The United States team of Olivia Smoliga (55.86), Katie Meili (1:03.52), Kelsi Dahlia (54.89), and Mallory Comerford (51.31) did the same as their male teammates, closing out the 2018 Short Course World Championships with a new championship record in the 4×100 medley relay.
Comerford (on wrapping up her meet): “It’s been an awesome week and being able to share it with these girls is just amazing. They push me to be better and push me just to finish the race. It’s really hard but they make it easier.”
Dahlia (reflecting on her week): “I’m really pleased with the whole meet. This was a great experience. I learned a lot. My body’s exhausted, but these girls really pushed me to finish well tonight.”
Smoliga (on Team USA finishing strong): “I think this last day is indicative of how tough Team USA is. We’ve had so many one-two finishes tonight on the last night when we’re so dead. Our coaches yesterday said, ‘at the end of a hard practice, hard set we try to put up a best time even when we’re really tired,’ and I think that shows when we come to meets like these to finish as strong as we can.”
The foursome finished in 3:45.58, more than three seconds ahead of the field and more than two seconds under the championship record. Their time also just missed setting a new American record.
In second was the team from China in 3:48.80, followed by the Italian team who grabbed bronze in 3:51.38.
