Individually, many stars have shone in the Kazan Arena outstanding facility. Multi-medallists included Bronte Campbell and Mitchell Larkin, both from Australia, Florent Manaudou and Camille Lacourt, from France, Adam Peaty and James Guy, from Great Britain, Katinka Hosszu (HUN), Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA), Alia Atkinson (JAM), Lauren Boyle (NZL), Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), Yulia Efimova (RUS), Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) and Ryan Lochte (USA). Concerning performances, 12 World Records and seven new Championships records were established in Kazan.

In the initial final of the eighth and last competition day in Kazan, Camille Lacourt (FRA) revalidated his 2013 title in the men’s 50m backstroke in a time of 24.23. It was his second individual medal in Kazan, after the silver in the 100m backstroke – moreover, Lacourt equals Liam Tancock (GBR), who also won two back-to-back gold medals in this event, in 2009 and 2011. Precisely six years ago, in the Italian capital, Tancock had set the World Record still in charts, 24.04, but this time he was the seventh of the final in 24.88.

In the podium, Matt Grevers (USA) got the silver in 24.61, while Ben Treffers (AUS) earned bronze in 24.69. This represents the sixth medal for the North American at Worlds, and his major success after the gold two years ago in the 100m backstroke, while Treffers got his first success at this level.

From Sweden, came perhaps the biggest surprise of the day, with Jennie Johansson winning the women’s 50m breaststroke in 30.05 and getting her first medal ever in FINA’s major event. The 27 year-old champion could not believe her eyes when she turned in to the scoreboard and saw her name next to number 1. She becomes the first-ever medallist of her country (men and women) in a breaststroke event at Worlds. Johansson left in her trail a very prestigious group, formed by Alia Atkinson (JAM, silver in 30.11), third in the 100m breaststroke; Yulia Efimova (RUS, bronze in 30.13), winner of the 100m; Ruta Meilutyte (LTU, fourth in 30.14), the World Record holder, Olympic and 2013 world champion in the 100m and second also in the 100m here in Kazan; and Jessica Hardy (USA, fifth in 30.20), already with 10 medals at the World Championships.


Jennie Johansson (SWE) - photo credit: Andrea Staccioli Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

In the men’s 400m IM, Daiya Seto (JPN) had no special problems to revalidate his 2013 world title, touching home in 4:08.50 and taking the control of the race from the breaststroke leg of it. David Verraszto, from Hungary, earned silver in 4:09.90, getting his first podium presence at this level, but successfully following the steps of his father Zoltan, who won three medals in the 200m backstroke in the 1973, 1975 and 1978 editions of the FINA World Championships. The bronze went to Chase Kalisz, silver medallist in Barcelona 2013, and also third at the 2014 Pan Pacs.

After winning the 100m free, Bronte Campbell did it again in the 50m. The Australian (gold in 24.12) made the perfect race in the dash, overcoming the initial advantage of Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), who eventually earned the silver in 24.22. She is the fifth woman in history winning the sprint double at the same World championships after Le Yingyi (CHN, 1994), Inge de Bruijn (NED, 2001), Libby Trickett (AUS, 2007) and Britta Steffen (GER, 2009). The bronze went to Sarah Sjostrom, from Sweden, in 24.31 – it was the fourth individual medal for the 21 year-old here in Kazan, after the gold in the 50m and 100m butterfly, and the silver in the 100m free.

In the longest event of the programme, the men’s 1500m free, the withdrawal of Sun Yang (CHN) from the final opened new perspectives for his main contenders. With the Olympic and world champion absent, Ryan Cochrane (CAN) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) were the men to watch in this race. The Italian did not disappoint and took his first world title in 14:39.67, after being second in the 800m free in Kazan and bronze medallist in the 1500m two years in the Catalonian capital. He also becomes the first Italian to win this event. No Italian man had ever gone beyond 400 metres to win a world title. On the women's side, Alessia Filippi (ITA) won this distance for Italy in 2009.


Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) - photo credit: Andrea Staccioli Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

Despite an additional effort in the last 300m, US Connor Jaeger had to content with the silver in 14:41.20, already a better result than in 2013, when he finished fourth. The bronze went to Cochrane in 14:51.08, his eighth medal at Worlds – the 26 year-old Canadian was also on the podium in this event at the last two editions of the Olympic Games: silver in 2012 and bronze in 2008.

After winning the 200m, Katinka Hosszu (HUN) earned her second gold in Kazan by touching first in the 400m IM, in a time of 4:30.39. This performance was very close to her Championship record of 4:30.31, when she won this event in Rome 2009, her first world title. In Russia, she earned three medals (she was third in the 200m backstroke) and has now a total of nine podium presences at FINA’s showcase event. Moreover, she becomes the first woman to win this event three times (2009, 2013 and 2015) and joins Katie Hoff (USA 2005 & 2007) as the only women to have won the 200m IM and 400m IM at two consecutive World Championships. The minor medals went to Maya DiRado (USA, silver in 4:31.71) and to Emily Overholt (CAN, bronze in 4:32.52), their first individual success at this level.

The last two finals of the day, the 4x100m medley relays, the men’s race was won by the USA in 3:29.93, making the North Americans win this race for the 12th time - no other event has been won more often by one country at the World Championships. Australia (3:30.08) and France (3:30.50) completed the podium. This victory assured USA the first place in the Swimming medals’ table, with a victory among women guaranteeing also the overall lead of the Aquatics classification in Kazan. China, however, was stronger in the last final of the Championships, getting the gold in 3:54.41 and emerging as the most successful nation in the capital of Tatarstan if all six aquatic disciplines are considered. It was the third triumph for China in this event, after the 1994 and 2009 wins. Sweden and Australia concluded their very successful championships with the silver (3:55.24) and bronze (3:55.56), respectively. 

 


Team USA photo credit: Andrea Staccioli Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto


QUOTES

Alia Atkinson (JAM, silver, women’s 50m breaststroke): “I’m happy, it was really good and important for me. It gives me more confidence for Rio next year for the 100m. I saw the others from the edge of my eye, but couldn’t recognise a lot just tried to lengthen my arms towards the wall”.
 
Daiya Seto (JPN, gold, men’s 400m IM): “So far the championships were not that good for me, now I’m satisfied to win this race. Now I can look forward to Rio”.
 
David Verraszto (HUN, silver, 400m IM): “I’ve managed to beat my personal best, this gives me the utmost satisfaction – the silver is the icing on the cake as I hoped for the bronze in advance”.
 
Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA, gold, men’s 1500m free): “It was a tough race, and I’m glad to win it. We missed Sun Yang in the call room, we were absolutely surprised, since I expected to race against Sun and I was prepared for that”.
 
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED, silver, women’s 50m free): “Silver in this race is fine for me. It’s a satisfying finish for these championships”.
 
Sarah Sjostrom (SWE, bronze, women’s 50m free): “I’m really happy with this medal. In the 50m you cannot commit any mistake and the win is still not guaranteed. Now I earned a medal in each individual race I entered so I’m really satisfied with this meet”.
 
Katinka Hosszu (HUN, gold, women’s 400m IM): “I'm so glad that the championships played out like that. Another dream came true, with the medals and especially with the world record. Today I swam the last 50m with cramps – but I’m looking forward to chase the 400m WR in the near future!”


RECORDS IN KAZAN

WORLD RECORDS

Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) - Women’s 100m butterfly - 55.74 - Aug. 2
Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) - Women’s 100m butterfly - 55.64 - Aug. 3

Katie Ledecky (USA) - Women’s 1500m free - 15:27.71 - Aug. 3
Katie Ledecky (USA) - Women’s 1500m free - 15:25.48 - Aug. 4
Katie Ledecky (USA) - Women’s 800m free - 8:07.39 - Aug. 8

Katinka Hosszu (HUN) - Women’s 200m IM - 2:06.12 - Aug. 3

Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) - Men’s 50m breaststroke - 26.62 - Aug. 4

Adam Peaty (GBR) - Men’s 50m breaststroke - 26.42 - Aug. 4

Russia - Mixed 4x100m medley - 3:45.87 - Aug. 5

United States - Mixed 4x100m medley - 3:42.33 - Aug. 5
United States - Mixed 4x100m free - 3:23.05 - Aug. 8

Great Britain - Mixed 4x100m medley - 3:41.71    Aug. 5


CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS

Adam Peaty (GBR) - Men’s 100m breaststroke - 58.52 - Aug. 2
Adam Peaty (GBR) - Men’s 100m breaststroke - 58.18 - Aug. 2

Katie Ledecky (USA) - Women’s 400m free - 3:59.13 - Aug. 2

Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) - Men’s 100m breaststroke - 58.49 - Aug.2

Australia - Women’s 4x100m free - 3:31.48 - Aug. 2

Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) - Women’s 50m butterfly - 25.06 - Aug. 7
Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) - Women’s 50m butterfly - 24.96 - Aug. 8