Men’s 50 Backstroke - Justin Ress Gets Reinstated As Gold Medalist After Initial Disqualification

In a surprising turn of events on the last night of swimming at the World Championships, American Justin Ress was reinstated as World champion after initially drawing a disqualification for being submerged at the finish.

“An official told me that was the first time that ever happened,” Ress said of being reinstated as World champion. “That was my first individual gold so anything would have been a first for me. They have ‘Make History’ signs everywhere and I guess I made history!”

Ress swam a 24.12, ahead of American Hunter Armstrong who was visibly not happy when Ress’ disqualification appeared on the board. Armstrong, although the world record holder, was gracious in giving his gold medal to Ress after the medal ceremony.

“Hunter has stunned me with his maturity today and his constant support. All the way through from right after the race, he said, ‘you need to do the interview with me.’ I was too mad to do it of course, but it was non-stop support the whole time. It was unreal.”

Armstrong finished second at 24.14, adding to his bronze in the 100 on Monday night.

Ress, who nearly retired in December, moved across the United States to train with coach Jeff Julian in Mission Viejo.

“It puts the whole offseason into a nice little bow-tie,” Ress said. “I grew as a person so much more than I ever have and that just translated to being an athlete and to see it come together like that is incredible.”

Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk won the silver medal by virtue of his 24.49 at just 17-years-old. Masiuk was a two-time European Juniors champion last year in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and wins his first senior medal before his 18th birthday in December.

“It is amazing, I wasn’t really expecting this, I hoped I could do a personal best in the final and it happened. I’m just very happy and can’t really describe my feelings.”

After setting the 100m backstroke world record earlier here in Budapest, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon was fourth in this one in 24.51.

Women’s 50 Breaststroke - Ruta Meilutyte Is Once Again a World Champion, Three Years After Initial Retirement

Don’t call it a comeback! Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte is once again the world champion in the 50 breaststroke, ten years after initially shocking the world at age 15 in the 100 breast at the London Olympics. Meilutyte, who had retired from swimming in 2019, added to her bronze from the 100 breast on Monday to win the 50 at 29.70.

“It’s nice to be a world champion, I’m super proud of myself,” Meilutyte said. “I’m grateful for every step taken in my life, the bad ones and the good ones as well. I’m happy to be here, finally enjoying swimming. Every race is totally different, so I couldn’t foresee what happens in the final. It does not mean a lot for me that I beat the world record-holder – what means a lot that I won the race and I just love to be here.”

Meilutyte, age 25, took down the 100 champ and world record holder in Italy’s Benedetta Pilato as the 17-year-old star won silver at 29.80, repeating her silver from the 2019 Worlds.

Meilutyte wins her second gold medal at the world aquatics championships, nine years after winning the women’s 100m breaststroke in 2013. Only László Cseh (HUN) left more years between two individual gold swimming medals at the FINA World Championships: 10 between 2005 and 2015.

The bronze went to South Africa’s Lara van Niekerk at 29.90. At age 19, she claims South Africa’s first 50 breaststroke medal on the women’s side at the World Championships.

“I’m not 100% satisfied, I wanted to swim my personal best, but I’m still happy with the medal,” van Niekerk said. “This is my first World Championship medal at my first Worlds, and I was already excited to be here and gain experience. The atmosphere is amazing and the facility is outstanding.” 

Men’s 1500 Freestyle - Gregorio Paltrinieri Scares World Record With Second-Fastest Time Ever

Gregorio Paltrinieri knew he needed to take it out fast if he would win the gold medal, and he stated his intentions early in the race. Paltrinieri, knowing the last lap speed of his rivals Bobby Finke and Florian Wellbrock, took the race out hard from lane 1, hoping he would have enough of a cushion to hang on on the last 50.

“I tried multiple times to win the 1500 and 800 doing their race, and I couldn’t,” Paltrinieri said. “Two days ago in the 800 was disappointing because I knew I could do more but I was stuck in between and couldn’t really open up a gap with them. In the last 50 I cannot win, but in my mind, I can win if I do this strategy so I tried to go out fast and do my race. I was in lane 1 so it was even better.”

And Paltrinieri swam his own race, getting as far as three seconds under the world record pace set ten years ago by China’s Sun Yang. But Paltrinieri did not have enough in the tank to swim the fastest time in history, but his time of 14:32.80 is the second-fastest time ever recorded, unseating himself from an August 2020 swim in an empty Foro Italico in one of the first organized meets during the global pandemic.

“When you’re in front, you enjoy the moment. I was really close to my teammates because in lane 1 everybody went crazy. It was more fuel to myself and I knew that I was swimming fast.

Paltrinieri had the Duna Arena on its feet, willing him on in hopes of seeing the third world record of the meet. It wasn’t to be, but it was perhaps the loudest ovation for a non-Hungarian winner. It was also his third World title in the event, adding to his golds in 2015 and 2017. Only Grant Hackett has more titles in this event with four from 1998 - 2005.

The silver medal went to American Bobby Finke (14:36.70), whose patented last 50 of 26.10 was not enough to catch Paltrinieri out in front. He out-sprinted Germany’s Florian Wellbrock (14:36.94) who came home in 26.86. It is a new best time for Finke, who moves up to fifth all-time and breaks the American record.

“I’m pretty tired, I was in a big fight with Florian and tried to push the best I could,” Finke said. “I’m satisfied with this medal and I am happy to be part of these World Championships and this great atmosphere after Tokyo.”

“I’m surprised by the performance of Gregorio,” Wellbrock said. “Obviously, we were counting on that this would be a really fast race but that turned out to be something else. Hats off to him for doing this after the 800m. I can be happy with my bronze, again like in Tokyo, and I was really close to my best time.”

Germany’s Lukas Martens (14:40.89) and the Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk (14:40.98), who both train with Wellbrock in Magdeburg, finished in fourth and fifth in one of the fastest fields ever assembled.

Women’s 50 Freestyle - Sarah Sjostrom Wins 20th Career Worlds Medal With 50m Freestyle Gold

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom won her second gold medal of the week in the Hungarian capital, racing to a 23.98 in the 50 free final, the 40th swim faster than 24 seconds. Sjostrom adds to her gold in the 50 fly last night, and her silver in the 100 free the night before. It is also her second 50 free title in addition to the one-lap gold she won at this same facility in 2017.

It was also Sjostrom’s 20th FINA World Championship medal.

Of her 20 medals at the FINA World Championships, 19 were won in individual events. Only Michael Phelps (USA, 20) collected more individual swimming medals at Worlds.

“It feels amazing to go sub 24.00 – being first means a lot to me,” Sjostrom said. “What can I say? Three medals, it’s been a busy four days. I am super happy that I have been able to do my fastest time every single time in the finals. Every race I have done, the fastest one was always the final.”

The silver medal went to Poland’s Kasia Wasick (24.18), while there was a tie for bronze with  Australia’s Meg Harris (24.38) and USA’s Erika Brown (24.38).

Wasick is the second female swimmer representing Poland to claim a medal at the FINA World Championships, after Otylia Jedrzejczak (G2-S3-B2).

“It’s been a great final, I knew anything could happen,” Wasick said. “I was simply excited to be in the finals because moments like this maybe never come back. I’m just trying to enjoy this moment and cherish this whole thing.”

For the second time, four medals are awarded in this event at the world aquatics championships, after 2009: Britta Steffen (gold), Therese Alshammar (silver), Marleen Veldhuis (bronze) and Cate Campbell (bronze).

“I had a massive swim in the semi-final, that was a personal best for me so once I got to the final I thought whatever happened with me, it’d be a bonus,” Harris said. “This is my first international event where I swim individual races, not just relays, and swimming with these great athletes in this final means a lot for me since they are the best in the world.”

“My goal was to come here and win a medal for the USA, and to be able to do that against the best of the world is simply amazing,” Brown said.

Women’s 400 IM - 15-Year-Old Summer McIntosh Wins Second Gold Medal In 1-2 With 16-Year-Old Katie Grimes

Canada may have found its next swimming superstar - 15-year-old Summer McIntosh won her second world title on Saturday night in Budapest with a 4:32.04 and a new world junior record.

McIntosh held off a late charge from 16-year-old American Katie Grimes, who won silver at 4:32.67, and improved on her best of 4:36 to now sit 15th all-time.

It was McIntosh’s second gold of the week after a win in the 200 butterfly, while it was Grimes’ second silver after getting runner-up in the 1500.

McIntosh has been a rising star in the sport of swimming since swimming in the 400 free Olympic final last year as a 14-year-old. Now two months away from her 16th birthday, McIntosh has three individual medals at the World Championships, including a silver in the 400 freestyle.

“I only try to think of my own expectations I have and that doesn’t really refer to placement and more refers to how I want to execute each and every race,” McIntosh said. “I think I have accomplished that and met my expectations with splits and how I’ve been swimming them, and pushing my body as hard as possible so I’m overall really happy.”

McIntosh, who trains with coach Ryan Mallette, was out under world-record pace at the 200 mark at 2:07.97, with Grimes in tow at 2:09.30. The two teenagers had built such a big lead on the rest of the field that included the last two Olympic champions.

“That was part of the adrenaline that comes from the crowd,” McIntosh said. “I’m also just trying to keep up with people beside me and stay in the race. I wasn’t thinking about exact splits - I was definitely out a little fast and I felt that in the breaststroke but that is something to work on. Breaststroke is one of my weaknesses so I will try to keep pushing that in training.”

Grimes finished her last 100 in 1:00.89 while McIntosh, also a good middle-distance freestyler, finished in 1:02.19.

“I went into the race knowing my strengths and weaknesses,” Grimes said. “I went over everybody’s splits and learned how they swam their race. I knew if I got to the breaststroke, turning into the freestyle with them that I could have a chance at a medal.

“I was having a good time racing Summer - I have a feeling that this is a long future of us against each other.”

Grimes and McIntosh were both born in 2006, as McIntosh is the youngest winner of the women’s 400 IM since 15-year-old Tracy Caulkins won in 1978. McIntosh is also the first Canadian swimmer to claim four medals at a single Worlds.

The bronze medal went to Emma Weyant (4:36.00) of the United States, who turned sixth at the 200, some six seconds off the leaders. But Weyant played to her strengths on breaststroke and freestyle, and out-raced the last two Olympic champions - Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu was fourth (4:37.89) and Japan’s Yui Ohashi (4:37.99) was fifth.

This was Weyant’s lone event of the meet, waiting around all week to get up and race.

“It was definitely a different feeling,” Weyant said. “I’m training while everyone is racing. I got to watch the meet for a good part of it at the beginning but I was really excited to race tonight, and I’m happy to win a medal.”

Men’s 4x100 Medley Relay - Italy Holds off the United States to Cap Off Historic FINA World Championships

The Italians had been building toward the men’s medley relay all week. With gold medals from breaststroker Nicolo Martinenghi on Sunday, and a world record from backstroker Thomas Ceccon on Monday, the Italians looked to be the team to potentially take down the Americans, who set the world record in Tokyo last year.

And in a thrilling race, the Italians won the gold medal at 3:27.51 to hold off the Americans at 3:27.79. The Italian team of Ceccon (51.93), Martinenghi (57.47), Federico Burdisso (50.63) and Alessandro Miressi (47.48) tied the European record at 3:27.51, matching Great Britain’s efforts from last year.

“Before the race we said that Italy had a perfect championship, and we should finish it perfectly as well,” Martinenghi said. “We won the gold medal which is incredible, my personal aim was to sing the national anthem from the top of the podium. As a team we did really well, I’m really happy for everyone, here friendship comes first before being team-mates. That’s why it feels it so good to share this gold with my friends.”

The Italians’ strength on the front half was established at the 200 mark, with Burdisso diving in under world record pace nearly a full second ahead of USA’s Michael Andrew, who closed the gap at the 300 exchange. Ryan Held could not quite get over the top of Miressi, and the Italians celebrated their first gold medal in a relay at the World Championships. Italy upgraded its bronze from Tokyo last year, as the team had never actually won a medley relay medal on the men’s side at Worlds.

The American team of Ryan Murphy (52.51), Nic Fink (57.86), Michael Andrew (50.06), and Ryan Held (47.36) finished with the silver at 3:27.79.

Italy wins its second gold medal of the night and its ninth medal of the entire week.

The Americans finished with the silver for the second straight Worlds, as Great Britain, the defending champs and Olympic silver medalists, won the bronze at 3:31.31 despite missing two of its legs from last year’s team.

“I think we already crashed our highest medal record,” Fink said. “Everybody came out here and fought really hard and I’d say it’s a very successful week.”

United States finished on 45 medals in swimming at the 2022 FINA World Championships, breaking the record for most in the sport at a single edition: previously 38 by USA in 2017.

The British team of Luke Greenbank (53.81), James Wilby (58.82), James Guy (51.23), and Tom Dean (47.45) held off the teams from Australia (3:31.81) and France (3:32.37) to win the bronze.

“We’ve done the job,” Greenbank said. “It took a whole team to be on the podium, all of us pushed as much as we could. This team will go much further than ever before.” 

Women’s 4x100 Medley Relay - United States Wins & Holds Off Australia For Third Straight World Title

The American women won their third straight gold medal in the medley relay, holding off a late charge from the Australian team. The United States claimed its fourth gold medal in the last five championships in this event, as the team of Regan Smith (58.40), Lilly King (1:05.89), Torri Huske (56.67) and Claire Curzan (52.82) swam a 3:53.78 to close out the Budapest World Championships with its 45th swimming medal of the meet.

“It’s really, really cool to get to lead off a medley relay like that for Team USA and we have such a strong history in this event so it’s an honor to get to do backstroke for three international meets in a row,” Smith said. “It’s crazy to think I’m a veteran on that relay. I have so much fun doing this relay and we have a great team with us today and I am really proud of all of our performances.”

The gold also marked Huske’s sixth medal of the championships on her 16th swim.

“I’m pretty tired,” Huske said. “I definitely felt it on the first half of the race and I was like ‘that’s not supposed to be happening!’ I just had so much faith in the team and I knew that I wasn’t just swimming for myself. I tried my best and it made it a lot easier knowing who I was swimming for. That got me through the race.”

The Australians had nearly caught the Americans at the end, as the team of Kaylee McKeown (58.77), Jenna Strauch (1:05.99), Brianna Throssell (57.19) and Mollie O’Callaghan (52.30) swam a 3:54.25 to claim silver.

“I’m so happy now, we won a medal in an amazing battle against strong teams,” Strauch said. “I’m satisfied with our performance because it’s very good feeling to finish the world on the podium with the silver medal. It means a lot for me, not just the team.”

The result is a flip from last year’s Olympics, where the Australians out-fought the Americans in Japan. These two nations have long dominated the women’s swimming relays, as they both have stood on the podium of this event at the last six World Championships.

Canada won the bronze medal for the third straight major meet with the team of Kylie Masse (58.39), Rachel Nicol (1:07.17), Maggie Mac Neil (56.80), and Penny Oleksiak (52.65).

“I’m really excited to be part of this team and just to see how much the team has grown over the last few years,” Oleksiak said. “You always see Canada in the final and on the podium but individually I would have liked to do better. I was off for eight weeks, pretty much right before this meet, but I’m happy to be back and performing.”