JABAR EKSPRES – Australian female swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan broke the world record for the women’s 200m freestyle while competing at the 2023 FINA Aquatic World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Quoted from AFP, Thursday (7/27), O’Callaghan beat Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus and Canada’s Summer McIntosh to touch the wall in 1 minute 52.85 seconds in Fukuoka.
O’Callaghan’s own time broke Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini’s record of 1 minute 52.98 seconds which she has held and defended since 2009.
“Going into the World Championships, I just wanted to have fun and enjoy it, try my best, and try some new plans and strategies. But to come out with a world record was really unexpected for me,” O’Callaghan said.
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The win and world record made the 19-year-old swimmer even more emotional as she had suffered a knee injury for five weeks before the Aquatics World Championships in Fukuoka.
“I can’t really explain it at this point. There are tears, there is happiness. It was a very mixed emotion,” he added.
On the other hand, French men’s swimmer Leon Marchand, who recently broke Michael Phelps’ world record in the men’s 400m medley, also added gold to his country’s coffers after winning the men’s 200m butterfly.
In addition, Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui avenged his loss to Australia’s Sam Short to win the men’s 800m freestyle.
Meanwhile, Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang won his second gold in the men’s 50m breaststroke category. The Bamboo Curtain Country team then won another title by winning the 4x100m mixed medley relay.
On the other hand, China still leads the medal standings at the 2023 FINA Aquatics World Championships with 19 gold, 5 silver, and 8 bronze. China stands firmly ahead of Australia with 8 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze, and Japan with 4 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze.
