Double delight for China as Qin, Zhang strike gold at worlds

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 24 (Reuters) – China won back-to-back gold medals on the second day of swimming action at the World Aquatics Championships as Qin Haiyang roared to victory in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke while Zhang Yufei took the women’s 100m butterfly title on Monday.

Qin set the second-fastest time in history behind Britain’s world record holder Adam Peaty, finishing in 57.69 seconds with a three-way tie for the silver as Nicolo Martinenghi, Arno Kamminga and Nic Fink were all locked on 58.72 seconds.

The new champion, who took the lead at the first turn and never looked back, shaved 0.13 seconds off his previous Asian mark of 57.82 seconds which was set in the semi-finals.

“That is a pretty good time. That is my best time. But I can do better. I will catch up to the world record,” Qin said of Peaty’s 56.88 mark set at the 2019 worlds.

Zhang then came up with another dominating display to emerge triumphant in her event with a time of 56.12 seconds, finishing ahead of Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Margaret Mac Neil of Canada and 2022 champion Torri Huske of the United States.

The competitors were separated by only 0.77 seconds coming into the final and Zhang raised her level in the home stretch to edge out her illustrious rivals.

“This is my first gold medal at the world championships,” said double Olympic champion Zhang, who has seven bronze medals at the worlds.

“This is my happy time. I just feel wonderful and amazing.”

NO DRESSEL

The absence of defending champion Caeleb Dressel from the men’s 50m butterfly event opened the door for Thomas Ceccon who touched the wall in 22.68 seconds to win Italy’s first gold of the meet to loud cheers at a packed Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall.

“I had the 100m backstroke (semis) 20 minutes ago so it was really hard for me mentally and physically,” said Ceccon, who is the reigning champion in that event too.

“But I did it and I’m super happy with that.”

Seven-time Olympic gold medallist Dressel, who also claimed gold in the 2019 Gwangju worlds, failed to qualify for Fukuoka after disappointing displays at the U.S. national championships.

Diogo Matos Ribeiro of Portugal was 0.12 seconds behind Ceccon to capture the silver medal while it was a disappointing outing for Frenchman Maxime Grousset, who was 0.14 seconds off the pace and had to settle for bronze.

Grousset watched compatriot Leon Marchand open France’s account on Sunday by shattering American great Michael Phelps’ 15-year 400m individual medley record en route to gold and had set the pace in the semi-finals with a new national mark.

FIRST GOLD

After an underwhelming opening day, the Americans got their first gold with a one-two in the women’s 200m individual medley as Kate Douglass won in two minutes 07.17 seconds to dethrone compatriot Alex Walsh who was 0.80 seconds slower.

“I’m really happy with that race. I really just wanted to get the gold for Team USA tonight and I’m so happy I did that,” Olympic bronze medallist Douglass said.

“This year I tried to conserve a little bit more energy in the prelims and semis and I think I did a great job with that and was ready to race tonight.”

China’s Yu Yiting, who led during the butterfly leg before losing pace, made it an excellent day for the Asian nation by coming home in 2:08.74 to claim bronze.

Australia’s triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown was one of three competitors disqualified from the semi-finals after the 22-year-old was adjudged to have committed a violation as she switched from backstroke to breaststroke.

Britain’s Katie Shanahan and Italy’s Sara Franceschi also missed out on the final.

Australia top the medals tally with four golds despite not adding to it on Monday following inspired displays by Ariarne Titmus, Sam Short and their relay teams a day earlier.

Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru
Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris

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