A Milla thriller in Singapore

The 2025 World Aquatics Championships were supposed to signal the end of Australia’s dominance in the 4x100m freestyle relay. They didn’t count on the hungry new pod of Dolphins.  

And one Bull Shark.  

The last time the Aussies tasted Olympic defeat in the event was in Beijing in 2008 when they finished with a bronze.  

Heading into Singapore the Dolphins were clearly the underdogs, a rookie team in their rebuild year against hot favourite Team USA, made up of the likes of Torri Huske. 

But in typical Aussie fashion the women came storming home to steal the gold. 

Bull Shark Milla Jansen swam an incredible third leg in 52.89 to hand the race over to Liv Wunsch who brought it home in the final 10 metres.  

“I don’t think anyone really thought we were going to win, they thought America had us covered,” Jansen said. 

“A lot of people weren’t swimming – Emma McKeon retired, Shayna Jack didn’t swim, it was just a young and new team.” 

The Australian women hit the wall with a time of 3:30.60, edging out the Americans by 0.44 of a second.  

“You can probably tell from the photos I was crazy excited when we won," she said. 

“Dad definitely would’ve cried, I think I almost cried a bit too.” 

Making the 4x100m final team was a dream for Jansen who admits she was below her best at the Australian Swimming Trials earlier in the year and didn’t even know if she would be on the Dolphins team.  

“At trials I’d come off a pretty bad shoulder injury. I didn’t have much training and it didn’t go how I wanted,” Jansen said.  

“I ended up being sick for the 100m at trials, so I was iffy if I’d even make the team.” 

The Hancock Prospecting Swimming Excellence Scholar did enough at trials to secure a plane ticket to Singapore to swim in the relay teams, but that wasn’t enough to give her a finals berth for the relay. 

Mollie O’Callaghan, Meg Harris and Liv Wunsch all had spots in the final team so the heat swim that morning would determine who would take the last spot.  

“I was pretty nervous for the heat because I really, really wanted to be in that final team. It’s just a team I’ve wanted to be in my whole life, because it's got that name for it,” Jansen said. 

“I had a really good swim in the heat, and the coach came up and told me I was in the final, so I was really excited about that. 

“I was also really nervous. I said to Cate Campbell after the swim, ‘I feel like I have really big shoes to fill, everyone talks about the 4x100m freestyle relay’.” 

Singapore was the first time Jansen and her best friend and teammate, Hannah Casey, competed together on the senior Dolphins team, with Casey making her debut at the meet.

“Hannah and I have grown up together through all age groups. We’ve gone back and forth, always pushing each other, and I don’t think we would be where we are today if we didn't have each other.” 

The meet was made even more special for the Bull Sharks with Bond’s head swimming coach Chris Mooney on the Australian coaching team and sharing the sideline spot with the likes of Dean Boxall and Rohan Taylor. 

“I haven’t had Chris with me on a team since junior Pan Pacs in 2022,” Jansen said.  

“I think Chris was just as excited as me, he was going crazy.” 

Jansen will now take a few weeks off from the pool to treat a shoulder injury. 

“I have to rehab for my shoulder for a while. I would like to try and compete at the World Cup later in the year. 

“Making the 4x100m team for the LA 2028 Olympics is the end goal.”