Rising swimming stars Summer McIntosh and Leon Marchand continued to dominate at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, each winning gold on Thursday. McIntosh, 18, claimed her third individual gold of the meet in the 200-meter butterfly, coming just shy of the long-standing world record. Marchand, nicknamed the “French Phelps,” won the 200-meter IM a night after setting a new world record in the event’s semifinals.
Records, Wins, and Notable Performances
- Summer McIntosh’s win in the 200m butterfly was the second-fastest time in history. She expressed slight disappointment at not breaking the world record but remains on track for a potential five individual gold medals.
- Leon Marchand’s victory in the 200m IM was another commanding performance, finishing with the second-fastest time ever recorded.
- David Popovici of Romania won the men’s 100-meter freestyle in a thrilling race, narrowly missing a world record. This adds to his earlier gold in the 200m freestyle, completing a double win for the second time at a world championships.
- Katharine Berkoff of the United States won the women’s 50-meter backstroke.
- Australia’s women’s team, led by Mollie O’Callaghan, won the 4×200 freestyle relay, marking their second relay gold of the championships. O’Callaghan has now tied Ian Thorpe for the most gold medals by an Australian at the world championships.