The American women have led off the 2011 Duel in the Pool in Atlanta, Georgia, with a monstrous 3:45.56 in the meet’s very first event with a quartet of Natalie Coughlin, Rebecca Soni, Dana Vollmer, and Missy Franklin, which should be very similar to the foursome that takes on this same race (and perhaps a long course World Record) in London. (Video of the race here).

Coughlin led the race off in a new American Record of 55.97 , which broke her old mark of 56.08 done at Short Course Worlds, and is the 4th-fastest swim ever. (The swim was so good, that her 50 split was an American Record too in 26.98). The Americans didn’t slow down after that, with Rebecca Soni going the fastest breaststroke split ever (1:02.91), Vollmer held on to it (55.36), and Franklin wasn’t going to let it come back with an anchor split of 51.32.

Comparative splits to the old World Record, which was incidentally done at the last version of this meet in Manchester in 2009 in 3:47.97. Though short course and long course aren’t necessarily congruous, this is a quartet that seems as though it should be equally good in a 50 meter pool as a 25 meter. Vollmer was the only holdover from that relay.

USA (2009 Duel)

Margaret Hoelzer (57.47)
Jessica Hardy (1:03.58)
Dana Vollmer (54.37)
Amanda Weir (52.55)

USA (2011 Duel

Natalie Coughlin (56.08)
Rebecca Soni (1:02.91)
Dana Vollmer (55.36)
Missy Franklin (51.32)

These short course relay records are not as blazing as are the long course, mostly because there was no big, well-attended World Championship meet during the rubber suit era, so breaking it is not a big surprise. Crushing it by 2 seconds might be, but when you look at the group that swam in Manchester compared to this one, maybe it’s not a surprise.

 

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