The women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay was a swimming event held as part of the swimming at the 1936 Summer Olympics programme.[1] It was the sixth appearance of the event, which was established in 1912. The competition was held on Wednesday and Friday, 12 and 14 August 1936.
The United States and Germany both replaced one swimmer between the semi-finals and the final. Thirty-eight swimmers from nine nations competed.
Rie Mastenbroek Willy den Ouden Jopie Selbach Tini Wagner | Gisela Arendt Ruth Halbsguth Leni Lohmar Ingeborg Schmitz | Mavis Freeman Bernice Lapp Olive McKean Katherine Rawls |
Note: The International Olympic Committee medal database shows only these swimmers as medalists. Ursula Pollack swam for Germany in the semi-finals but is not credited with a silver medal. Also the American Elizabeth Ryan who swam in the semi-finals is not listed as bronze medalist.
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in minutes) prior to the 1936 Summer Olympics.
| World Record | 4:32.8 | Jopie Selbach Rie Mastenbroek Tini Wagner Willy den Ouden | Rotterdam (NED) | 24 May 1936 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Record | 4:38.0 |  Josephine McKim Helen Johns Eleanor Saville Helene Madison | Los Angeles (USA) | 12 August 1932 |
In the final the Netherlands set a new Olympic record with 4:36.0 minutes.
Wednesday, 12 August 1936: The fastest three in each semi-final and the fastest fourth-placed advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1
| Place | width=550 | Swimmers | width=90 | Time | width=90 | Qual. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:47.1 | |||||
| 2 | 4:47.2 | |||||
| 3 | 4:49.7 | |||||
| 4 | 4:50.6 | |||||
| 5 | 5:16.6 |
Semifinal 2
| Place | width=550 | Swimmers | width=90 | Time | width=90 | Qual. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:38.1 | |||||
| 2 | 4:40.5 | |||||
| 3 | 4:46.2 | |||||
| 4 | 4:58.1 | NR |
Friday, 14 August 1936:
| Place | width=550 | Swimmers | width=90 | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:36.0 OR | |||
| 2 | 4:36.8 | |||
| 3 | 4:40.2 | |||
| 4 | 4:48.0 | |||
| 4:48.0 | ||||
| 6 | 4:51.0 | |||
| 7 | 4:51.4 | |||