Sarah Sjostrom, Katie Ledecky and Kaylee McKeown shine in World Championships
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Sarah Sjostrom won her fifth consecutive World Championship title in the women’s 50-metre butterfly event on July 29.
PHOTO: REUTERS
FUKUOKA – Sarah Sjostrom had nothing but pride for her fifth consecutive World Championship title in the women’s 50m butterfly on Saturday.
The evergreen Swede subsequently broke the world record in the semi-finals of the 50m freestyle race.
The 29-year-old finished the day’s opening event in 24.77 seconds to deny China’s Zhang Yufei, who was 0.28sec behind with America’s Gretchen Walsh third in 25.46sec.
“That was amazing. I’m very proud of this gold which is the fifth one – it’s amazing,” said Sjostrom, who also went level with American great Michael Phelps on 20 individual medals at the World Championships.
“I feel like I enjoy it more than ever at the moment.”
Following her win, she produced a superb effort of 23.61sec in the freestyle to improve on her own mark of 23.67sec which she had set at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest.
The 50m freestyle final will be held on Sunday.
Sjostrom was not the only swimmer who had an impressive night in Fukuoka, Japan.
Katie Ledecky became the first swimmer ever to win six world titles in one event when she claimed the 800m freestyle.
The 26-year-old American great came home in 8min 8.87sec to win ahead of China’s Li Bingjie (8:13.31) and Australia’s Ariarne Titmus (8:13.59).
She said she had “never dreamt of even coming to meets like this” when she first started her career.
“To be here and to have been to a bunch of World Championships now, it’s amazing,” she added.
“I’m loving every second. I’m just trying to enjoy each moment.
“Now I’m done and I can enjoy a little bit with my family and friends.”
It was Ledecky’s second gold of the 2023 World Championships, after she retained her 1,500m freestyle title.
Her latest triumph gives her a career haul of 21 World Championship golds, extending her record as the most decorated woman in the competition.
Australia’s Olympic and world champion Kaylee McKeown, 22, sealed a memorable treble, as she roared to the 200m backstroke title after prevailing over the 50m and 100m earlier in the week.
McKeown, who also holds the 200m world record, finished in 2:03.85 to beat American Regan Smith who finished more than a second behind despite leading early in the race.
“That means a lot. I didn’t think I’d be able to do that tonight, especially after a long week,” the exhausted swimmer said of her hat-trick.
“That’s the best thing about sport, you have to focus on your own race, and that is exactly what I did tonight.”
Kaylee McKeown sealed a memorable treble at the meet.
In other finals, Australia’s Cameron McEvoy won the men’s 50m freestyle in 21.06sec, defeating American silver medallist Jack Alexy by 0.51sec. Briton Benjamin Proud was third.
The absence of 2022’s 100m butterfly champion Kristof Milak and Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Caeleb Dressel added a dash of uncertainty to the final as American Dare Rose dominated the semi-finals.
But it was Frenchman Maxime Grousset who came home in 50.14sec to take the gold ahead of Canada’s Josh Liendo (50.34sec) and Rose (50.46sec).
It was France’s fourth gold of the meet, with Leon Marchand grabbing the other three.
Australia’s mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team broke the world record, clocking 3min 18.83sec to win ahead of the United States (3:20.82) and Britain (3:21.68).
The time set by the team of Jack Cartwright, Kyle Chalmers, Shayna Jack and Mollie O’Callaghan beat the previous record of 3:19.38, set by Australia at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.
REUTERS, AFP
