Three for Three: Relay Bronze Gives MacNeil Record Third Olympic Medal
7/31/2021 11:38:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving, Olympics
TOKYO, Japan -- Rising senior Maggie MacNeil of the University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team helped the Canadian 4x100-meter medley relay team take bronze Sunday morning (Aug. 1) at Tokyo Aquatics Center, earning MacNeil her third medal of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
MacNeil, who also won gold (100-meter butterfly) and silver (4x100-meter freestyle relay) earlier this week, became the first Wolverine varsity swimmer (female or male) to earn three medals at one Olympics and the first U-M female varsity athlete with three career medals. She joins Meryl Davis (ice dancing) and Sada Jacobson (fencing) as the University's only female three-time Olympic medalists.
The London, Ontario, native once again swam the butterfly leg of the medley and turned in the top split of all competitors (55.27) to bring the Canadians a full second closer going into the final leg of the race. Canada's anchor, Penny Oleksiak, closed in 52.26 for a final time of 3:52.60, a new Canadian record. The bronze is Oleksiak's seventh career medal, making her the most-decorated Canadian Olympian of all-time.
Australia's Cate Campbell (52.11) bested the USA's Abbey Weitzeil (52.49) over the final 100 meters to win the Aussies gold and give the Americans silver. Australia set an Olympic record with a 3:51.60 to win, while Team USA turned in a 3:51.73.
Former Wolverine Siobhán Haughey, a 2019 Michigan alumna, also won multiple medals in Tokyo with two silvers (100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle) to become Hong Kong's first Olympic medalist in swimming. She is also the first female swimmer from U-M with two individual medals in a career.
MacNeil and Haughey join Joan Spillane (1960, two golds) and Ginny Duenkel (1964, one gold, one bronze) as the only female swimmers from U-M with multiple medals in their careers.
In total, the Michigan women's swimming and diving program will bring home six medals from Tokyo 2020, with 2019 U-M alumna Catie DeLoof adding a bronze in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay for the United States.
• 4x100-meter Medley Relay (Final): 3. Canada (3:52.60)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
• Michigan Olympic Updates: Women's Swimming
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