The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Gemmell wins silver in 4x200m free relay at World Aquatics Championships
07.27.2023 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Incoming Longhorn Erin Gemmell swam the lead leg for the United States at the world championship meet.
FUKUOKA, Japan – Texas Swimming and Diving's Erin Gemmell won silver with the United States in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday at the Marine Messe Fukuoka. Carson Foster placed fifth in the men's 200-meter individual medley, while Texas Ex Matt Cooper placed ninth on high dive at Seaside Momochi Beach Park.
Gemmell swam the lead leg for the United States in the 4x200m free relay, teaming with Katie Ledecky, Bella Sims and Alex Shackell to post a time of 7:41.38. Australia won the world title, capturing gold and establishing a new world record with a time of 7:37.50 and China earned bronze with a swim of 7:44.40.
Gemmell opened the final by clocking a personal-best 1:55.97 to put the United States in second place before giving way to Ledecky, who pulled the U.S. within a meter of the Aussies. Sims gave the Americans the lead heading into the final leg, but Australia's Ariarne Titmus took command over the final 200 meters and powered the champions to the world record. Also earning silver for swimming in the relay prelims was Leah Smith, a captain for Team USA who trains in Austin with Carol Capitani, the U.S. Women's team and Texas Women's Swimming & Diving head coach.
Foster, representing the United States, placed fifth in the 200m IM with a mark of 1:56.43. France's Leon Marchand won gold in 1:54.82, while Great Britain's Duncan Scott (1:55.95) and Tom Dean (1:56.07) earned silver and bronze, respectively. Shaine Casas, who trains in Austin with Texas Men's Swimming & Diving head coach Eddie Reese, placed fourth in the 200m IM championships final, out-touching Foster at the wall to finish as the top American with a swim of 1:56.35.
Cooper, the first Longhorn to compete in high dive at the world championships, totaled 363.15 points for the United States to place ninth in the competition.
In the men's 200-meter breaststroke, Caspar Corbeau, swimming for the Netherlands, picked up the victory in the first semifinal with a time of 2:08.49 and advanced to the final with the fifth-fastest time in the round. He will race in the championship final on Friday, July 28 at 7:24 a.m. CT.
Incoming Longhorn Brayden Taivassalo of Canada also competed in the men's 200m breast, swimming 2:13.81 during the preliminary heats.
Swimming at the World Aquatics Championships continues Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. CT. The session will feature preliminary heats for the women's 200-meter backstroke, 50-meter butterfly, and 800-meter freestyle, and the men's 100-meter butterfly, 50-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter freestyle relay.
Texas will be represented by Jillian Cox (USA) in the women's 800m free, racing in heat four at 10:44 p.m. CT. The preliminary rounds and finals are broadcast live on Peacock.
Texas Medalist – 2023 World Aquatics Championships
SILVER
Carson Foster – 400-meter individual medley
Erin Gemmell – 4x200-meter freestyle relay
BRONZE
Lydia Jacoby – 100-meter breaststroke
Players Mentioned
