Aust wins women's 4x200m relay silver

Australia won the silver medal in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay at the Olympic Games on Wednesday night.

Australia's team of Leah Neale, Emma McKeon, Bronte Barratt and Tamsin Cook finished behind gold-medallists the United States, with Canada third.

It's Australia's third consecutive Olympic medal in the event, following silver in London four years ago and gold in Beijing in 2008.

In a thrilling Rio final, Neale, McKeon and Barratt gave Australia the lead for much of the race until American star Katie Ledecky overtook 17-year-old Cook with 100m remaining.

"To be honest my first emotion was terrified," Cook said of being picked to go up against the mighty Ledecky.

"I just had to put the blinders on and stick to my race plan."

The silver medal performance was veteran Barratt's final swim before retirement.

"Three Olympic rookies have come away with a silver medal, I couldn't be more stoked," Barratt, a member of the victorious Beijing quartet, told the Seven Network.

Australia have only missed a medal in the event in one Olympics - in Athens 2004 - since the race was added to the Games program in 1996.