AIS swimmer Alice Mills has won bronze as part of the Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team.

The Australian team of Mills, Campbell, Schlanger and Trickett came from well back to claim the bronze medal.

Current world record holders the Netherlands (3:33.76) took the gold with the United States (3:34.33) winning silver.

Mills was the second Australian swimmer off the blocks and was able to elevate the Aussies to seventh after Cate Campbell’s slow start.

Olympic rookie Melanie Schlanger swam an incredible split of 53.85sec to lift Australia to third place.

Australia’s No.1 sprinter Libby Trickett then reeled off the fastest 100m of the race to ensure the Aussies finished on the medals podium.

The Australians overall time of 3:34.33 was faster than the world record time they swam to win gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Mill's Beijing achievement follows four years of dedication and training at the Australian Institute of Sport. An elated Mills has paid credit to the support received from the Institute.

‘The AIS has been outstanding in helping me achieve my Olympic dream.’ Mills said.

‘The support of our coaches, doctors and sports scientists has really been fantastic.’

AIS Director Professor Peter Fricker paid tribute to Mills persistence and determination.

'This result is an outstanding success for Alice, her coach Shannon Rollason and for the AIS swimming program,' Fricker said