo • Saskia de Jonge • Manon van Rooijen
12	Germany	GER	7:58.11 (6 h1)	–
	Meike Freitag • Petra Dallmann • Daniela Samulski • Annika Lurz
13	Denmark	DEN	8:00.81 (7 h2)	–
	Julie Hjorth-Hansen • Micha Østergaard • Louise Jansen • Lotte Friis
14	Spain	ESP	8:00.90 (7 h1)	–
	Melani Costa • María Fuster • Noemí Feliz • Arantxa Ramos
15	Poland	POL	8:07.40 (8 h1)	–
	Paulina Barzycka • Katarzyna Wilk • Karolina Szczepaniak • Kasia Baranowska
DQ	New Zealand	NZL	– (DQ h2)	–
	Helen Norfolk • Lauren Boyle • Hayley Palmer • Tash Hind

Round One (13 August 2008)

Fastest eight teams advanced to final

Heat One (20:12)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	France	FRA				7:50.37			QOR
		Alena Popchanka		27.74	57.86	1:28.31	1:58.27	0.74	1:58.27 (4)
		Céline Couderc		27.58	57.47	1:28.20	1:58.92	0.36	3:57.19 (4)
		Camille Muffat		26.46	56.27	1:26.57	1:57.32	-0.03	5:54.51 (1)
		Coralie Balmy		27.23	57.03	1:27.12	1:55.86	0.16	7:50.37 (1)
2	2	People's Republic of China	CHN				7:53.77			Q
		Yang Yu		27.49	57.40	1:27.86	1:57.49	0.72	1:57.49 (1)
		Tan Miao		27.92	58.63	1:29.12	1:58.84	0.34	3:56.33 (1)
		Tang Jingzhi		27.07	57.94	1:29.27	2:00.20	0.41	5:56.53 (3)
		Zhu Qianwei		27.52	57.48	1:27.96	1:57.24	0.31	7:53.77 (2)
3	6	Sweden	SWE				7:53.83			Q
		Gabriella Fagundez		28.01	58.28	1:28.50	1:58.43	0.84	1:58.43 (6)
		Ida Marko-Varga		27.41	57.89	1:28.12	1:58.40	0.36	3:56.83 (3)
		Petra Granlund		27.88	58.22	1:28.94	1:59.67	0.25	5:56.50 (2)
		Josefin Lillhage		27.45	57.27	1:27.44	1:57.33	0.33	7:53.83 (3)
4	1	Canada	CAN				7:56.26
		Stephanie Horner		28.14	57.45	1:27.36	1:58.00	0.77	1:58.00 (2)
		Geneviève Saumur		27.56	58.26	1:28.91	1:59.23	0.20	3:57.23 (5)
		Erica Morningstar		26.97	57.45	1:29.00	2:00.91	0.29	5:58.14 (5)
		Julia Wilkinson		27.65	57.59	1:28.18	1:58.12	0.34	7:56.26 (4)
5	3	Netherlands	NED				7:56.60
		Femke Heemskerk		27.51	57.39	1:27.20	1:58.29	0.89	1:58.29 (5)
		Ranomi Kromowidjojo		27.12	57.61	1:28.02	1:58.29	0.21	3:56.58 (2)
		Saskia de Jonge		26.80	57.45	1:28.72	2:00.71	0.18	5:57.29 (4)
		Manon van Rooijen		27.63	57.34	1:28.12	1:59.31	0.49	7:56.60 (5)
6	5	Germany	GER				7:58.11
		Meike Freitag		27.67	58.02	1:28.11	1:58.09	0.78	1:58.09 (3)
		Petra Dallmann		27.99	58.56	1:29.74	1:59.55	0.35	3:57.64 (6)
		Daniela Samulski		27.14	57.95	1:30.04	2:01.67	0.13	5:59.31 (6)
		Annika Lurz		27.32	57.01	1:27.68	1:58.80	0.28	7:58.11 (6)
7	7	Spain	ESP				8:00.90
		Melani Costa		28.47	59.05	1:30.21	2:00.92	0.85	2:00.92 (7)
		María Fuster		27.76	58.20	1:29.23	2:00.00	0.28	4:00.92 (7)
		Noemí Feliz		27.48	57.82	1:29.00	1:59.77	0.16	6:00.69 (7)
		Arantxa Ramos		28.70	59.01	1:29.94	2:00.21	0.00	8:00.90 (7)
8	8	Poland	POL				8:07.40
		Paulina Barzycka		28.62	59.18	1:29.94	2:00.99	0.89	2:00.99 (8)
		Katarzyna Wilk		27.78	58.84	1:30.61	2:02.78	0.26	4:03.77 (8)
		Karolina Szczepaniak		28.59	59.98	1:31.06	2:01.94	0.26	6:05.71 (8)
		Kasia Baranowska		28.08	58.73	1:30.31	2:01.69	0.40	8:07.40 (8)

Heat Two (20:23)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	4	United States	USA				7:52.43			Q
		Caroline Burckle		27.95	57.56	1:27.80	1:57.86	0.77	1:57.86 (2)
		Christine Marshall		27.22	57.06	1:27.49	1:58.58	0.38	3:56.44 (5)
		Kim Vandenberg		27.80	58.13	1:28.42	1:58.31	0.25	5:54.75 (1)
		Julia Smit		27.44	57.87	1:28.12	1:57.68	0.08	7:52.43 (1)
2	3	Italy	ITA				7:53.38			Q
		Renata Spagnolo		27.91	57.98	1:28.31	1:58.91	0.73	1:58.91 (5)
		Flavia Zoccari		27.85	57.98	1:28.55	1:58.88	0.35	3:57.79 (6)
		Alice Carpanese		27.36	57.48	1:28.63	1:59.50	0.22	5:57.29 (5)
		Federica Pellegrini		26.83	56.04	1:26.12	1:56.09	0.44	7:53.38 (2)
3	6	Australia	AUS				7:55.10			Q
		Felicity Galvez		27.52	57.16	1:27.82	1:58.00	0.73	1:58.00 (3)
		Angie Bainbridge		26.95	56.63	1:27.35	1:58.17	0.28	3:56.17 (3)
		Mel Schlanger		28.32	58.82	1:29.50	2:00.99	0.30	5:57.16 (4)
		Lara Davenport		27.79	57.85	1:27.85	1:57.94	0.28	7:55.10 (3)
4	7	Hungary	HUN				7:55.26			Q
		Ágnes Mutina		27.39	57.05	1:27.87	1:59.42	0.66	1:59.42 (7)
		Evelyn Verrasztó		26.48	55.78	1:26.40	1:56.92	0.34	3:56.34 (4)
		Eszter Dara		26.57	56.72	1:28.22	2:00.45	0.37	5:56.79 (3)
		Zsu Jakabos		27.43	57.24	1:28.12	1:58.47	0.15	7:55.26 (4)
5	2	Japan	JPN				7:55.63			Q
		Haruka Ueda		27.67	57.59	1:27.87	1:58.09	0.85	1:58.09 (4)
		Misaki Yamaguchi		27.13	57.24	1:27.70	1:57.93	0.01	3:56.02 (1)
		Emi Takanabe		28.16	58.98	1:30.58	2:01.28	0.17	5:57.30 (6)
		Maki Mita		27.55	57.67	1:28.04	1:58.33	0.09	7:55.63 (5)
6	5	Great Britain	GBR				7:56.16
		Jo Jackson		27.73	57.21	1:27.62	1:57.70	0.73	1:57.70 (1)
		Melanie Marshall		27.18	57.29	1:28.01	1:58.44	0.33	3:56.14 (2)
		Hannah Miley		28.14	58.65	1:29.55	1:59.95	0.30	5:56.09 (2)
		Fran Halsall		27.82	57.69	1:28.77	2:00.07	0.44	7:56.16 (6)
7	1	Denmark	DEN				8:00.81
		Julie Hjorth-Hansen		28.17	57.97	1:28.46	1:59.16	0.79	1:59.16 (6)
		Micha Østergaard		27.79	58.63	1:30.27	2:01.67	0.18	4:00.83 (8)
		Louise Jansen		27.88	58.51	1:29.60	2:00.31	0.23	6:01.14 (8)
		Lotte Friis		27.47	57.91	1:29.12	1:59.67	0.26	8:00.81 (7)
DQ	8	New Zealand	NZL				–				1
		Helen Norfolk		27.88	57.29	1:28.18	2:00.24	0.79	2:00.24 (8)
		Lauren Boyle		27.67	57.49	1:27.86	1:58.01	0.26	3:58.25 (7)
		Hayley Palmer		27.59	57.70	1:28.16	1:59.92	0.45	5:58.17 (7)
		Tash Hind		–	–	–	–	-0.04	– (AC)

Final (14 August 2008 — 11:32)

Pos	Lane	Swimmer	NOC	50 m	100 m	150 m	Time	Reaction	Exchange (Pos)
1	7	Australia	AUS				7:44.31			WR
		Steph Rice		27.45	56.98	1:26.94	1:56.60	0.87	1:56.60 (2)
		Bronte Barratt		27.37	56.89	1:26.65	1:56.58	0.42	3:53.18 (1)
		Kylie Palmer		26.54	55.80	1:25.60	1:55.22	0.06	5:48.40 (1)
		Linda MacKenzie		27.07	56.82	1:26.71	1:55.91	0.09	7:44.31 (1)
2	6	People's Republic of China	CHN				7:45.93
		Yang Yu		27.45	57.01	1:27.35	1:56.79	0.73	1:56.79 (3)
		Zhu Qianwei		27.49	57.38	1:27.66	1:56.64	0.29	3:53.43 (2)
		Tan Miao		27.51	57.90	1:28.20	1:58.11	0.34	5:51.54 (2)
		Pang Jiaying		25.99	55.28	1:24.96	1:54.39	0.16	7:45.93 (2)
3	5	United States	USA				7:46.33
		Allison Schmitt		27.23	56.59	1:27.06	1:57.71	0.71	1:57.71 (4)
		Natalie Coughlin		27.31	56.97	1:27.02	1:57.19	0.24	3:54.90 (4)
		Caroline Burckle		27.17	56.67	1:26.77	1:56.70	0.20	5:51.60 (3)
		Katie Hoff		26.61	55.61	1:25.04	1:54.73	0.24	7:46.33 (3)
4	3	Italy	ITA				7:49.76
		Renata Spagnolo		27.84	57.57	1:27.66	1:58.31	0.74	1:58.31 (6)
		Alessia Filippi		26.86	56.35	1:26.46	1:56.68	0.22	3:54.99 (5)
		Flavia Zoccari		27.53	57.45	1:28.24	1:59.80	0.32	5:54.79 (5)
		Federica Pellegrini		26.61	55.58	1:25.61	1:54.97	0.52	7:49.76 (4)
5	4	France	FRA				7:50.66
		Coralie Balmy		27.55	56.89	1:27.01	1:56.57	0.83	1:56.57 (1)
		Ophélie Etienne		28.03	58.05	1:28.12	1:57.95	0.41	3:54.52 (3)
		Aurore Mongel		28.28	58.58	1:28.76	1:58.62	0.32	5:53.14 (4)
		Camille Muffat		27.16	57.00	1:27.38	1:57.52	0.12	7:50.66 (5)
6	1	Hungary	HUN				7:55.53
		Ágnes Mutina		28.44	58.43	1:28.67	1:58.17	0.69	1:58.17 (5)
		Evelyn Verrasztó		26.81	56.40	1:27.32	1:57.80	0.49	3:55.97 (6)
		Eszter Dara		26.65	56.93	1:28.44	2:00.39	0.30	5:56.36 (7)
		Zsu Jakabos		27.16	56.63	1:27.79	1:59.17	0.31	7:55.53 (6)
7	8	Japan	JPN				7:57.56
		Haruka Ueda		27.75	57.50	1:27.92	1:58.44	0.83	1:58.44 (7)
		Misaki Yamaguchi		27.20	57.18	1:27.47	1:58.51	0.08	3:56.95 (7)
		Maki Mita		27.66	57.88	1:28.54	1:58.78	0.05	5:55.73 (6)
		Emi Takanabe		28.07	59.12	1:30.68	2:01.83	0.12	7:57.56 (7)
8	2	Sweden	SWE				7:59.83
		Josefin Lillhage		28.44	58.49	1:29.24	2:00.48	0.82	2:00.48 (8)
		Gabriella Fagundez		27.31	57.72	1:28.76	2:00.09	0.42	4:00.57 (8)
		Ida Marko-Varga		26.97	56.88	1:27.73	1:58.58	0.17	5:59.15 (8)
		Petra Granlund		27.62	58.06	1:29.35	2:00.68	0.20	7:59.83 (8)