FUKUOKA, Japan : Reigning Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia smashed the world record as she blazed to victory in a battle royale for the women’s 400m freestyle title on the opening day of the swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday.
Titmus eclipsed the mark set by Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh at her national trials earlier this year, finishing in three minutes, 55.38, a staggering 3.35 seconds ahead of silver medallist and 2022 champion Katie Ledecky.
The clash between the trio had already generated “race of the century” hype, 20 years after Ian Thorpe beat Pieter van den Hoogenband and Michael Phelps at the 2004 Athens Olympics and it was Titmus who laid down a marker for next year’s Paris Games.
New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather edged McIntosh to grab the bronze, finishing 4.21 seconds behind Titmus.
Earlier, Australia’s Sam Short won the men’s 400m freestyle race a year after his compatriot Elijah Winnington prevailed.
Short, 19, crossed the line in three minutes, 40.68 seconds to edge out Olympic champion Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia by 0.02 seconds while Germany’s Lukas Martens was 1.52 seconds behind the winner to take the bronze medal.
Winnington, who bagged the title in Budapest last year, was seventh out of eight competitors.
France’s Leon Marchand and American Carson Foster will be the ones to watch in the 400m individual medley after strong displays in their heats as they set their sights on erasing Michael Phelps’ world record of 4:03.84 set in 2008.
The women’s and men’s 4x100m freestyle relays will bring an end to the day’s proceedings at the Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall.
The British men’s team, pre-meet favourites for the crown, will not compete after being disqualified due to an early takeoff by Jacob Whittle in their heat in the morning.
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