Japan teenager Seto sets new World Cup record in Berlin
BERLIN: Japanese teenager Daiya Seto set a new World Cup record in the 400m individual medley final on Saturday in the opening day of Berlin’s short-course meet.
The 18-year-old, the Japanese record-holder, filed his fifth consecutive victory in the event to come home in 4:00.12 to beat Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh, who claimed the 200m IM Olympic bronze in London, and David Verraszto.
Former world 100m freestyle champion Anthony Ervin of the US claimed victory in the same event in Berlin with Olympic 200m champion Yannick Agnel in fourth.
The 31-year-old Ervin, who finished fifth in the Olympic final in London, won the 100m final in a time of 46.71 just ahead of Australia’s Tommaso D’Orsogna, who swam 46.99 and South Africa’s Darian Townsend, who clocked 47.02.
Agnel, who won the 200m freestyle and 4x100 m gold in London, finished just outside the top three in 47.04.
World 400m freestyle record-holder Paul Biedermann of Germany won Saturday’s final in 3:42.21. Australia’s Matt Targett, who won a 4x100 m bronze in London, took the 50m butterfly final in 22.30.
Former world and Olympic champion Britta Steffen won the 50m freestyle in 24.16 ahead of Jessica Hardy of the US, who took the 100m breaststroke title here having won a 4x100 m medley gold in London.
Olympic 400m champion Camille Muffat took the 200m in 1:52.28 ahead of second-placed compatriot Charlotte Bonnet, who swam 1:55.14.
Australia’s Rachel Goh won the 50m backstroke final in 26.80.