Team USA Breaks Relay Record at World Aquatics Championships
The United States shattered the world record in the 4x100 mixed relay on Saturday, finishing with a time of 3 minutes, 18.48 seconds during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships held in Singapore.
This new record eclipsed the previous mark of 3:18.83, which was established by Australia in 2023. The achievement marked only the second world record set at these championships, coinciding with a night where Team USA secured three gold medals, showcasing their strongest performance in what had been a challenging competition.
Katie Ledecky triumphed in the 800-meter freestyle, while Gretchen Walsh claimed victory in the 50-meter butterfly. With these wins, the American team has amassed a total of eight gold medals as the championships approach their conclusion on Sunday.
Despite the relay's success, Ledecky's continued unbeaten streak in the 800 freestyle captured significant attention. Since her first Olympic win in this event back in 2012, she has not lost in any major competition. After 700 meters, 18-year-old Summer McIntosh from Canada held a slight lead, but Ledecky surged ahead to finish at 8:05.62, with Lani Pallister of Australia taking silver (8:05.98) and McIntosh securing bronze (8:07.29).
McIntosh, who had already won three individual gold medals in Singapore, aimed for five but will now focus on the upcoming 400 individual medley where she is expected to be a strong contender.
Ledecky expressed surprise at her position during the race, stating, "I didn't know. I just knew it was close the whole way. There were times where I thought I was just going to break away. I was just happy I was up there." She further elaborated on the unpredictability of racing tactics, saying, "You just never know when you dive what everyone's tactics are going to be — or what's going to happen. It was fun to just be in that kind of a race. Just try to make small moves just here and there."
