| Date | 31 July 1984 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Olympic Swim Stadium, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California |
| Participants | 54 from 12 countries |
With the East German women absent because of the Soviet-led boycott, the USA women became the overwhelming favorites in the freestyle relay. In the heats the US qualified first although it saved the co-gold medalists from the 100 freestyle, Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer, for the final. They were joined by Dara Torres and Jenna Johnson. On the opening leg the Dutch team led, with Annemarie Verstappen touching in 55.94 to put them ahead. Steinseifer put the American ahead on the second leg, but it was still close and it would stay that way throughout. After three legs it was almost a dead heat, with the US 0.08 seconds ahead as Nancy Hogshead and Conny van Bentum took to the water. By the final turn van Bentum had closed the gap, but the effort cost her as Hogshead pulled away on the final lap to give the US the gold medal over the Netherlands, winning by almost a second. The American time of 3:43.43 was a US record, but missed the East German world and Olympic record of 3:42.71. Three weeks later the GDR women would better that mark with 3:42.41 at the Friendship Games in Moscow.
| Date | 31 July 1984 — 10:35 |
|---|---|
| Format | Fastest eight advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Lane | Team | NOC | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 3:43.56 | ||
| 2 | – | West Germany | FRG | 3:46.49 | ||
| 3 | – | Netherlands | NED | 3:47.65 | ||
| 4 | – | Australia | AUS | 3:49.61 | ||
| 5 | – | Canada | CAN | 3:50.40 | ||
| 6 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:51.47 | ||
| 7 | – | Sweden | SWE | 3:52.27 | ||
| 8 | – | France | FRA | 3:52.67 | ||
| 9 | – | Italy | ITA | 3:52.89 | ||
| 10 | – | Japan | JPN | 3:54.68 | ||
| 11 | – | Mexico | MEX | 3:58.31 | ||
| 12 | – | Hong Kong | HKG | 4:12.63 |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | West Germany | FRG | 3:46.49 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Iris Zscherpe | – | 57.04 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Susanne Schuster | – | 56.60 (1) | 1:53.64 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Christiane Pielke | – | 56.80 (1) | 2:50.44 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Karin Seick | – | 56.05 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | – | Australia | AUS | 3:49.61 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Lisa Curry-Kenny | – | 57.79 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Angela Russell | – | 57.11 (3) | 1:54.90 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Janet Tibbits | – | 58.16 (2) | 2:53.06 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Michelle Pearson | – | 56.55 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | – | Sweden | SWE | 3:52.27 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Maria Kardum | – | 58.32 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Agneta Eriksson | – | 56.92 (2) | 1:55.24 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Petra Hildér | – | 58.18 (3) | 2:53.42 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Malin Rundgren | – | 58.85 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | – | France | FRA | 3:52.67 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Sophie Kamoun | – | 58.40 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Carole Amoric | – | 57.74 (4) | 1:56.14 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Laurence Bensimon | – | 58.74 (4) | 2:54.88 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | Véronique Jardin | – | 57.79 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | – | Mexico | MEX | 3:58.31 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Patricia Kohlmann | – | 58.58 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Teresa Rivera | – | 59.01 (5) | 1:57.59 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Rosa Fuentes | – | 1:00.80 (5) | 2:58.39 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Irma Huerta | – | 59.92 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | – | Hong Kong | HKG | 4:12.63 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Kathy Wong | – | 1:00.67 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Fenella Ng | – | 1:02.51 (6) | 2:03.18 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Lotta Flink | – | 1:03.61 (6) | 3:06.79 (6) | |||
| Anchor | – | Chow Lai Yee | – | 1:05.84 (6) | – (–) |
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 3:43.56 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Dara Torres | – | 56.88 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Jill Sterkel | – | 55.42 (1) | 1:52.30 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Jenna Johnson | – | 55.63 (1) | 2:47.93 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Mary Wayte | – | 55.63 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | – | Netherlands | NED | 3:47.65 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Annemarie Verstappen | – | 56.30 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Elles Voskes | – | 56.98 (2) | 1:53.28 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Desi Reijers | – | 56.80 (2) | 2:50.08 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Wilma van Velsen | – | 57.57 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | – | Canada | CAN | 3:50.40 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Jane Kerr | – | 57.82 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Maureen New | – | 57.66 (5) | 1:55.48 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Cheryl McArton | – | 57.48 (3) | 2:52.96 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Carol Klimpel | – | 57.44 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:51.47 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Annabelle Cripps | – | 58.67 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Nikki Fibbens | – | 57.24 (4) | 1:55.91 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Debra Gore | – | 58.50 (5) | 2:54.41 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | June Croft | – | 57.06 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | – | Italy | ITA | 3:52.89 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Monica Olmi | – | 59.02 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Silvia Persi | – | 57.02 (3) | 1:56.04 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Grazia Colombo | – | 58.40 (4) | 2:54.44 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Manuela Dalla Valle | – | 58.45 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | – | Japan | JPN | 3:54.68 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Junko Sakurai | – | 59.18 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Chikako Nakamori | – | 58.15 (6) | 1:57.33 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Miki Saito | – | 58.98 (6) | 2:56.31 (6) | |||
| Anchor | – | Kaori Yanase | – | 58.37 (5) | – (–) |
| Date | 31 July 1984 — 17:10 |
|---|
| Pos | Lane | Competitors | NOC | Time | Split | Exchange | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | United States | USA | 3:43.43 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Jenna Johnson | – | 56.46 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Carrie Steinseifer | – | 55.87 (1) | 1:52.33 (1) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Dara Torres | – | 55.92 (2) | 2:48.25 (1) | |||
| Anchor | – | Nancy Hogshead | – | 55.18 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2 | – | Netherlands | NED | 3:44.40 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Annemarie Verstappen | – | 55.94 (1) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Elles Voskes | – | 56.77 (3) | 1:52.71 (2) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Desi Reijers | – | 55.62 (1) | 2:48.33 (2) | |||
| Anchor | – | Conny van Bentum | – | 56.07 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 3 | – | West Germany | FRG | 3:45.56 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Iris Zscherpe | – | 57.26 (4) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Susanne Schuster | – | 56.32 (2) | 1:53.58 (4) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Christiane Pielke | – | 56.24 (3) | 2:49.82 (3) | |||
| Anchor | – | Karin Seick | – | 55.74 (2) | – (–) | |||
| 4 | – | Australia | AUS | 3:47.79 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Michelle Pearson | – | 56.51 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Angela Russell | – | 56.97 (4) | 1:53.48 (3) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Anna McVann | – | 58.26 (8) | 2:51.74 (4) | |||
| Anchor | – | Lisa Curry-Kenny | – | 56.05 (3) | – (–) | |||
| 5 | – | Canada | CAN | 3:49.50 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Pam Rai | – | 57.70 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Carol Klimpel | – | 57.47 (8) | 1:55.17 (7) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Cheryl McArton | – | 57.52 (5) | 2:52.69 (6) | |||
| Anchor | – | Jane Kerr | – | 56.81 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 6 | – | Great Britain | GBR | 3:50.12 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | June Croft | – | 57.49 (5) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Nikki Fibbens | – | 57.33 (7) | 1:54.82 (5) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Debra Gore | – | 57.24 (4) | 2:52.06 (5) | |||
| Anchor | – | Annabelle Cripps | – | 58.06 (6) | – (–) | |||
| 7 | – | Sweden | SWE | 3:51.24 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Maria Kardum | – | 57.93 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Agneta Eriksson | – | 57.19 (5) | 1:55.12 (6) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Petra Hildér | – | 57.90 (7) | 2:53.02 (7) | |||
| Anchor | – | Karin Furuhed | – | 58.22 (7) | – (–) | |||
| 8 | – | France | FRA | 3:52.15 | – (–) | – (–) | ||
| Lead-off | – | Carole Amoric | – | 58.58 (8) | – (–) | |||
| 2nd Leg | – | Sophie Kamoun | – | 57.24 (6) | 1:55.82 (8) | |||
| 3rd Leg | – | Véronique Jardin | – | 57.83 (6) | 2:53.65 (8) | |||
| Anchor | – | Laurence Bensimon | – | 58.50 (8) | – (–) |