| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women

Date	28 July 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscinas Bernat Picornell, Barcelona
Participants	61 from 13 countries

With the East German women no longer a factor, as the country no longer existed, there was a new world order in women’s swimming. The United States came in as the favorites, having won the event at the 1991 Worlds and Pan Pacs. After the opening leg of the final, they were only third as China’s Zhuang Yong, gold medalist in the 100 free in Barcelona, split 54.51, the second fastest 100 time ever, and Germany’s Franziska van Almsick was second in 54.99. On the second leg, Dara Torres moved the US into second, but China still led through the second and third legs. China sent out Le Jingyi for their anchor, star of the 1994 World Championships, while the USA countered with Jenny Thompson, silver medalist here in the 100 free who had set the world record in that event at the US Trials. Thompson came home in 54.01, the fastest relay split ever, to earn a gold medal for the USA. China held on for second, while the Germans won bronze.

Pos	Number	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	–	United States	USA	3:41.57 (1 h2)	3:39.46 (1)	Gold
	610	Nicole Haislett		–	–
	636	Dara Torres		–	–
	622	Angel Martino		–	–
	635	Jenny Thompson		–	–
	633	Ashley Tappin		–	–
	600	Crissy Ahmann-Leighton		–	–
2	–	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:43.41 (1 h1)	3:40.12 (2)	Silver
	123	Zhuang Yong		–	–
	114	Lü Bin		–	–
	121	Yang Wenyi		–	–
	110	Le Jingyi		–	–
	122	Zhao Kun		–	–
3	–	Germany	GER	3:43.58 (2 h2)	3:41.60 (3)	Bronze
	292	Franziska van Almsick		–	–
	281	Simone Osygus		–	–
	277	Daniela Hunger		–	–
	288	Manuela Stellmach		–	–
	279	Kerstin Kielgaß		–	–
	271	Annette Hadding		–	–
4	–	Unified Team	EUN	3:45.06 (3 h2)	3:43.68 (4)
	183	Nataliya Meshcheryakova		–	–
	180	Svetlana Leshukova		–	–
	171	Yelena Dendeberova		–	–
	170	Yelena Shubina		–	–
	172	Yevgeniya Yermakova		–	–
5	–	Netherlands	NED	3:44.00 (2 h1)	3:43.74 (5)
	449	Diane van der Plaats		–	–
	448	Mildred Muis		–	–
	447	Marianne Muis		–	–
	442	Karin Brienesse		–	–
	444	Inge de Bruijn		–	–
6	–	Denmark	DEN	3:48.78 (4 h2)	3:47.81 (6)
	131	Gitta Jensen		–	–
	130	Mette Jacobsen		–	–
	135	Berit Puggaard		–	–
	133	Mette Nørskov Nielsen		–	–
	134	Annette Poulsen		–	–
7	–	Sweden	SWE	3:48.15 (3 h1)	3:48.47 (7)
	570	Eva Nyberg		–	–
	565	Louise Karlsson		–	–
	573	Ellenor Svensson		–	–
	569	Malin Nilsson		–	–
	571	Linda Olofsson		–	–
8	–	Canada	CAN	3:49.28 (5 h2)	3:49.37 (8)
	93	Marianne Limpert		–	–
	86	Nikki Dryden		–	–
	98	Andrea Nugent		–	–
	91	Allison Higson		–	–
9	–	Australia	AUS	3:49.64 (4 h1)	–
	29	Angela Mullens		–	–
	24	Lise Mackie		–	–
	39	Nicole Stevenson		–	–
	13	Lisa Curry-Kenny		–	–
10	–	Japan	JPN	3:49.91 (5 h1)	–
	397	Ayako Nakano		–	–
	393	Yoko Koikawa		–	–
	395	Shina Matsudo		–	–
	379	Suzu Chiba		–	–
11	–	France	FRA	3:50.22 (6 h2)	–
	211	Julie Blaise		–	–
	233	Julia Reggiani		–	–
	220	Marie-Laure Giraudon		–	–
	225	Véronique Jardin		–	–
12	–	Romania	ROU	3:55.52 (6 h1)	–
	518	Diana Ureche		–	–
	513	Carla-Creola Negrea		–	–
	509	Beatrice Coadă		–	–
	510	Luminița Dobrescu		–	–
13	–	Mauritius	MRI	4:09.96 (7 h2)	–
	436	Corinne Leclair		–	–
	439	Luanne Maurice		–	–
	437	Annabelle Mariejeanne		–	–
	435	Nathalie Lam		–	–

Round One

Date	28 July 1992 — 12:30
Format	Fastest 8 advanced to the final round.

Pos	Lane	Team	NOC	Time
1	4	United States	USA	3:41.57	Q
2	3	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:43.41	Q
3	5	Germany	GER	3:43.58	Q
4	5	Netherlands	NED	3:44.00	Q
5	7	Unified Team	EUN	3:45.06	Q
6	2	Sweden	SWE	3:48.15	Q
7	3	Denmark	DEN	3:48.78	Q
8	6	Canada	CAN	3:49.28	Q
9	4	Australia	AUS	3:49.64
10	6	Japan	JPN	3:49.91
11	2	France	FRA	3:50.22
12	1	Romania	ROU	3:55.52
13	8	Mauritius	MRI	4:09.96

Heat #1

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	3	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:43.41	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Zhao Kun		–	27.37	56.95 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Lü Bin		–	26.74	55.61 (1)	1:52.56 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Yang Wenyi		–	26.03	55.51 (1)	2:48.07 (1)
Anchor	–	Le Jingyi		–	26.28	55.34 (1)	– (–)
2	5	Netherlands	NED	3:44.00	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Mildred Muis		–	27.37	56.71 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Diane van der Plaats		–	26.33	55.75 (2)	1:52.46 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Inge de Bruijn		–	26.14	56.03 (2)	2:48.49 (2)
Anchor	–	Marianne Muis		–	26.43	55.51 (2)	– (–)
3	2	Sweden	SWE	3:48.15	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Eva Nyberg		–	27.80	57.12 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Linda Olofsson		–	27.14	57.38 (3)	1:54.50 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Louise Karlsson		–	26.15	56.79 (3)	2:51.29 (3)
Anchor	–	Ellenor Svensson		–	26.88	56.86 (4)	– (–)
4	4	Australia	AUS	3:49.64	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Angela Mullens		–	27.29	57.78 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Lise Mackie		–	27.19	57.88 (5)	1:55.66 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Nicole Stevenson		–	28.52	58.25 (5)	2:53.91 (5)
Anchor	–	Lisa Curry-Kenny		–	26.11	55.73 (3)	– (–)
5	6	Japan	JPN	3:49.91	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Ayako Nakano		–	27.63	57.36 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Yoko Koikawa		–	28.04	57.45 (4)	1:54.81 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Shina Matsudo		–	27.92	58.05 (4)	2:52.86 (4)
Anchor	–	Suzu Chiba		–	27.40	57.05 (5)	– (–)
6	1	Romania	ROU	3:55.52	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Diana Ureche		–	28.38	58.43 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Carla-Creola Negrea		–	28.67	1:00.26 (6)	1:58.69 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Beatrice Coadă		–	28.66	59.34 (6)	2:58.03 (6)
Anchor	–	Luminița Dobrescu		–	27.81	57.49 (6)	– (–)

Heat #2

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	United States	USA	3:41.57	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Angel Martino		–	26.54	54.83 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ashley Tappin		–	26.54	55.68 (2)	1:50.51 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Crissy Ahmann-Leighton		–	26.35	55.55 (1)	2:46.06 (1)
Anchor	–	Dara Torres		–	26.31	55.51 (2)	– (–)
2	5	Germany	GER	3:43.58	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Manuela Stellmach		–	27.32	56.10 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Kerstin Kielgaß		–	27.19	55.85 (3)	1:51.95 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Annette Hadding		–	26.79	56.35 (2)	2:48.30 (2)
Anchor	–	Daniela Hunger		–	26.54	55.28 (1)	– (–)
3	7	Unified Team	EUN	3:45.06	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Nataliya Meshcheryakova		–	26.64	56.05 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Svetlana Leshukova		–	26.82	56.38 (4)	1:52.43 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Yevgeniya Yermakova		–	26.81	56.43 (3)	2:48.86 (3)
Anchor	–	Yelena Dendeberova		–	27.25	56.20 (4)	– (–)
4	3	Denmark	DEN	3:48.78	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Berit Puggaard		–	27.94	58.38 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Gitta Jensen		–	26.71	55.66 (1)	1:54.04 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Annette Poulsen		–	27.66	58.16 (5)	2:52.20 (4)
Anchor	–	Mette Jacobsen		–	27.42	56.58 (5)	– (–)
5	6	Canada	CAN	3:49.28	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Marianne Limpert		–	27.93	57.11 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Allison Higson		–	27.63	57.80 (6)	1:54.91 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Nikki Dryden		–	28.59	58.26 (6)	2:53.17 (6)
Anchor	–	Andrea Nugent		–	26.82	56.11 (3)	– (–)
6	2	France	FRA	3:50.22	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Julie Blaise		–	27.74	57.54 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Julia Reggiani		–	28.03	57.62 (5)	1:55.16 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Marie-Laure Giraudon		–	27.62	57.78 (4)	2:52.94 (5)
Anchor	–	Véronique Jardin		–	27.72	57.28 (6)	– (–)
7	8	Mauritius	MRI	4:09.96	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Corinne Leclair		–	29.09	1:00.99 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Luanne Maurice		–	30.22	1:02.94 (7)	2:03.93 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Annabelle Mariejeanne		–	30.67	1:03.66 (7)	3:07.59 (7)
Anchor	–	Nathalie Lam		–	30.18	1:02.37 (7)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	28 July 1992 — 20:00

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	United States	USA	3:39.46	–	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-off	–	Nicole Haislett		–	26.99	55.33 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Dara Torres		–	26.29	55.33 (1)	1:50.66 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Angel Martino		–	26.48	54.79 (1)	2:45.45 (2)
Anchor	–	Jenny Thompson		–	26.13	54.01 (1)	– (–)
2	5	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:40.12	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Zhuang Yong		–	26.25	54.51 (1)	– (–)	IOR
2nd Leg	–	Lü Bin		–	27.07	55.90 (4)	1:50.41 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Yang Wenyi		–	26.38	54.90 (2)	2:45.31 (1)
Anchor	–	Le Jingyi		–	26.52	54.81 (2)	– (–)
3	3	Germany	GER	3:41.60	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Franziska van Almsick		–	26.90	54.99 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Simone Osygus		–	26.55	55.74 (2)	1:50.73 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Daniela Hunger		–	26.44	55.12 (3)	2:45.85 (3)
Anchor	–	Manuela Stellmach		–	27.00	55.75 (4)	– (–)
4	2	Unified Team	EUN	3:43.68	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Nataliya Meshcheryakova		–	26.88	55.69 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Svetlana Leshukova		–	26.80	56.56 (7)	1:52.25 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Yelena Dendeberova		–	26.96	55.79 (5)	2:48.04 (5)
Anchor	–	Yelena Shubina		–	26.33	55.64 (3)	– (–)
5	6	Netherlands	NED	3:43.74	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Diane van der Plaats		–	27.17	56.68 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Mildred Muis		–	26.72	55.75 (3)	1:52.43 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Marianne Muis		–	26.45	55.53 (4)	2:47.96 (4)
Anchor	–	Karin Brienesse		–	26.73	55.78 (5)	– (–)
6	1	Denmark	DEN	3:47.81	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Gitta Jensen		–	27.21	56.13 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Mette Jacobsen		–	27.58	56.26 (5)	1:52.39 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Berit Puggaard		–	27.76	57.67 (8)	2:50.06 (6)
Anchor	–	Mette Nørskov Nielsen		–	27.35	57.75 (7)	– (–)
7	7	Sweden	SWE	3:48.47	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Eva Nyberg		–	28.00	57.37 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Louise Karlsson		–	26.88	56.50 (6)	1:53.87 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Ellenor Svensson		–	27.32	57.66 (7)	2:51.53 (8)
Anchor	–	Malin Nilsson		–	27.02	56.94 (6)	– (–)
8	8	Canada	CAN	3:49.37	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Marianne Limpert		–	27.68	57.06 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Nikki Dryden		–	27.68	57.65 (8)	1:54.71 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Andrea Nugent		–	26.84	56.79 (6)	2:51.50 (7)
Anchor	–	Allison Higson		–	27.69	57.87 (8)	– (–)