By Alan Baldwin
PARIS (Reuters) - The United States smashed their own world record in the women's 4x100 medley on Sunday to close the Paris Olympics swimming meet with one last gold that lifted them clear of Australia at the top of the medals table.
Australia, who finished with seven swimming golds to the United States' eight, took the silver at the La Defense Arena and China the bronze.
The U.S quartet of Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske touched out with a final time of three minutes 49.63 seconds at the La Defense Arena to avenge their defeat to Australia by 0.13 in Tokyo three years ago.
The previous record of 3:50.40 was set by the United States at the world championships in Gwangju, South Korea, in July 2019.
Katharine Berkoff, Emma Weber, Alex Shackell, and Kate Douglass also swam in the heats.
"We've brought it (the record) down a lot, so it's really cool to continue to be a part of that relay and watching it faster and faster and faster, but pretty much the same people," said King.
Walsh said she knew compatriot Bobby Finke had pulled the United States level with Australia on golds when he won the men's 1,500 freestyle and that provided another boost.
"Bobby's swim was electric...so I was pumped to hopefully assert that lead and get the gold," she said.
The U.S. team led all the way, with Smith leading off and King increasing the advantage with her breaststroke leg before Walsh finished her stint 1.33 seconds inside the record and handed over to Huske.
Australia -- with Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Emma McKeon and Mollie O'Callaghan -- were beaten by 3.48 seconds.
The four ended the night by jumping back in the pool in a group celebration.
"That's my first Olympic medal and I don't know what the future holds for me," said Strauch. "So if that's what I go out on, then that's an exceptional high."
The gold was a third of the Games for Huske, second each for Smith and Walsh and first since 2016 for King who was a double champion in Rio de Janeiro.
Canada finished fourth, with 17-year-old Summer McIntosh missing out on a fifth medal of the Games.
"Obviously I'm pretty happy with my results. It's been kind of some of the craziest days of my life this past week and a bit so I'm just trying to soak in this moment," she said.
(Additional reporting by Rohith Nair, Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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