New on Sports Illustrated: Katie Ledecky Leads USA to Silver as All Three Medalists Break the World Record

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China, USA and Australia all broke the previous world record as they respectively took gold, silver and bronze in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.

Team USA almost did not medal in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay, but in a rapid second-half comeback, Katie Ledecky sealed the squad's fate with a silver medal-finish—breaking a world record in the process. 

China, USA and Australia all broke the previous world record as they respectively took gold, silver and bronze on Thursday. 

Australia was a heavy favorite coming into the relay, previously holding the record of 7:41.50 from the 2019 world championships. But, in the final 25m, Ledecky made a lightening fast close, finishing just 0.40 seconds short of China's world record setting 7:40.33.

"These girls just swam lights out," Ledecky said after the race, "and got us to a position where I felt like I could take on those two lanes. I wish I had another half second in me, but I gave it my all."

Ledecky, Allison Schmitt, Paige Madden, Katie McLaughlin, Arabella Sims and Brooke Forde made up the silver medal team. Schmitt swam a 1:56.03, Madden a 1:55.02, McLaughlin 1:55.03 and lastly, Ledecky closed the deal with 1:52.07. How did they do it? 

"Resilience," Schmitt said. "They really fought throughout the whole entire race, and it was so much fun to cheer them on after I got out."

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