[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]MELBOURNE: To round up the six-day World Short Course Championships, Canada’s Maggie MacNeil broke the world record for the 100-meter butterfly, while the United States’ women’s 4×100-meter medley relay team also broke the record.
In Melbourne’s final race, a third record was broken when the Americans and Australians tied for first place and set a new mark in the men’s 4×100 medley. By winning the 200-meter backstroke, Australian Kaylee Mckeown also made history by being the first woman to ever simultaneously hold the short-course, long-course, Olympic, and Commonwealth titles in the same event.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][rs_space lg_device=”30″ md_device=”” sm_device=”” xs_device=””][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]As they rounded for the final 25-meter circuit, defending champion MacNeil trailed Torri Huske, but she finished the race in 54.05 seconds, shattering American Kelsi Dahlia’s previous record by more than 0.5 seconds. Huske of the USA won the silver medal ahead of Louise Hansson of Sweden.
After shattering her own 50-meter backstroke record on Friday, it was MacNeil’s second world record of the competition.
Chad Le Clos, a veteran from South Africa, added the men’s 100-meter title following his 200-meter victory by winning in 48.59. Along with the ones he won in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, it was his fifth 100m global championship. Mckeown, a backstroke king, took the lead right away and finished first in 1:59.26, well short of her own world record but ahead of Canadian Kylie Masse and American Claire Curzan. In the men’s race, Ryan Murphy also led all the way to take it out in 1:47.41 and cement his status as a great after also claiming the 50m and 100m titles.
Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte, who broke the world record in the semi-finals, was too strong in the women’s 50m breaststroke, coming home in 28.50. South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk won silver and American Lilly King bronze.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][rs_space lg_device=”30″ md_device=”” sm_device=”” xs_device=””][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]Among the men, Nic Fink edged Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi in 25.38, adding to the American’s 100m breaststroke title. But Britain’s Adam Peaty only managed sixth.
Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong, the current holder of the 200-meter freestyle world record, successfully defended her title in 1:51.65, while Sunwoo Hwang shocked the field by winning the men’s event in 1:39.72.
The South Korean, who was swimming in lane eight, defeated British Olympic champion Tom Dean and Romanian wonder David Popovici. The American quartet of Curzan, King, Huske, and Kate Douglass won the six-day competition as they raced home in front of Australia and Canada in 3:44.35, breaking their own 4x100m medley relay record.
The feat was duplicated by the men, who broke a record set in 2009 to win gold together in 3:18.98. Australia and the United States achieved this feat.
With 17 gold, 13 silver, and six bronze medals, the United States finished first overall, ahead of its longtime rival Australia with 13-8-5.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
