Rivals in 200m individual medley chase Kalisz in vain
BUDAPEST: Chase Kalisz continued American dominance of the men’s 200m individual medley as the United States enjoyed a memorable session at the world championships yesterday.
Kalisz’s win set the tone before rising American star Caeleb Dressel snatched victory in the men’s 100m freestyle and the American quartet powered to gold in the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay.
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte had dominated the 200m medley event since 2003 and the only American in the field delivered again as Kalisz posted 1min 55.56sec.
The 23yearold produced a Phelpslike roar of celebration and doublearm splash to celebrate his gold medal.
Japanese Kosuke Hagino, the 2013 silver medallist, had cut loose on the backstroke before Kalisz took control on a swift breaststroke leg and freestyle finale. Hagino touched for silver 0.05sec back.
There was a similar outcome in the 100m freestyle, when Dressel took off his goggles and hit the water in euphoric style after taking gold in an American record time.
Dressel (20) dominated the blue riband event from start to finish, clocking a highly
impressive 47.17sec. Nathan Adrian secured an American onetwo and Mehdy Metella of France took bronze.
China’s bid to win a hattrick of world titles in the women’s
50m backstroke was scuppered by a jubilant Etiene Medeiros, of Brazil.
Medeiros posted a time of 27.14sec as she held off defending champion Fu Yuanhui, of
China, by 0.01sec in a fingertip finish. Aliaksandra Herasimenia, of Belarus, secured bronze.
Hungarian favourite Katinka Hosszu had briefly lifted the arena noise to deafening heights in the women’s 200m butterfly final.
Hosszu (28) set the pace in the opening stages of a race won defiantly by Mireia Belmonte, of Spain, in 2min 05.26sec. Franziska Hentke took silver and Hosszu bronze.
Katie Ledecky then put the disappointment of losing an individual final for the first time at a world championships behind her by anchoring the US to 4x200m relay gold.
Leah Smith, Mallory Comerford and Melanie Margalis had gone stroke for stroke with China before Ledecky powered away on the final leg.
Their time of 7min 43.39sec was just outside the world record.
China finished 1.17sec back and Australia took bronze. — Reuters