The women's 4×100 metre medley relay event at the 1968 Olympic Games took place on October 17. This swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 event uses medley swimming

Medley swimming

Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...

 as a relay. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, each of the four swimmers completed two lengths of the pool, each using a different stroke. The first on each team used the backstroke

Backstroke

The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...

, the second used the breaststroke

Breaststroke

The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...

, the third used the butterfly stroke

Butterfly stroke

The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...

, and the final swimmer used freestyle

Freestyle swimming

Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...

 (restricted to not allow any of the first three strokes to be used, though nearly all swimmers use front crawl

Front crawl

The front crawl, forward crawl, or freestyle is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is nearly universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, hence the synonymously used term "freestyle". It is one of two...

 regardless).

The first swimmer must touch the wall before the next can leave the starting block, and so forth; timing of the starts is thus important.

Medalists

Kaye Hall Kaye Hall Kaye Hall is an American former swimmer. In December 1967, she became the first woman to go under one minute for the 100 yard backstroke. She was born on May 15th in Tacoma, Washington. She now works as an art teacher in Mukilteo, Washington... Catie Ball Catie Ball Catherine Northcutt "Catie" Ball Condon is a former American international swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, she won a gold medal as the anchor swimmer for the U.S. 4x100-meter medley relay team... Ellie Daniel Ellie Daniel Eleanor Suzanne Daniel is an American swimmer and olympic champion. She competed at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where she received a gold medal in 4 × 100 m medley relay, a silver medal in 100 m butterley, and a bronze medal in 200 m butterfly... Susan Pedersen Susan Pedersen (swimmer) Susan Pedersen is an American swimmer and olympic champion. She competed at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where she received a gold medal in 4 × 100 m medley relay, and also in 4 × 100 m freestyle relay...

Lynne Watson Lynne Watson Lynne Watson , known after marriage as Lynne Bates was an Australian backstroke swimmer of the 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, narrowly missing two more medals.... Judy Playfair Judy Playfair Judy Playfair was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.... Lyn McClements Lyn McClements Lynnette Velma McClements , was an Australian butterfly swimmer of the 1960s and 1970s who won a gold medal in the 100m butterfly at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics... Janet Steinbeck Janet Steinbeck Janet Steinbeck was an Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics....

Angelika Kraus Uta Frommater Heike Hustede Heidemarie Reineck

Heats

Heat 1
Heat 2