Samoa's mixed 4x100-metre freestyle relay team produced a record-breaking performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Sunday, shaving more than four seconds off the national record despite finishing 11th overall.
The quartet of Johann Stickland, Paige Schendelaar-Kemp, Nafanua Hamilton and Christian Toia combined to clock 3 minutes 45.13 seconds, finishing just ahead of Jersey (3:45.26) and the Cook Islands (3:45.81).
The time lowered Samoa's previous national record by more than four seconds, marking one of the country's strongest relay performances on the international stage.
Stickland gave Samoa a fast start, completing the opening leg in 52.97 seconds. He turned at the 50-metre mark in second place before handing over in third, only 2.06 seconds behind the leaders. His split of 27.87 seconds over the second 50 metres kept Samoa in contention early.
Schendelaar-Kemp completed the second leg in 59.21 seconds, followed by Hamilton, who swam 57.64 seconds and moved Samoa back into third place during her opening 50 metres before maintaining that position through the exchange.
