| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women

Date	30 July 1992
Status	Olympic
Location	Piscinas Bernat Picornell, Barcelona
Participants	78 from 17 countries

The world record was still the 4:03.69 set by East Germany to win the 1984 Friendship Games in Moscow. But the drug-enhanced East German swimmers were no more, their swimming hegemony ended by the political dissolution of the two Germanies. Germany had not even won the 1991 Europeans, that going to the Netherlands. The United States was favored in Barcelona, having won the 1991 World Championship and Pan Pacifics, trailed at both races by Australia. The USA qualified only third fastest, behind the Unified Team and Germany, but they had used only their B team in the prelims. In the final Lea Loveless put the US well in front on the opening backstroke leg, splitting an American record 1:00.82, with Germany second, but 0.79 seconds behind. On the breaststroke leg, Russian Yelena Rudkovskaya finished in 1:07.44, the second fastest ever breaststroke split, which almost caught the USA’s Anita Nall, and moved the Unifieds into second. Crissy Ahmann-Leighton then swam fly for the US, putting the race away, as Germany and the Unified Team settled into second and third. That is how they would finish, Jenny Thompson anchoring the Americans on freestyle for the gold medal, splitting 54.47 for the third-fastest split of all-time. The USA won in 4:02.54, breaking the world record which had been held by an East German team since 1973.

Pos	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	United States	USA	4:10.83 (1 h3)	4:02.54 (1)	Gold
Backstroke	Lea Loveless		–	–
Breaststroke	Anita Nall		–	–
Butterfly	Crissy Ahmann-Leighton		–	–
Freestyle	Jenny Thompson		–	–
Backstroke	Janie Wagstaff		–	–
Breaststroke	Megan Kleine		–	–
Butterfly	Summer Sanders		–	–
Freestyle	Nicole Haislett		–	–
2	Germany	GER	4:10.62 (2 h1)	4:05.19 (2)	Silver
Backstroke	Dagmar Hase		–	–
Breaststroke	Jana Dörries		–	–
Butterfly	Franziska van Almsick		–	–
Freestyle	Daniela Hunger		–	–
Breaststroke	Daniela Brendel		–	–
Butterfly	Bettina Ustrowski		–	–
Freestyle	Simone Osygus		–	–
3	Unified Team	EUN	4:10.37 (1 h1)	4:06.44 (3)	Bronze
Backstroke	Nina Zhivanevskaya		–	–
Breaststroke	Alena Rudkouskaya		–	–
Butterfly	Olga Kirichenko		–	–
Freestyle	Nataliya Meshcheryakova		–	–
Freestyle	Yelena Shubina		–	–
4	People's Republic of China	CHN	4:12.55 (3 h3)	4:06.78 (4)
Backstroke	Lin Li		–	–
Breaststroke	Lou Xia		–	–
Butterfly	Qian Hong		–	–
Freestyle	Le Jingyi		–	–
Backstroke	He Cihong		–	–
5	Australia	AUS	4:12.54 (2 h2)	4:07.01 (5)
Backstroke	Nicole Stevenson		–	–
Breaststroke	Sam Riley		–	–
Butterfly	Susie O'Neill		–	–
Freestyle	Lisa Curry-Kenny		–	–
Backstroke	Joanne Meehan		–	–
6	Canada	CAN	4:11.67 (1 h2)	4:09.26 (6)
Backstroke	Nikki Dryden		–	–
Breaststroke	Guylaine Cloutier		–	–
Butterfly	Kristin Topham		–	–
Freestyle	Andrea Nugent		–	–
7	Japan	JPN	4:11.48 (2 h3)	4:09.92 (7)
Backstroke	Yoko Koikawa		–	–
Breaststroke	Kyoko Iwasaki		–	–
Butterfly	Yoko Kando		–	–
Freestyle	Suzu Chiba		–	–
8	Netherlands	NED	4:11.25 (3 h1)	4:10.87 (8)
Backstroke	Ellen Elzerman		–	–
Breaststroke	Kira Bulten		–	–
Butterfly	Inge de Bruijn		–	–
Freestyle	Marianne Muis		–	–
9	Italy	ITA	4:12.77 (4 h3)	–
Backstroke	Lorenza Vigarani		–	–
Breaststroke	Manuela Dalla Valle		–	–
Butterfly	Ilaria Tocchini		–	–
Freestyle	Ilaria Sciorelli		–	–
10	Great Britain	GBR	4:16.51 (3 h2)	–
Backstroke	Joanne Deakins		–	–
Breaststroke	Suki Brownsdon		–	–
Butterfly	Madeleine Campbell		–	–
Freestyle	Karen Pickering		–	–
11	Denmark	DEN	4:17.20 (4 h1)	–
Backstroke	Mette Jacobsen		–	–
Breaststroke	Britta Vestergaard		–	–
Butterfly	Berit Puggaard		–	–
Freestyle	Gitta Jensen		–	–
12	Romania	ROU	4:17.91 (4 h2)	–
Backstroke	Claudia Stănescu		–	–
Breaststroke	Beatrice Coadă		–	–
Butterfly	Diana Ureche		–	–
Freestyle	Luminița Dobrescu		–	–
13	Spain	ESP	4:19.27 (5 h1)	–
Backstroke	Núria Castelló		–	–
Breaststroke	Rocío Ruiz		–	–
Butterfly	María Peláez		–	–
Freestyle	Claudia Franco		–	–
14	France	FRA	4:21.19 (5 h3)	–
Backstroke	Céline Bonnet		–	–
Breaststroke	Audrey Guérit		–	–
Butterfly	Jacqueline Delord		–	–
Freestyle	Julie Blaise		–	–
15	Finland	FIN	4:23.07 (5 h2)	–
Backstroke	Anne Lackman		–	–
Breaststroke	Riikka Ukkola		–	–
Butterfly	Marja Päivinen		–	–
Freestyle	Minna Salmela		–	–
16	South Africa	RSA	4:24.28 (6 h3)	–
Backstroke	Jill Brukman		–	–
Breaststroke	Penny Heyns		–	–
Butterfly	Jeanine Steenkamp		–	–
Freestyle	Marianne Kriel		–	–
17	Mexico	MEX	4:26.73 (6 h1)	–
Backstroke	Heike Koerner		–	–
Breaststroke	Ana Mendoza		–	–
Butterfly	Gabriela Gaja		–	–
Freestyle	Laura Sánchez		–	–

Round One

Date	30 July 1992 — 13:00
Format	Fastest eight advanced to the final.

Pos	Team	NOC	Time
1	Unified Team	EUN	4:10.37	Q
2	Germany	GER	4:10.62	Q
3	United States	USA	4:10.83	Q
4	Netherlands	NED	4:11.25	Q
5	Japan	JPN	4:11.48	Q
6	Canada	CAN	4:11.67	Q
7	Australia	AUS	4:12.54	Q
8	People's Republic of China	CHN	4:12.55	Q
9	Italy	ITA	4:12.77
10	Great Britain	GBR	4:16.51
11	Denmark	DEN	4:17.20
12	Romania	ROU	4:17.91
13	Spain	ESP	4:19.27
14	France	FRA	4:21.19
15	Finland	FIN	4:23.07
16	South Africa	RSA	4:24.28
17	Mexico	MEX	4:26.73

Heat #1

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 metre Time	Split	Exchange
1	Unified Team	EUN	4:10.37	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Nina Zhivanevskaya		–	30.46	1:02.24 (1)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Alena Rudkouskaya		–	33.31	1:10.04 (1)	2:12.28 (1)
Butterfly	Olga Kirichenko		–	28.20	1:01.55 (2)	3:13.83 (1)
Freestyle	Yelena Shubina		–	26.96	56.54 (3)	– (–)
2	Germany	GER	4:10.62	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Dagmar Hase		–	30.94	1:02.67 (2)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Daniela Brendel		–	32.83	1:10.27 (2)	2:12.94 (2)
Butterfly	Bettina Ustrowski		–	28.19	1:01.93 (3)	3:14.87 (2)
Freestyle	Simone Osygus		–	26.56	55.75 (2)	– (–)
3	Netherlands	NED	4:11.25	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Ellen Elzerman		–	31.13	1:04.19 (4)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Kira Bulten		–	33.25	1:10.84 (3)	2:15.03 (3)
Butterfly	Inge de Bruijn		–	27.13	1:00.64 (1)	3:15.67 (3)
Freestyle	Marianne Muis		–	26.50	55.58 (1)	– (–)
4	Denmark	DEN	4:17.20	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Mette Jacobsen		–	31.95	1:04.06 (3)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Britta Vestergaard		–	34.24	1:12.58 (4)	2:16.64 (4)
Butterfly	Berit Puggaard		–	29.90	1:03.89 (5)	3:20.53 (4)
Freestyle	Gitta Jensen		–	27.45	56.67 (4)	– (–)
5	Spain	ESP	4:19.27	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Núria Castelló		–	31.56	1:04.87 (5)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Rocío Ruiz		–	34.08	1:12.86 (5)	2:17.73 (5)
Butterfly	María Peláez		–	29.84	1:03.54 (4)	3:21.27 (5)
Freestyle	Claudia Franco		–	27.32	58.00 (5)	– (–)
6	Mexico	MEX	4:26.73	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Heike Koerner		–	32.62	1:06.77 (6)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Ana Mendoza		–	35.30	1:16.42 (6)	2:23.19 (6)
Butterfly	Gabriela Gaja		–	29.57	1:04.57 (6)	3:27.76 (6)
Freestyle	Laura Sánchez		–	28.29	58.97 (6)	– (–)

Heat #2

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 metre Time	Split	Exchange
1	Canada	CAN	4:11.67	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Nikki Dryden		–	31.33	1:03.96 (2)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Guylaine Cloutier		–	33.02	1:10.16 (1)	2:14.12 (1)
Butterfly	Kristin Topham		–	27.96	1:01.06 (1)	3:15.18 (1)
Freestyle	Andrea Nugent		–	26.88	56.49 (2)	– (–)
2	Australia	AUS	4:12.54	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Joanne Meehan		–	30.98	1:03.70 (1)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Sam Riley		–	32.41	1:10.83 (2)	2:14.53 (2)
Butterfly	Susie O'Neill		–	28.29	1:01.28 (2)	3:15.81 (2)
Freestyle	Lisa Curry-Kenny		–	27.06	56.73 (3)	– (–)
3	Great Britain	GBR	4:16.51	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Joanne Deakins		–	31.83	1:04.51 (3)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Suki Brownsdon		–	34.03	1:13.52 (4)	2:18.03 (3)
Butterfly	Madeleine Campbell		–	29.32	1:02.70 (4)	3:20.73 (3)
Freestyle	Karen Pickering		–	26.75	55.78 (1)	– (–)
4	Romania	ROU	4:17.91	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Claudia Stănescu		–	31.41	1:04.90 (4)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Beatrice Coadă		–	34.34	1:13.35 (3)	2:18.25 (4)
Butterfly	Diana Ureche		–	28.98	1:02.51 (3)	3:20.76 (4)
Freestyle	Luminița Dobrescu		–	27.57	57.15 (4)	– (–)
5	Finland	FIN	4:23.07	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Anne Lackman		–	32.35	1:06.56 (5)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Riikka Ukkola		–	35.24	1:15.58 (5)	2:22.14 (5)
Butterfly	Marja Päivinen		–	29.00	1:03.07 (5)	3:25.21 (5)
Freestyle	Minna Salmela		–	27.70	57.86 (5)	– (–)

Heat #3

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 metre Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	4:10.83	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Janie Wagstaff		–	30.79	1:03.19 (2)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Megan Kleine		–	33.65	1:12.05 (4)	2:15.24 (4)
Butterfly	Summer Sanders		–	27.89	1:00.15 (1)	3:15.39 (3)
Freestyle	Nicole Haislett		–	27.02	55.44 (1)	– (–)
2	Japan	JPN	4:11.48	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	Yoko Koikawa		–	31.13	1:02.81 (1)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Kyoko Iwasaki		–	34.17	1:11.11 (3)	2:13.92 (2)
Butterfly	Yoko Kando		–	28.72	1:01.14 (3)	3:15.06 (1)
Freestyle	Suzu Chiba		–	27.36	56.42 (2)	– (–)
3	People's Republic of China	CHN	4:12.55	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Backstroke	He Cihong		–	31.41	1:04.48 (4)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Lou Xia		–	32.49	1:10.47 (2)	2:14.95 (3)
Butterfly	Qian Hong		–	28.43	1:00.82 (2)	3:15.77 (4)
Freestyle	Le Jingyi		–	27.47	56.78 (3)	– (–)
4	Italy	ITA	4:12.77	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Lorenza Vigarani		–	31.26	1:03.97 (3)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Manuela Dalla Valle		–	32.49	1:09.60 (1)	2:13.57 (1)
Butterfly	Ilaria Tocchini		–	28.73	1:01.67 (4)	3:15.24 (2)
Freestyle	Ilaria Sciorelli		–	27.40	57.53 (5)	– (–)
5	France	FRA	4:21.19	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Céline Bonnet		–	32.08	1:05.73 (5)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Audrey Guérit		–	34.35	1:12.90 (5)	2:18.63 (5)
Butterfly	Jacqueline Delord		–	30.13	1:05.10 (5)	3:23.73 (5)
Freestyle	Julie Blaise		–	27.59	57.46 (4)	– (–)
6	South Africa	RSA	4:24.28	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Jill Brukman		–	31.97	1:05.78 (6)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Penny Heyns		–	34.19	1:14.43 (6)	2:20.21 (6)
Butterfly	Jeanine Steenkamp		–	30.61	1:06.19 (6)	3:26.40 (6)
Freestyle	Marianne Kriel		–	27.56	57.88 (6)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	30 July 1992 — 20:00

Pos	Competitors	NOC	Time	50 metre Time	Split	Exchange
1	United States	USA	4:02.54	–	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Backstroke	Lea Loveless		–	29.55	1:00.82 (1)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Anita Nall		–	32.28	1:08.67 (2)	2:09.49 (1)
Butterfly	Crissy Ahmann-Leighton		–	27.18	58.58 (1)	3:08.07 (1)
Freestyle	Jenny Thompson		–	26.72	54.47 (1)	– (–)
2	Germany	GER	4:05.19	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Dagmar Hase		–	30.51	1:01.61 (2)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Jana Dörries		–	32.86	1:09.43 (3)	2:11.04 (3)
Butterfly	Franziska van Almsick		–	27.40	59.08 (3)	3:10.12 (2)
Freestyle	Daniela Hunger		–	26.44	55.07 (2)	– (–)
3	Unified Team	EUN	4:06.44	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Nina Zhivanevskaya		–	30.47	1:02.54 (4)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Alena Rudkouskaya		–	31.55	1:07.44 (1)	2:09.98 (2)
Butterfly	Olga Kirichenko		–	28.28	1:00.98 (8)	3:10.96 (3)
Freestyle	Nataliya Meshcheryakova		–	25.87	55.48 (=5)	– (–)
4	People's Republic of China	CHN	4:06.78	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Lin Li		–	31.09	1:02.90 (5)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Lou Xia		–	31.88	1:09.51 (4)	2:12.41 (5)
Butterfly	Qian Hong		–	27.94	58.97 (2)	3:11.38 (4)
Freestyle	Le Jingyi		–	26.60	55.40 (4)	– (–)
5	Australia	AUS	4:07.01	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Nicole Stevenson		–	30.68	1:02.09 (3)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Sam Riley		–	32.18	1:10.06 (6)	2:12.15 (4)
Butterfly	Susie O'Neill		–	27.47	59.38 (4)	3:11.53 (5)
Freestyle	Lisa Curry-Kenny		–	26.15	55.48 (=5)	– (–)
6	Canada	CAN	4:09.26	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Nikki Dryden		–	31.29	1:03.51 (7)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Guylaine Cloutier		–	32.64	1:09.55 (5)	2:13.06 (6)
Butterfly	Kristin Topham		–	27.65	1:00.38 (5)	3:13.44 (6)
Freestyle	Andrea Nugent		–	26.28	55.82 (8)	– (–)
7	Japan	JPN	4:09.92	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Yoko Koikawa		–	31.35	1:03.12 (6)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Kyoko Iwasaki		–	34.05	1:10.75 (7)	2:13.87 (7)
Butterfly	Yoko Kando		–	28.65	1:00.51 (7)	3:14.38 (7)
Freestyle	Suzu Chiba		–	26.59	55.54 (7)	– (–)
8	Netherlands	NED	4:10.87	–	– (–)	– (–)
Backstroke	Ellen Elzerman		–	31.21	1:03.81 (8)	– (–)
Breaststroke	Kira Bulten		–	33.41	1:11.30 (8)	2:15.11 (8)
Butterfly	Inge de Bruijn		–	27.57	1:00.39 (6)	3:15.50 (8)
Freestyle	Marianne Muis		–	26.39	55.37 (3)	– (–)