Swimming: American Dressel romps to 100m freestyle title; Australia shatter women's 4x200 free world record

American Caeleb Dressel clocked a blistering 46.96sec in Gwangju to win swimming's blue riband event in the second fastest time ever. PHOTO: DPA

GWANGJU (AFP, REUTERS) - American Caeleb Dressel retained his world men's 100m freestyle crown on Thursday (July 25), collecting his third gold medal of the week.

The 22-year-old, who swept to seven world titles two years ago, clocked a blistering 46.96sec in Gwangju to win swimming's blue riband event in the second fastest time ever, with Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers taking silver.

Dressel high-fived Australian rival Chalmers before perching himself on the lane rope as he milked the applause, raising a fist to flag-waving American fans.

Chalmers touched in 47.08sec with Russia's Vladislav Grinev the best of the rest in 47.82sec.

Rio gold medallist Chalmers came into the world championships on fire, but Dressel exploded from the blocks and was half a body length in front at the turn.

Chalmers tried to fight back but Dressel had too much of a lead and the tattooed pin-up romped home to claim his fourth medal of the week.

Later in the evening, the Australian women set a world record of 7min 41.50sec in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

The quartet of Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Brianna Throssell and Emma McKeon shaved 0.58sec off the previous mark set by China at the Rome world championships in 2009.

The United States (7:41.87) took silver and Canada (7:44.35) the bronze.

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