Australia sweeps the 4x100m freestyle relays to open swimming programme in Singapore

Men’s 400m freestyle – Lukas Martens outlasts Sam Short in thriller

After he lastly grew to become the primary man inside 3:40 earlier this 12 months, Germany’s Lukas Martens adopted up the world report and final 12 months’s Olympic gold medal with a World title in 2025. It wasn’t as quick as the three:39 he swam in April, however the 3:42.35 was ok to win the primary swimming gold of the twenty second World Aquatics Championships.

“There was a lot of pressure,” Martens stated of following his world report. “Also as a world record holder, it was not easy to fight these guys. But I tried my best, I gave out everything, and I’m really happy and proud to be a world champion. Now, Germany has a new world champion, and that’s not usual I think. Really proud.”

Martens set the tempo on the primary 200 meters, turning at 1:48.34 at midway, off his personal world report tempo. It was at this level when Samuel Short of Australia moved into the lead, eyeing Martens subsequent to him. Short was on the lookout for a redemption arc – after profitable the 2023 World title in 3:40, Short appeared to be the clear favourite to win in Paris and break 3:40. But it was not meant to be, as he completed fourth on the Games.

Short and Martens dueled on the again 200 meters. Short, who regarded robust within the heats, was constructing and Martens gave the impression to be tightening up with Korea’s Kim Woo-min and Bulgaria’s Petar Mitsin in pursuit.

As they flipped for the ultimate 50m, Martens, coached by Bernd Berkhahn in Magdeburg, went into overdrive, and surpassed Short, out-touching the Aussie by 0.02. Martens is the primary World champion from Germany on this occasion since Paul Biedermann received in Rome 2009.

Short, coached by Damien Jones in Rackley, returned to the rostrum with grace, swimming 3:42.37 for the silver.

“I thought I might’ve done enough,” Short stated. “Then I saw Woomin coming on the inside… it was a good race. I put my head down in the last 5 metres. I won two years ago by .02s. Fine margins. Maybe if I were as tall as him, I would’ve won.

“When I was with (Martens) at 100m to go, I knew it was going to be a dog fight. He’s pretty good at everything so I knew I wasn’t going to be pulling away and I was hurting as well. He got a good finish on me and I just wasn’t quite good today.”

Korea’s Kim, who was the World champ in Doha and the Olympic bronze medalist final 12 months, made a transfer on the ultimate flip and virtually regarded to steal the gold, however he received the bronze at 3:42.60, simply off his lifetime finest of three:42.42.

“It’s been a while since I did 3:42,” Kim stated. “If I train harder, I think I’ll break my personal record soon…I want to win Olympic gold, but today I just really wanted to be on the podium. It’s my fourth time in the final. I want to be a swimmer who wins medals every time.”

Mitsin, the 2023 World Junior champ, fell aside on the final 150 meters and pale to seventh at 3:45.28. Sweden’s Victor Johansson, who had an enormous swim to get into this last this morning, completed fourth at 3:44.68, forward of China’s Zhang Zhanshuo (3:44.82) and Italy’s Marco de Tullio (3:44.92).

Germany’s Oliver Klemet (3:46.86), who trains with Martens in Magdeburg, completed eighth within the last.

Women’s 400m freestyle – Summer McIntosh lastly grabs the elusive 400m freestyle gold

With every thing 18-year-old Summer McIntosh has already achieved in her profession, three Olympic gold medals, three world information in a single meet, she had but to win the 400m freestyle at a significant championships. After silver on the Commonwealth Games and World Championships in 2022, and the Olympics in 2024, McIntosh lastly exorcised these demons, should you may even classify these as such.

McIntosh swam 3:56.26, a bit off her 3:54.18 world report from final month, however sufficient to win the gold medal in a race that noticed 4 ladies inside 3:59.

“While preparing mentally for this World Championships, I think tonight is my biggest night of the whole meet,” McIntosh stated. “So to come out with a gold medal and a really good, strong semi-final in the 200IM, I’m really happy. I’ve never done a double like that, and I think 400m free, at past World Championships and Olympics, I haven’t been at my best, and I haven’t been where I wanted to be. So to finally stand in the centre of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet.”

McIntosh, coached by Fred Vergnoux, confronted loads of strain from American Katie Ledecky, who has received this occasion on the World Championships 4 instances, because it regarded for a second at 250 meters that Ledecky may run her down and make it a fifth. But Ledecky couldn’t match, and was handed by China’s Li Bingjie for the silver.

Li, who was second in Doha 2024 and bronze again in Budapest 2017, swam 28.67 on the ultimate 50 meters to surpass her idol Ledecky, breaking the Asian report within the course of at 3:58.21 to maneuver as much as fourth all-time within the course of.

“It was a surprise for me,” Li stated. “I wasn’t expecting to be able to overtake Katie. I went about the race according to my strategy. In the last 100m, I saw that the gap between myself and her wasn’t too big, so I thought, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”

“I’ve looked up to her since I was a young athlete. I’ve had this dream since 2017, and Katie has always been someone I view as a great athlete. I’ve learnt so much from watching her swim. This result today…it’s given me a lot to think about. It’s very emotional, because it’s been so many years… something that I’ve thought about for so many years. Still, I still want to make improvements so that I will have even more chances to swim against her in the years to come.”

Ledecky, coached by Anthony Nesty, received her seventh profession medal within the 400m freestyle alone, profitable the bronze at 3:58.49, a bit slower than her 3:56 from May.

“I would’ve liked to be a little faster,” Ledecky stated. “I used to be a bit of quicker earlier this 12 months, so there’s all the time that slight little bit of desirous to be higher than that. But I can’t complain with the medal. Fourth place was a 3:58 so that would have simply been me.

“I think the first day is sometimes a hit or miss for me at these Worlds. I’m really excited for the distance races, I mean that’s kind of my thing. The 400 is too I guess, but I’m really excited for the 1500 tomorrow.”

Australia’s Lani Pallister was between Ledecky and McIntosh and was with the each of them for 200 meters because the World Short Course champion couldn’t dangle on to Ledecky and Li on the ultimate 50m, ending fourth at 3:58.87. It is a finest time for Pallister, who’s now fifth all-time.

“It’s been a fun journey so far, but I’m keen to kick on with the rest of the week,” Pallister stated. “If I can drop three seconds in a season, imagine what I can do in three years’ time.”

Germany’s Isabel Gose completed fifth at 4:02.90 forward of Australia’s Jamie Perkins (4:03.20), China’s Yang Peiqi (4:06.47) and Germany’s Maya Werner (4:09.38).

Women’s 4x100m freestyle – Next Woman Up! Australia stays golden as soon as extra

Year after 12 months, the Australian ladies proceed to remain dominant within the 4x100m freestyle relay. Even with out 2020 Olympic champion Emma McKeon or Shayna Jack, the workforce reloads with extra expertise.

The workforce of Mollie O’Callaghan (52.79), Meg Harris (51.87), Milla Jansen (52.89), and Olivia Wunsch (53.05) out-raced the United States, with the Australians profitable gold at 3:30.60 and the Americans profitable the silver at 3:31.04 in an exhilarating race.

Harris and O’Callaghan held one another’s palms throughout Wunsch’s anchor leg because the end was thrilling.

“We were just screaming, I’ve never screamed that hard!” Harris stated. “I think I cut the circulation off (in O’Callaghan’s hands) – it was a very exciting race to watch.”

This is the sixth World title for the Australians and the seventh straight 12 months the workforce has had the quickest on the earth.

“I think it’s amazing, we have a pretty rookie-dominated team at the moment, so it’s nice to see the younger swimmers lift up,” O’Callaghan stated. “After the Olympics, we had a lot of people take breaks and retire, and it’s great to see (the new athletes) getting the experience and putting down so much effort and determination into this meet.”

O’Callaghan and Harris set the tone on the entrance finish as they had been on the Olympic gold profitable workforce and the 2022 and 2023 World title groups, paving the best way for 2 ladies who had been on the World Junior workforce that received in 2023 in Jansen and Wunsch.

“We’ve kind of grown up together and it’s just amazing that we’re both on this relay together,”  Jansen stated. “It’s something we’ve always dreamed of being a part of, and just to do it together is amazing.”

“We’ve all challenged each other through the age group ranks, so it’s just really special to be able to stand up here together and share this moment,” Wunsch stated.

The American workforce put up a valiant effort in profitable the silver because it regarded just like the workforce was on its solution to its first World title since 2017 because the workforce of Simone Manuel (53.09), Kate Douglass (51.90), Erin Gemmell (53.17) and Torri Huske (52.88) had the pedigree to take down the mighty Australians. The workforce initially had Gretchen Walsh slated to swim the third leg, however was switched out for Gemmell in the course of the session.

“I mean, they kind of told me that I needed to be ready,” Gemmell stated. “And when someone tells you that you’re going to be on a final relay for Team USA, I feel like you sort of ‘lock in’, and you get in the zone. I’m really proud of what I was able to do with that.”

Reports of a virus that circulated through the American team at training camp in Thailand have clouded the conversations across the Americans this week in Singapore, however the workforce took it in stride, getting inside eight tenths of its nationwide report.

“It means a lot,” Manuel stated of the silver underneath the circumstances. “I think the team definitely had to be adaptable and resilient, and for us to still post a solid time and put together really good splits is something that we can be really proud of, given the circumstances we’ve had to deal with.”

The Netherlands received the bronze at 3:33.89, operating down China (3:34.17) to complete third. The workforce of Milou Van Wijk (53.27), Tessa Giele (54.13), Sam Van Nunen (54.85) and Marrit Steenbergen (51.64) received bronze, the eleventh medal for the nation on this relay on the World Championships.

France (3:34.62), Neutral Athletes B (3:34.69), Italy (3:35.18), and Hungary (3:36.34) additionally competed within the championship last.

The quickest splits exterior the highest three got here from Daria Klepikova (52.68), China’s Wu Qingfeng (52.94), France’s Marie Wattel (52.97) and Italy’s Sara Curtis (53.29).

Men’s 4x100m freestyle – Kyle Chalmers rips heroic effort as soon as extra on anchor

The last race of the evening definitely delivered, as Australia adopted up the ladies’s relay with a gold within the males’s at 3:08.97. It was the quickest time ever swum at a World Championships and the quickest ever swum by an Australian workforce. Flynn Southam (47.77), Kai Taylor (47.04), Max  Giuliani (47.63), and Kyle Chalmers (46.53) received Australia’s second gold of the evening and its fourth World title within the occasion.

“It’s unreal, so happy to be here with these boys. Felt so much team bonding and (I’m) stoked,” Taylor stated. “Australia’s got a big week ahead of them.”

Chalmers is thought to step up on relays, most notably on the 2022 World Short Course Championships and the 2023 Worlds on this identical spot. Chalmers had his second quickest relay break up tonight in operating down the groups from Italy (3:09.58) and the United States (3:09.64).

“I’m just desperate to have success every time I jump in the relay and do my job for the boys,” Chalmers stated within the workforce press convention. “They set me up and made my job very easy tonight. Honestly, my mouth was dry after watching Flynn go 47.7 and then Kai 47.0. I’m just desperate every single time I race to win and (I’m) super competitive. I love nothing more than a dog fight in that last 50 and getting a hand on the wall first. It’s an honour to represent your country and swim your best for the relay.”

The Italians received silver with a nationwide report with the workforce of Carlos D’Ambrosio (47.78), Thomas Ceccon (47.10), Lorenzo Zazzeri (47.36), and Manuel Frigo (47.36). This is the fourth straight medal for the Italians on this occasion on the World Championships.

“It’s very difficult after an Olympics. Someone is here, someone is not here,” Ceccon stated. “It’s tough for everyone. We’re pretty fine. We changed one member of the relay. The young guy (Carlos D’AMBROSIO), (born in) 2007, he did pretty good, 47.7. Pretty happy.”

The Americans had been main for 300 meters earlier than falling to bronze. Despite being affected by the aforementioned sickness, the workforce of Jack Alexy (47.24), Patrick Sammon (47.03), Chris Guiliano (47.43) and Jonny Kulow (47.94) allowed the workforce to win its fifth straight medal within the occasion on the World Championships.

“It’s a testament to Team USA’s resilience,” Alexy stated. “Not everything’s going to go perfect. We’ve been training really hard, not only in the past month, but the whole year. To get that done, and obviously we’d like to be on the top of the podium, but can’t complain with bronze going into the next three years. Really proud of these guys, not a bad start for USA.”

“We’re tough,” Guiliano stated. “We got some studs on the stands. It’s just day one, just getting the meet started. We got some dogs on this team.”

Great Britain broke its nationwide report in getting fourth at 3:10.73, ending forward of China (3:11.15), Hungary (3:12.75), Lithuania (3:12.84) and Canada (3:12.89).

The quickest splits exterior the highest three got here from China’s Pan Zhanle (46.63), Canada’s Joshua Liendo (47.08), Great Britain’s Duncan Scott (47.23), and Matthew Richards (47.32).

Semis Wrap

Women’s 100m butterfly – Gretchen Walsh’s pursuit of first particular person gold

After a monstrous 9 world information in particular person occasions at December’s World Short Course Championships, American Gretchen Walsh shared the quickest semi-final time within the 100m butterfly with Belgium’s Roos van Otterdijk at 56.07.

Walsh, who holds the seven quickest instances in historical past, is not going to have it straightforward in tomorrow’s last with van Otterdijk, who improved her better of 56.66 to now sit tied for ninth all-time. Van Otterdijk, age 20, has lots of people excited in Europe about her future after a profitable junior profession as she was the European U23 champion this 12 months on this occasion.

Australia’s Alexandria Perkins certified third at 56.19 as she is in line for her first profession particular person medal at a Worlds or Olympics at age 25. She was sixth in Doha final 12 months.

Last 12 months’s champion from Doha, Germany’s Angelina Kohler (56.75) superior to the ultimate in fifth forward of the 2023 World champ Zhang Yufei (56.84) in sixth. 2022 World Junior champ Mizuki Hirai (56.86) additionally superior to the ultimate together with Daria Klepikova (56.42) and China’s  Yu Yiting (57.11).

Men’s 50m butterfly – Maxime Grousset leads the chase for the world report

France’s Maxime Grousset swam the highest time within the semis with a 22.61 as he leads a gaggle of males chasing the world report of twenty-two.27 from 2018. Grousset moved as much as fifth all-time along with his swim as he leads brief course world report holder Noe Ponti (22.72) of Switzerland, and 2017 World champ Ben Proud (22.74) of Great Britain.

This occasion will make its Olympic debut in three years in Los Angeles 2028 as there’s new vigor round this occasion at these championships. Nyls Korstanje (22.79) of the Netherlands sits fourth for tomorrow, forward of final 12 months’s champ Diogo Ribeiro (22.83) of Portugal and the 2023 champ Thomas Ceccon (22.84) of Italy.

“I want to win it,” Ceccon stated. “But I have the 100 back like 15 minutes before, so we’ll see tomorrow.”

Brazil’s Gui Caribe (22.91) and Germany’s Luca Armbruster (22.91) tied for seventh, locking out the highest ranked swimmer from 2025 in Canada’s Ilya Kharun (22.92), who completed ninth and out of the ultimate.

Men’s 100m breaststroke – Qin Haiyang’s redemption arc

China’s Qin Haiyang regarded decided in his 100m breaststroke semi, grabbing the highest seed for tomorrow at 58.24. The 2023 World champ is on the lookout for his redemption after seventh in final 12 months’s Paris last as he’s six tenths forward of Italy’s Ludovico Viberti (58.89) and Germany’s Lucas Matzerath (58.93).

Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi, final 12 months’s Olympic champion and the 2022 World champion, was initially disqualified however reinstated to second seed at 58.62.

The United States superior Josh Matheny (59.15) by way of to fourth as he swam his lifetime finest.

Caspar Corbeau (59.17), Denis Petrashov (59.20) and Kirill Prigoda (59.36) additionally superior to the championship last, together with Danil Semianinov (59.39), who completed ninth however will swim within the last attributable to Martinenghi’s overturned disqualification.

Notably, Campbell McKean, who had the second quickest time on the earth this 12 months, completed fifteenth and out of the ultimate at 59.74.

Women’s 200m IM – Summer McIntosh handles the double with ease

Canada’s Summer McIntosh, recent off her gold within the 400m freestyle, eased by way of her 200m IM semi at 2:07.39, sitting a second forward of 2022 World champ Alex Walsh (2:08.45) of the United States.

Walsh, who touched third within the Paris last final 12 months however wound up disqualified, is trying to get again on the rostrum in a redemption swim.

Japan’s Mio Narita, who was the World Junior champion in 2022, swam her lifetime finest for third seed at 2:09.16 forward of Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko (2:09.68).

Great Britain’s Abbie Wood (2:10.12) and Canada’s Mary-Sophie Harvey (2:10.19) superior to the championship last forward of China’s Yu Zidi (2:10.22), who has made headlines at these championships competing as a 12-year-old. Yu was born October 16, 2012, after the London Olympics and swam her finest time in qualifying seventh. Yu can also be racing within the 200m butterfly and 400m IM this week.

Ireland’s Ellen Walshe (2:10.49) additionally superior to the ultimate in eighth.