Swimming World Championships: world record and gold medal in 4x50m freestyle medley relay

Double hit for blue in swimming. The 4x50m freestyle relay won the World Championship final in Melbourne, Australia with a world record for the discipline. The relay consisting of Melanie Enick, Beryl Gastaldello, Maxime Grousset and Florent Manaudu won in 1:27:33, beating the Australian quartet by almost 7 tenths despite being at home. The previous record was held by the American relay of 1:27:89, achieved in Hangzhou in 2018.

Relay highlight: Florent Manaudou, reigning Olympic vice-champion in the 50m freestyle, completed the second relay superbly in 20’26 behind Maxime Grousset, who launched the Blues in 20’92 (Les Etats United were in the lead after the first performances by Michael Andrew in the 20’81 season). Leading halfway, the blue relay could count on their women, Beryl Gastaldello and Melanie Enik held off the end of the relay with almost identical times (23:00 for the first, 23:15 for the second). .

From the morning series, the French sent a message by signing this Friday, very early in France, the best morning time for the 4x50m freestyle medley relay in 1:29:69. Mary-Ambre Molu then replaced Beryl Gastaldello as the final torchbearer on the blue side. This coronation sanctified the hopes once again placed on relay races on these worlds in Melbourne. This is the first gold medal for the French team at this World Short Course Championships, the third medal for the Blues after two silvers.