LONDON — Allison Schmitt dealt more heartache to the team from Down Under.
The Aussies took another bitter defeat in the final event of the evening, again to their American rivals as Schmitt chased down Alicia Coutts for gold in the 4x200 freestyle relay.
Schmitt dived in the water about a half-second behind but passed Coutts on their first return lap and won going away in 7 minutes, 42.92 seconds. The Australians settled for another silver in 7:44.41, while France took the bronze.
Schmitt is turning into one of the biggest American stars of the games, picking up her second gold to go along with a silver and a bronze. Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin also claimed her second gold swimming the leadoff leg, and Dana Vollmer now has two golds in London. Shannon Vreeland rounded out the gold medal-winning quartet.
“Allison is a fighter and she can push through anything,” Franklin said. “We had total faith in her.”
The relay swimmers danced on deck to a Rihanna song before the session, then took that relaxed demeanor into the race. When the Americans fell behind, they didn’t panic.
“I had confidence in them,” Schmitt said, “and I just wanted to bring it home for them.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.