| | Event type

4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women

Date	14 August 2004
Status	Olympic
Location	Olympiako Kentro Ugrou Stivou, Olympiako Athletiko Kentro Athinon Spiros Loues, Athina (Main Pool)
Participants	72 from 16 countries

Not since the Melbourne Olympics of 1956 had Australia won the women’s 4×100 metres freestyle relay. All subsequent editions had been won either by the United States or East Germany. The USA were still World Champions but their margin over the Aussies and Germans had shrunk to less than a second in 2003 and the Australian women had been extremely impressive at their own Olympic trials.

Germany held the lead after the first leg of the final but latterly slipped back and the stage was set for the expected showdown between Australia and America. New world record holder Libby Lenton put Australia in front at the 200 m mark but Amanda Weir responded to move the USA back into the lead after the third leg. The two anchor swimmers were America’s Queen of the relays, Jenny Thompson, and the Commonwealth Games champion Jodie Henry for Australia. Henry, the younger swimmer by a decade, clawed back the advantage and helped Australia set a new world record in the bargain. After eight successive championship victories, this was the first defeat for Thompson in an Olympic relay final.

Pos	Competitors	NOC	R1	Final
1	Australia	AUS	3:38.26 (1 h2)	3:35.94 (1)	Gold
	Jodie Henry		–	–
	Libby Lenton		–	–
	Alice Mills		–	–
	Petria Thomas		–	–
	Sarah Ryan		–	–
2	United States	USA	3:39.46 (2 h2)	3:36.39 (2)	Silver
	Natalie Coughlin		–	–
	Kara Lynn Joyce		–	–
	Jenny Thompson		–	–
	Amanda Weir		–	–
	Lindsay Benko		–	–
	Ritz Correia		–	–
	Colleen Lanné		–	–
3	Netherlands	NED	3:39.93 (3 h2)	3:37.59 (3)	Bronze
	Inge de Bruijn		–	–
	Inge Dekker		–	–
	Chantal Groot		–	–
	Marleen Veldhuis		–	–
	Annabel Kosten		–	–
4	Germany	GER	3:41.19 (1 h1)	3:37.94 (4)
	Antje Buschschulte		–	–
	Petra Dallmann		–	–
	Daniela Götz		–	–
	Franziska van Almsick		–	–
	Britta Steffen		–	–
5	France	FRA	3:42.42 (3 h1)	3:40.23 (5)
	Céline Couderc		–	–
	Solenne Figuès		–	–
	Malia Metella		–	–
	Aurore Mongel		–	–
6	Great Britain	GBR	3:41.96 (2 h1)	3:40.82 (6)
	Lisa Chapman		–	–
	Kathryn Evans		–	–
	Melanie Marshall		–	–
	Karen Pickering		–	–
	Alison Sheppard		–	–
7	Sweden	SWE	3:41.51 (4 h2)	3:41.22 (7)
	Therèse Alshammar		–	–
	Anna-Karin Kammerling		–	–
	Josefin Lillhage		–	–
	Johanna Sjöberg		–	–
	Cathrin Carlzon		–	–
8	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:42.84 (4 h1)	3:42.90 (8)
	Cheng Jiaru		–	–
	Xu Yanwei		–	–
	Yang Yu		–	–
	Zhu Yingwen		–	–
9	Republic of Korea	KOR	3:44.84 (5 h1)	–
	Kim Hyeon-Ju		–	–
	Ryu Yun-Ji		–	–
	Sim Min-Ji		–	–
	Seon So-Eun		–	–
10	Italy	ITA	3:44.88 (6 h1)	–
	Cristina Chiuso		–	–
	Sara Parise		–	–
	Federica Pellegrini		–	–
	Cecilia Vianini		–	–
11	Belarus	BLR	3:45.38 (=5 h2)	–
	Sviatlana Khokhlava		–	–
	Iryna Niafiodava		–	–
	Hanna Shcherba		–	–
	Maryia Shcherba		–	–
12	Brazil	BRA	3:45.38 (=5 h2)	–
	Renata Burgos		–	–
	Flávia Delaroli		–	–
	Rebeca Gusmão		–	–
	Tatiana Lemos		–	–
13	Czech Republic	CZE	3:46.83 (7 h1)	–
	Ilona Hlaváčková		–	–
	Sandra Kazíková		–	–
	Petra Klosová		–	–
	Jana Myšková		–	–
14	Spain	ESP	3:47.47 (8 h1)	–
	Melissa Caballero		–	–
	Ana Belén Palomo		–	–
	Laura Roca		–	–
	Tatiana Rouba		–	–
15	Switzerland	SUI	3:48.61 (7 h2)	–
	Dominique Diezi		–	–
	Seraina Prünte		–	–
	Marjorie Sagne		–	–
	Nicole Zahnd		–	–
DQ	Greece	GRE	– (DQ h2)	–
	Zoi Dimoschaki		–	–
	Eleni Kosti		–	–
	Martha Matsa		–	–
	Neri Niagkouara		–	–

Round One

Date	14 August 2004
Format	Fastest 8 advanced to the final round.

Pos	Lane	Team	NOC	Time
1	5	Australia	AUS	3:38.26	Q
2	4	United States	USA	3:39.46	Q
3	3	Netherlands	NED	3:39.93	Q
4	4	Germany	GER	3:41.19	Q
5	6	Sweden	SWE	3:41.51	Q
6	3	Great Britain	GBR	3:41.96	Q
7	5	France	FRA	3:42.42	Q
8	6	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:42.84	Q
9	7	Republic of Korea	KOR	3:44.84
10	2	Italy	ITA	3:44.88
=11	2	Belarus	BLR	3:45.38
=11	7	Brazil	BRA	3:45.38
13	8	Czech Republic	CZE	3:46.83
14	1	Spain	ESP	3:47.47
15	8	Switzerland	SUI	3:48.61
DQ	1	Greece	GRE	–

Heat #1

Time	12:22

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	Germany	GER	3:41.19	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Petra Dallmann		–	0.88	27.07	55.49 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Britta Steffen		–	0.34	26.88	56.31 (5)	1:51.80 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Daniela Götz		–	0.20	26.65	55.04 (1)	2:46.84 (2)
Anchor	–	Antje Buschschulte		–	0.21	26.22	54.35 (1)	– (–)
2	3	Great Britain	GBR	3:41.96	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Alison Sheppard		–	0.82	27.38	56.35 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Kathryn Evans		–	0.26	26.44	55.21 (1)	1:51.56 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Karen Pickering		–	0.20	27.03	55.57 (3)	2:47.13 (3)
Anchor	–	Melanie Marshall		–	0.16	25.98	54.83 (4)	– (–)
3	5	France	FRA	3:42.42	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Solenne Figuès		–	0.86	27.29	55.61 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Céline Couderc		–	0.35	26.77	55.84 (4)	1:51.45 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Aurore Mongel		–	0.18	27.37	56.25 (4)	2:47.70 (4)
Anchor	–	Malia Metella		–	0.36	26.52	54.72 (3)	– (–)
4	6	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:42.84	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Cheng Jiaru		–	0.83	27.15	56.14 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Xu Yanwei		–	0.41	26.65	55.43 (3)	1:51.57 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Zhu Yingwen		–	0.24	26.68	55.08 (2)	2:46.65 (1)
Anchor	–	Yang Yu		–	0.26	26.45	56.19 (6)	– (–)
5	7	Republic of Korea	KOR	3:44.84	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Seon So-Eun		–	0.78	27.26	56.86 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ryu Yun-Ji		–	0.26	26.16	55.24 (2)	1:52.10 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Sim Min-Ji		–	0.34	27.56	56.91 (7)	2:49.01 (6)
Anchor	–	Kim Hyeon-Ju		–	0.31	26.89	55.83 (5)	– (–)
6	2	Italy	ITA	3:44.88	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Cecilia Vianini		–	0.83	27.44	56.53 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Cristina Chiuso		–	0.26	26.66	56.33 (6)	1:52.86 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Sara Parise		–	0.38	27.26	57.38 (8)	2:50.24 (8)
Anchor	–	Federica Pellegrini		–	0.09	25.98	54.64 (2)	– (–)
7	8	Czech Republic	CZE	3:46.83	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Jana Myšková		–	0.89	27.00	56.02 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Petra Klosová		–	0.40	26.63	56.49 (7)	1:52.51 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Ilona Hlaváčková		–	0.35	26.95	56.42 (5)	2:48.93 (5)
Anchor	–	Sandra Kazíková		–	0.29	26.97	57.90 (8)	– (–)
8	1	Spain	ESP	3:47.47	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Tatiana Rouba		–	0.85	27.62	56.41 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Ana Belén Palomo		–	0.24	27.02	56.64 (8)	1:53.05 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Laura Roca		–	0.26	27.65	56.83 (6)	2:49.88 (7)
Anchor	–	Melissa Caballero		–	0.51	27.98	57.59 (7)	– (–)

Heat #2

Time	12:30

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	5	Australia	AUS	3:38.26	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Alice Mills		–	0.73	26.54	54.77 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Libby Lenton		–	0.27	26.13	54.48 (1)	1:49.25 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Sarah Ryan		–	0.19	26.42	54.97 (4)	2:44.22 (1)
Anchor	–	Jodie Henry		–	0.40	26.24	54.04 (1)	– (–)
2	4	United States	USA	3:39.46	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Amanda Weir		–	0.75	26.86	54.50 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Colleen Lanné		–	0.39	26.28	55.42 (3)	1:49.92 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Lindsay Benko		–	0.28	26.37	54.80 (3)	2:44.72 (2)
Anchor	–	Ritz Correia		–	0.39	26.30	54.74 (3)	– (–)
3	3	Netherlands	NED	3:39.93	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Inge Dekker		–	0.99	27.04	55.56 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Annabel Kosten		–	0.13	26.15	55.24 (2)	1:50.80 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Marleen Veldhuis		–	0.18	25.95	54.61 (2)	2:45.41 (3)
Anchor	–	Chantal Groot		–	0.23	25.99	54.52 (2)	– (–)
4	6	Sweden	SWE	3:41.51	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	Q
Lead-off	–	Josefin Lillhage		–	0.88	27.21	55.72 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Cathrin Carlzon		–	0.24	26.45	56.05 (4)	1:51.77 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Therèse Alshammar		–	0.29	26.06	54.33 (1)	2:46.10 (4)
Anchor	–	Johanna Sjöberg		–	0.27	26.16	55.41 (4)	– (–)
=5	2	Belarus	BLR	3:45.38	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Hanna Shcherba		–	0.73	26.91	56.10 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Maryia Shcherba		–	0.15	26.98	56.78 (7)	1:52.88 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Iryna Niafiodava		–	0.21	26.73	56.46 (6)	2:49.34 (5)
Anchor	–	Sviatlana Khokhlava		–	0.45	26.58	56.04 (6)	– (–)
=5	7	Brazil	BRA	3:45.38	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Rebeca Gusmão		–	0.70	27.06	56.56 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Tatiana Lemos		–	0.22	26.83	56.67 (6)	1:53.23 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Renata Burgos		–	0.37	26.55	56.32 (5)	2:49.55 (6)
Anchor	–	Flávia Delaroli		–	0.14	25.76	55.83 (5)	– (–)
7	8	Switzerland	SUI	3:48.61	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Dominique Diezi		–	0.80	26.95	56.78 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Marjorie Sagne		–	0.13	26.69	57.17 (8)	1:53.95 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Seraina Prünte		–	0.15	27.34	58.16 (7)	2:52.11 (7)
Anchor	–	Nicole Zahnd		–	0.16	27.03	56.50 (7)	– (–)
DQ	1	Greece	GRE	–	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Neri Niagkouara		–	[0.79]	[26.74]	[55.79] ([5])	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Zoi Dimoschaki		–	[0.10]	[27.13]	[56.09] ([5])	[1:51.88] ([5])
3rd Leg	–	Martha Matsa		–	[-0.06]	–	– (–)	– (–)
Anchor	–	Eleni Kosti		–	–	–	– (–)	– (–)

Final Round

Date	14 August 2004 — 20:53

Pos	Lane	Competitors	NOC	Time	Reaction Time	50 m Time	Split	Exchange
1	4	Australia	AUS	3:35.94	–	–	– (–)	– (–)	WR
Lead-off	–	Alice Mills		–	0.76	26.35	54.75 (3)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Libby Lenton		–	0.27	25.18	53.57 (1)	1:48.32 (1)
3rd Leg	–	Petria Thomas		–	0.43	26.47	54.67 (5)	2:42.99 (2)
Anchor	–	Jodie Henry		–	0.32	25.58	52.95 (1)	– (–)
2	5	United States	USA	3:36.39	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Kara Lynn Joyce		–	0.73	26.69	54.74 (2)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Natalie Coughlin		–	0.28	25.73	53.83 (2)	1:48.57 (2)
3rd Leg	–	Amanda Weir		–	0.18	26.08	54.05 (2)	2:42.62 (1)
Anchor	–	Jenny Thompson		–	0.18	25.92	53.77 (3)	– (–)
3	3	Netherlands	NED	3:37.59	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Chantal Groot		–	0.81	26.64	55.45 (6)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Inge Dekker		–	0.28	26.14	54.66 (4)	1:50.11 (5)
3rd Leg	–	Marleen Veldhuis		–	0.14	25.50	54.11 (3)	2:44.22 (4)
Anchor	–	Inge de Bruijn		–	0.28	25.21	53.37 (2)	– (–)
4	6	Germany	GER	3:37.94	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Antje Buschschulte		–	0.82	26.63	54.67 (1)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Petra Dallmann		–	0.26	26.10	54.79 (5)	1:49.46 (3)
3rd Leg	–	Daniela Götz		–	0.25	25.90	53.99 (1)	2:43.45 (3)
Anchor	–	Franziska van Almsick		–	0.28	26.71	54.49 (5)	– (–)
5	1	France	FRA	3:40.23	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Solenne Figuès		–	0.85	27.08	55.36 (4)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Céline Couderc		–	0.24	26.42	55.20 (7)	1:50.56 (6)
3rd Leg	–	Aurore Mongel		–	0.30	26.74	55.72 (7)	2:46.28 (7)
Anchor	–	Malia Metella		–	0.28	25.77	53.95 (4)	– (–)
6	7	Great Britain	GBR	3:40.82	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Melanie Marshall		–	0.70	26.46	55.42 (5)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Kathryn Evans		–	0.19	25.93	54.33 (3)	1:49.75 (4)
3rd Leg	–	Karen Pickering		–	0.24	26.98	55.58 (6)	2:45.33 (5)
Anchor	–	Lisa Chapman		–	0.07	26.23	55.49 (8)	– (–)
7	2	Sweden	SWE	3:41.22	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Josefin Lillhage		–	0.80	26.81	55.77 (7)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Johanna Sjöberg		–	0.09	26.11	55.90 (8)	1:51.67 (8)
3rd Leg	–	Therèse Alshammar		–	0.17	25.67	54.18 (4)	2:45.85 (6)
Anchor	–	Anna-Karin Kammerling		–	0.14	25.68	55.37 (6)	– (–)
8	8	People's Republic of China	CHN	3:42.90	–	–	– (–)	– (–)
Lead-off	–	Cheng Jiaru		–	0.82	26.93	56.20 (8)	– (–)
2nd Leg	–	Xu Yanwei		–	0.24	26.59	55.19 (6)	1:51.39 (7)
3rd Leg	–	Yang Yu		–	0.18	26.62	56.08 (8)	2:47.47 (8)
Anchor	–	Zhu Yingwen		–	0.44	26.79	55.43 (7)	– (–)