Katinka Hosszu (HUN) in action - Photo credit: Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia
The other highlight of the day was the amazing 50m free race by Florent Manaudou (FRA), in a new WR time of 20.26, improving the global best mark (20.30) set by Roland Schoeman (RSA) in 2009. The 24-year-old French departed fast and kept control of the race, defeating among others the 2010 winner and former Championship record (20.51) holder Cesar Cielo, from Brazil (third in Doha). Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 2012 winner, didn’t get to the podium, finishing in fourth.
Florent Manaudou (FRA) - Photo credit: Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia
Mireia Belmonte continued to collect gold in the Qatari capital, assuring her fourth victory in the Championships, this time in the 400m free – she was also the champion in the 200m butterfly, 400m IM and 800m free. Belmonte touched home in a new Championships record of 3:55.76, bettering the time of Katie Hoff in 2010 (3:57.07).
The crowd in the stands of the Hamad Aquatics Centre could also enjoy a new WR in the final of women’s 4x50m medley relay, won by the team of Denmark (Mie Nielsen, Rikke Pedersen, Jeanette Ottesen and Pernille Blume), in 1:44.04; the triumph of Femke Heemskerk (NED) in the women’s 100m free, in a new CR of 51.37; the fast win of Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) in the women’s 50m butterfly, also in CR time (24.58); the surprising defeat of Ryan Lochte (USA), the 2012 champion, in the 200m IM, a race won by Japan’s Kosuke Hagino in 1:50.47; to close the evening session, Inge Dekker, Femke Heemskerk, Maud van der Meer and Ranomi Kromowidjojo perfectly partnered for the fifth WR of the day, winning the women’s 4x100m free relay in 3:26.53 (the previous best, 3:28.22, was also in the possession of the Dutch team, since 2008).
The winning 4x50m medley relay from Denmark - Photo credit: Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia
In semi-final action, Chad Le Clos (RSA) qualified first for the final of the men’s 50m butterfly in a new CR of 22.20, while Ruta Meilutyte (LTU) also bettered the Championships best in the women’s 100m breaststroke, by advancing first to the final in a time of 1:02.43.
With two days to go to conclude the Championships, 12 World Records were already set in this edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Doha (QAT).
QUOTES OF THE DAY
Daniel Gyurta (HUN), gold medallist and WR holder in the men's 200m breast: "My goal was to defend my title. My last 50m was a little bit slower than when I swam my WR so we have to improve that in the training."
Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), gold (50m fly) and silver medallist (100m free): "I clocked my second best time in the 100m free and these are my first medals at short-course Worlds so I'm delighted. The Dutch swimmers are strong and I didn't manage to do a good finish. That's probably what cost me the gold."
Florent Manaudou (FRA), gold medallist and new WR holder in the men's 50m free: "I did not think I would swim so fast. The goal was not to break the WR but to beat my two main challengers [Cielo and Morozov]. In the second lap I saw I was in front and that they were not catching up so it was the near-perfect race tonight."
On tears in his eyes on the podium: "It raised the disappointment from the last World Championships in Barcelona in 2013 [where he took fifth in the 50m free]. Out of the three of us, I was the only one without this title and maybe I was the one who wanted it the most tonight."
Ryan Lochte (USA), silver medallist in men's 200m IM: "I wasn't myself during the race, it just wasn't a good race. It's hard with the lack of training last year. I'm not going to make excuses; I went out there, did my best and it wasn't good enough."
Natalie Coughlin (USA), silver medallist in both women's relays: "The season has been really successful so far. This morning, my 100m freestyle of the relay was very controlled and I was only 0.05 of my best time so I know I can still get better."
On motivation to keep swimming: "I just love swimming. I love training every day and the entire process so that makes it easy. I started with a new coach 2 years ago and it's kind of rejuvenated my career. He's changed my stroke a lot, it was like learning to swim all over again."