US joint ventures make splash

Double backstroke gold medallist Lenny Krayzelburg, breaststroke silver medallist Ed Moses, Ian Crocker and 50m free co-champion Hall won in 3:33.73, slicing more than a second off the previous record of 3:34.84 set by the United States in Atlanta. Australia’s Matthew Welsh, Regan Harrison, Geoff Huegill and Michael Klim took silver in 3:25.27 and Germany got the bronze in 3:35.88. BJ Bedford, 100M Breaststroke champion Megan Quann, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres won the women’s race in 3:58.30, crushing the previous record of 4:01.67 set by China in 1994. Australia’s Dyana Calub, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas and Susie O’Neill were also inside the old record, taking the silver in 4:01.59.

O’Neill, who bows out of Olympic competition for good having won the 200m Free gold, but with only silver in her signature 200M Butterfly, called the relay ‘‘The most fun I’ve had in my life. I just wanted to enjoy the last swim I’d have at the Olympics,’’ she said. ‘‘It was pretty emotional.’’

Mai Nakamura, Masami Tanaka, Junko Onishi and Sumika Minamoto gave Japan the bronze in 4:04.16. Thompson claimed her eighth Olympic gold medal – all from relays and three of those at these Games.

She also owns an individual silver and this week won 100m freestyle bronze for a total of 10 Olympic medals, more than any other woman swimmer in history.