The United States set a new World Record in the Women’s 4 X 100 metre Medley Relay winning the race by over 3 seconds from second placed Australia. The American team of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh and Tori Huske were the favourites heading into the final and showed why with a very impressive performance that makes them the team to beat. China won the bronze medal over 5 seconds behind the winners which just shows the margin of victory was huge for the Americans. They will be hoping to maintain this form going into the next home Olympics for them and winning on home soil would be huge for them.
The relays are always an exciting prospect for close racing and fast swimming. The Women’s 4 X 200 metre Freestyle relay did not disappoint. Australia narrowly out touched the United States by just 0.66 seconds, which is an incredibly close margin in a race that was swum in 7:39.35 to win. China won the bronze medal over 3 and a half seconds behind the first and second placed teams showing that Australia and the United States were in a class of their own.
Australia secure double Gold in the 4 X 100 metre freestyle relay. The women narrowly out touched the United Sates by just 0.44 seconds, with the Netherlands coming in third place to secure the bronze. While the men, thanks to a very fast anchor leg from Kyle Chalmers, were able to come from behind to win the Gold by just 0.61 seconds, from Italy in Second place and the United States in the 3rd place Bronze Medal position.
Summer McIntosh once again showed she was the class of the field in the Women’s 400 Individual Medley. She won the final by nearly 7 and a half seconds and setting a new championship record of 4:25.78. She dominated the race leading from start to finish and was always extending her lead. Jenna Forrester of Australia and Mio Narita from Japan were tied for the silver medal swimming a 4:33.26. But McIntosh was in a class of her own and at just 18 years old she has the potential to improve even further over the next few years into the next Olympics.
Canadian Summer McIntosh continued her dominance at these World Championships with an impressive performance in the Women's 200 metre Individual Medley. Finishing in 2:06.69, 2nd placed, American Alex Walsh, was almost 1.9 seconds behind finishing in 2:08.58. Mary-Sophie Harvey finished in 3rd place in a time of 2:09.15 meaning it was a double podium finish for the Canadian team. Summer McIntosh appears to be continuing her fine form through all of her events at these Championships.
Summer McIntosh continued her dominance at these World Championships with an impressive performance in the Women’s 200 metre Butterfly. She won the race by 3 seconds in 2:01.99 with Regan Smith finishing second in 2:04.99. Australian Elizabeth Dekkers finished third in 2:06.12. McIntosh was aiming to break the world record in this event but narrowly missed out and was visibly disappointed despite setting a Championship Record and comfortably winning. Perhaps this will provide some extra motivation to go after that record in the coming years.
American swimming sensation Gretchen Walsh wins another major title in the women's 100 metre Butterfly. The World Record Holder was just shy of her best time but was able to set a Championship Record of 54.73 to win by over a second from Belgium's Roos Vanotterdijk, and Australia's Alexandria Perkins, swimming times of 55.84, and 56.33 respectively. Gretchen Walsh will have a very busy competition and this 100-metre butterfly indicates she is in very good form.
Gretchen Walsh continued her dominance in the butterfly winning the women’s 50 metre butterfly almost half a second ahead of the rest of the field. Touching in 24.83. Australian Alexandria Perkins was second with a time of 25.31 and Belgian Roos Vanotterdijk winning the bronze medal in 25.43. Gretchen Walsh continues to raise her profile and dominate the butterfly and freestyle events and still has room to improve even further in the coming years.
There was a surprise tie for the bronze medal in the women’s 200 metre breaststroke with both Kaylene Corbett of South Africa and Alina Zmushka swimming the exact same time of 2:23.52 to win the bronze. Evgeniia Chikunova won the silver medal in a time of 2:19.96. But the class of the field was American Kate Douglass who was almost a second and a half clear of the field swimming a championship record of 2:18.50. She continues to prove she is the woman to beat in both the breaststroke events.
There was a surprise winner in the Women's 100 metre Breaststroke. German swimmer Anna Elendt took 1st place swimming 1:05.19, from lane 1, just 0.08 seconds quicker that American Kate Douglass in 1:05.27, with Qianting Tang of China taking the bronze medal in 1:05.64. This was Yet another very close finals swim to determine the medal placings, which has become a common sight at these World Championships.
