It's mind boggling: Ian Thorpe blown away by upset win
Mollie O'Callaghan, Meg Harris, Milla Jansen and Olivia Wunsch entered Sunday night's final in Singapore with a nothing-to-lose approach against hot favourites the US.
The tactic worked a treat, with Wunsch reeling in star American Torri Huske in the final 50m to produce a huge upset victory and a first gold medal for Australia at the 2025 world championships.
Thorpe praised Australia's efforts, especially considering they did it without retired star Emma McKeon.
Wunsch (19 years old) and Jansen (18) are still teenagers, leaving Harris (23) and O'Callaghan is (21) as the relay team's leaders in Singapore.
"It is really difficult to be able to find someone to match our most successful Olympian we've ever seen - Emma McKeon. She's not there," Thorpe said.
"Cate Campbell's not there. Bronte Campbell's not there.
"But what we do have in Australia is the consistency in this race, that it's tough to make this team.
"And what I'm most impressed with is ... how they could lift for the entire team in this race. Amazing stuff."
Thorpe heaped special praise on Olympic gold medallist Harris, who produced 50m splits of 24.34s and 27.53s across her 100m leg to be the fastest Australian.
"Her split was mind boggling," Thorpe told Channel 9.
O'Callaghan said the win came as a shock given how young the team is.
"I knew it was going be a very tough year, like we've had so many rookies come through, and it's great to see them," she said.
"They're trying to gain experience, and it's amazing to see them step up and perform.
"We didn't really have expectations on this meet, especially for this 4x100m.
"It was just about gaining experience, setting up for the next four years. But I'm incredibly proud of these three amazing women, and the two others who swam in the heats."
The Australian men were just as impressive, with the quartet of Kyle Chalmers, Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor and Maximillian Giuliani posting a world championship-record time of 3:08.97 to defeat Italy (3:09.58) and the fading US (3:09.64).
Chalmers started from behind in the final leg before producing a powerful swim to lift Australia to victory.
"We've all been able to swim really well individually or split great times at different points, but it's been a matter of doing it all together at the same time, which I think we were able to do tonight," Chalmers said.
"And like I said to the boys, it's all about now just getting it right in LA in three years time, and standing on the top of the podium there.
"It'd be really nice to be able to do that."
Monday's early action will feature 16-year-old Sienna Toohey and Ella Ramsay in the women's 100m breaststroke heats, Kaylee McKeown in the 100m backstroke heats, Josh Edwards-Smith in the men's 100m backstroke, and Lani Pallister in the women's 1500m freestyle.
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