Australia's O'Callaghan, Women's 200m Freestyle World New... Beat Titmus to win
Molly O'Callaghan (19, Australia) set a new women's 200m freestyle world record with an amazing last-minute spurt and became world champion.
O'Callaghan was the first to hit her touchpad in the women's 200m freestyle final at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships held at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall in Fukuoka, Japan on the 26th with a time of 1:52:85.
1:52:85 is a new world record, shortening 1:52:98 by Federica Pellegrini (34, Italy) at the 2009 World Championships in Rome by 0.13 seconds in 14 years.
Until passing the 150m point, the momentum of Ariane Titmus (22, Australia), not O'Callaghan, was better.
Titmus turned the 150m in 1:24.00, followed by O'Callaghan in 1:24.74.
Titmus, who won the 400m freestyle by setting a new world record of 3:55:38, seemed to be speeding up for another world record and second gold medal in the event.
However, O'Callaghan reversed the final 50m in 28.11 seconds, overtaking Titmus, who was 29.01 in this section.
Titmus' record was 1:53.01.
O'Callaghan took first place in the 100m freestyle at last year's Budapest event, but only finished second in the 200m.
O'Callaghan, who won the gold medal in the 200m freestyle in Fukuoka, shed tears in an interview with the event organizing committee immediately after the match.
She is an Australian member of the women's 400m relay, and Oh Callaghan, who has already secured one gold medal, will challenge for three gold medals in the 100m freestyle.
Summer McIntosh (16, Canada), the 'rising star' the world is paying attention to, broke her own world junior record (previously 1 minute 53 seconds 91) with a time of 1 minute 53 seconds 65 and rose to third place.
McIntosh, who won two gold medals (200m butterfly, 400m individual medley), one silver (400m freestyle), and one bronze (800m relay) at last year's Budapest Games, added major tournament medals.
McIntosh is aiming for two consecutive gold medals in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley.