Ian Thorpe's fears as 0.03 changeover cuts in fine for all-powerful Australian 4x200m women's relay team
Australia will take prime position in the 4x200m women's freestyle relay final as they claim a seven second advantage over their rivals.
But the team's blistering pace was almost too fast after Jamie Perkins performed a risky changeover as Lani Pallister came into the wall.
The official time required a lengthy ratification by officials, with the time indicating the team was just 0.03 of a second away from disqualification.
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"I was a little concerned there," Ian Thorpe said as the adjudication returned clear.
"Jamie Perkins had a really fast changeover."
According to FINA rules, all reaction times on relay changeovers will be deemed legal if they are not recorded in the negatives.
The event was Pallister's first appearance in the pool in Paris having withdrawn from the 1500m freestyle after she was struck down with COVID-19.
The 22-year-old produced a stellar first leg time of 1.53.66 to push the Aussies to the front, with Perkins then taking advantage and extending the lead for the green and gold.
Perkins paved the way for Brianna Throssell who propelled the lead further, before Shayna Jack brought it home in the final leg, finishing the race true to her form to record a time of 7.45.63.
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Australian swimming coaches will have a tough decision on their hands ahead of the gold medal race, with Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus certain to feature in the final.
The Australians duelled for the second time in a matter of weeks in the 200m, with O'Callaghan claiming the gold with a time of 1.53.27, while Titmus touched in at 1.53.81 in the individual final.
The team will likely opt to use the same strategy as previous selections meaning Jack and Perkins, who recorded the slowest times in the heat, would make way for O'Callaghan and Titmus.
"This is going to be a hard relay to pick," Thorpe said.
