# Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay

The women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay took place on 20–21 August at the Olympic Aquatic Centre of the Athens Olympic Sports Complex in Athens, Greece.
The Australians reinforced their claim to become the strongest women's team in the world with a convincing triumph over their American rivals in the event. Giaan Rooney, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas, and Jodie Henry broke almost a full second off the world record set by Team USA in 2000, stopping the clock at 3:57.32. At the start of the race, the U.S. team got off to a flying start in the backstroke, until the Australians reeled them in on the butterfly leg. Thomas blasted a remarkable split of 56.67, the fastest of all-time in Olympic history, to overhaul Jenny Thompson of the U.S. team, and eventually move the Aussies in front of the race. The anchor freestyle leg left Henry to go up against Kara Lynn Joyce, and the Australians looked unbeatable with Henry, touching the wall first in 52.97, the second-fastest split of all-time.
Meanwhile, the U.S. team of Thompson, Joyce, Natalie Coughlin, and Amanda Beard settled only for the silver in 3:59.12, almost two seconds behind the Aussies. The Germans maintained their pace to earn a bronze, and finished in a European record of 4:00.72.
Competing in her fourth Olympics for Team USA, Thompson became the most decorated American athlete in history with her twelfth career medal, including 10 from the relays.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
| World record | United States (USA) Barbara Bedford (1:01.39) Megan Quann (1:06.29) Jenny Thompson (57.25) Dara Torres (53.37) | 3:58.30 | Sydney, Australia | 23 September 2000 |
| Olympic record | United States (USA) Barbara Bedford (1:01.39) Megan Quann (1:06.29) Jenny Thompson (57.25) Dara Torres (53.37) | 3:58.30 | Sydney, Australia | 23 September 2000 |
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.
| Date | Event | Swimmers | Nationality | Time | Record |
| August 21 | Final | Giaan Rooney (1:01.18) Leisel Jones (1:06.70) Petria Thomas (56.67) Jodie Henry (52.97) | Australia | 3:57.32 | WR |

## Results
### Heats

| Rank | Heat | Lane | Nation | Swimmers | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 2 | 5 | Australia | Giaan Rooney (1:01.99) Brooke Hanson (1:07.55) Jessicah Schipper (58.09) Alice Mills (53.54) | 4:01.17 | Q |
| 2 | 1 | 4 | United States | Haley Cope (1:01.96) Tara Kirk (1:07.08) Rachel Komisarz (58.75) Amanda Weir (55.03) | 4:02.82 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | 5 | Germany | Antje Buschschulte (1:02.47) Sarah Poewe (1:07.31) Franziska van Almsick (59.77) Daniela Götz (54.61) | 4:04.16 | Q |
| 4 | 2 | 6 | Great Britain | Sarah Price (1:01.90) Kirsty Balfour (1:09.19) Georgina Lee (59.56) Melanie Marshall (54.98) | 4:05.63 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | 4 | China | Zhan Shu (1:01.92) Qi Hui (1:09.90) Zhou Yafei (59.13) Zhu Yingwen (55.02) | 4:05.97 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | 3 | Japan | Noriko Inada (1:02.14) Masami Tanaka (1:09.17) Junko Onishi (59.45) Tomoko Nagai (55.23) | 4:05.99 | Q |
| 7 | 2 | 7 | Spain | Nina Zhivanevskaya (1:01.08) Sara Pérez (1:10.52) María Peláez (1:00.34) Tatiana Rouba (54.96) | 4:06.90 | Q |
| 8 | 2 | 2 | Netherlands | Stefanie Luiken (1:04.13) Madelon Baans (1:09.53) Chantal Groot (1:00.51) Marleen Veldhuis (54.55) | 4:08.72 | Q |
| 9 | 1 | 1 | Denmark | Louise Ørnstedt (1:02.71) Majken Thorup (1:11.46) Mette Jacobsen (59.21) Jeanette Ottesen (55.51) | 4:08.89 | |
| 10 | 1 | 6 | Ukraine | Kateryna Zubkova (1:03.66) Svitlana Bondarenko (1:09.36) Yana Klochkova (1:00.16) Olga Mukomol (56.61) | 4:09.79 | |
| 11 | 2 | 1 | Canada | Erin Gammel (1:02.57) Lauren van Oosten (1:09.57) Jennifer Fratesi (1:01.60) Brittany Reimer (56.10) | 4:09.84 | |
| 12 | 2 | 8 | Russia | Oxana Verevka (1:05.09) Elena Bogomazova (1:08.51) Natalya Sutyagina (58.98) Nataliya Shalagina (57.60) | 4:10.18 | |
| 13 | 1 | 7 | New Zealand | Hannah McLean (1:02.40) Annabelle Carey (1:11.98) Elizabeth Coster (1:00.38) Alison Fitch (55.61) | 4:10.37 | |
| 14 | 2 | 3 | France | Alexandra Putra (1:04.81) Laurie Thomassin (1.12.16) Aurore Mongel (1:00.40) Malia Metella (54.05) | 4:11.42 | |
| 15 | 1 | 8 | Switzerland | Dominique Diezi (1:04.06) Carmela Schlegel (1:12.04) Carla Stampfli (1:03.37) Nicole Zahnd (56.07) | 4:15.54 | |
| | 1 | 2 | Italy | Alessandra Cappa (1:03.11) Chiara Boggiatto (1:09.66) Ambra Migliori Federica Pellegrini | DSQ | |

### Final

| Rank | Lane | Nation | Swimmers | Time | Time behind | Notes |
| | 4 | Australia | Giaan Rooney (1:01.18) OC Leisel Jones (1:06.50) Petria Thomas (56.67) Jodie Henry (52.97) | 3:57.32 | | WR |
| | 5 | United States | Natalie Coughlin (59.68) OR Amanda Beard (1:06.32) Jenny Thompson (58.81) Kara Lynn Joyce (54.31) | 3:59.12 | 1.80 | |
| | 3 | Germany | Antje Buschschulte (1:00.72) Sarah Poewe (1:07.08) Franziska van Almsick (58.54) Daniela Götz (54.38) | 4:00.72 | 3.40 | EU |
| 4 | 2 | China | Chen Xiujun (1:02.00) Luo Xuejuan (1:08.82) Zhou Yafei (58.10) Zhu Yingwen (54.43) | 4:03.35 | 6.03 | |
| 5 | 7 | Japan | Reiko Nakamura (1:01.05) Masami Tanaka (1:09.09) Junko Onishi (59.14) Tomoko Nagai (55.55) | 4:04.83 | 7.51 | |
| 6 | 8 | Netherlands | Stefanie Luiken (1:04.83) Madelon Baans (1:09.55) Inge de Bruijn (58.85) Marleen Veldhuis (54.13) | 4:07.36 | 10.04 | |
| 7 | 1 | Spain | Nina Zhivanevskaya (1:01.29) Sara Pérez (1:10.62) María Peláez (1:00.74) Tatiana Rouba (54.96) | 4:07.61 | 10.29 | |
| | 6 | Great Britain | Katy Sexton (1:02.36) Kirsty Balfour (1:07.98) Georgina Lee (59.63) Kathryn Evans | DSQ | | |