In the first-ever mixed-gender swimming event at the Olympics, the United States team was undone by an equipment mishap.
Lydia Jacoby, swimming the second leg breaststroke, had her goggles fall from her eyes and get stuck across her face as she dove into the pool, which clearly hindered her performance. She still swam the leg in 1:05, close to her individual swim result, but the U.S. team was put in a hole that it was unable to dig itself out of.
The Americans ended up finishing fifth with a time of 3:40.58. Great Britain took gold with a world-record time of 3:37.