France takes 4x100m relay gold with late rally

USA’S Romano delivers to snatch women’s relay gold; Sun cruises to men’s 400m freestyle first place

J U LY 29, 2013 THE JERUSALEM POST BARCELONA (Reuters) - Jeremy Stravius produced a scintillating final leg as France stormed from behind to see off the United States, Russia and Australia and steal mens 4x100 relay gold at the world championships in Barcelona on Sunday.

Olympic champions in London last year, the French were fourth when Stravius dived into the water but he hauled in American James Feigen, Russia’s Danila Izotov and James Robertsof Australia to touch in three minutes 11.18 seconds.

The United States matched their silver from London in a time of 3:11.42 and Russia pipped Australia to the bronze in 3:11.44.

Fabien Gilot’s contribution on the third leg was also significant as he was the only man to go under 47 seconds, recording a split time of 46.9 compared to Stravius’s 47.59.

Megan Romano swam a blistering final leg to overhaul Australia’s Alicia Coutts and snatch gold for United States in the 4x100 metres women’s relay.

Romano put up a split time of 52.60 seconds, with only Cate Campbell going quicker with 52.33 leading off for Australia, as the Americans improved on their silver behind Netherlands at the previous SWIMMERS ARE seen underwater as they compete in the men's 4x100m freestyle final during the World Championships yesterday in Barcelona. During the final leg of the relay France’s Jeremy Stravius pushed ahead of rivals USA and Russia to capture first place as the Americans finished second and the Russians in third place.

in championships Shanghai two years ago.

Australia, Olympic champions in London last year, led until the final 50 metres through Campbell, her sister Bronte and Emma McKeon but Romano was too good for Coutts and touched in three minutes and 32.31 seconds.

The Australians finished in 3:32.43 and Netherlands, who pipped the US to silver in London, were third in 3:35.77 ahead of Sweden. American teenager Katie Ledecky stormed to gold in the 400 metres freestyle becoming only the second woman after Italy’s Federica Pellegrini to break four minutes.

The 16-year-old Ledecky, gold medallist at 800 metres at last year’s London Olympics, was on course to break Pellegrini’s world record of 3:59.15 but slipped off the pace in the final 100 metres to finish in a stillblistering time of 3:59.82.

Spain’s Melanie Costa Schmid lifted the home support inside the hilltop Palau Sant Jordi by taking silver in 4:02.47 and Lauren Boyle of New Zealand was third in 4:03.89.

Olympic champion Camille Muffat of France finished a disappointing seventh.

Meanwhile at the men’s 400 meter freestyle final China’s Sun Yang ticked the first box on the way to a possible treble of freestyle golds when he comfortably won.

The 22-year-old, who was Olympic champion in London last year, led from the start to improve on his silver medal from Shanghai two years ago with a time of three minutes 41.59 seconds.

Kosuke Hagino of Japan took silver, more than three seconds behind in 3:44.82 and American Connor Jaeger won the bronze in 3:44:85.

Sun, who also won the 1,500m gold in London, is bidding to join Australia’s Grant Hackett as the only men to win world championship freestyle titles at 400m, 800m and 1,500m.

The Israeli swimmers experienced a disappointing opening day on Sunday.

Amit Ivry, who became the first Israeli female ever to advance to an Olympic swimming semifinal in London, failed to repeat her performance from last summer, ending the 100m butterfly in 22nd position, clocking a time of 59.45s. Imri Ganiel finished the men’s 100m breaststroke in 34th place in a time of 1.01.77m, while Tomer Zamir ended the 50m butterfly in 46th position (25.06s).