The Dutch mixed relay team finished fifth in the 4×100 meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Saturday. The United States won in a world record.
The Netherlands had qualified for the final as number three, but failed to reach the podium in the final. The Dutch team with Sean Niewold, Renzo Tjon-A-Joe, Milou van Wijk and Marrit Steenbergen finished in 3:21.71, which was good for fifth place.
The quartet did swim to a new Dutch record. The old record (3:21.81) was set eight years ago at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
Top favorite America impressed by winning gold in a world record of 3:18.48. The world record was held by Australia, which came to a time of 3:18.83 at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Russia, competing under a neutral flag, finished second in a time of 3:19.68. France took bronze with a time of 3:21.35, a few hundredths faster than the Netherlands.
The Dutch team appeared at the start battered due to the physical complaints of Niewold. He became ill earlier this week and did not appear fit at the start on Saturday. “It’s a miracle that I could start,” Niewold said to the NOS afterwards.
Van Wijk and Steenbergen previously competed in the semi-finals of the 50 meter freestyle earlier in the day. Van Wijk qualified convincingly for the final, Steenbergen did not make it.