McIntosh in league of her own as she wins second world title
Singapore
Canadian Summer McIntosh confirmed her top billing when she won women's 200 metre medley gold at the World Aquatics championships in Singapore on Monday.
The three time Olympic champion was in a league of her own on the final freestyle leg as she clocked 2 minutes 6.69 seconds - an advantage of 1.89 seconds over American silver medallist Alex Walsh.
'I'm not super happy with the time. Still happy with the gold, will try to continue my streak for the next events,' the champion said.
This was McIntosh's second gold out of two events in Singapore after she won the 400m freestyle on Sunday.
The success comes a year after the 18-year-old won three golds and one silver at the Paris Olympics, all in individual events.
McIntosh's team-mate Mary-Sophie Harvey completed the podium, pipping 12-year-old Chinese Yu Zidi by six hundredths for the bronze.
Yu is competing in Singapore via a special exemption because normally swimmers must be at least 14 years old to participate at the worlds.
She will also contest other races over the coming days.
Walsh also on top Alex Walsh gave her family a second medal on the day, some 90 minutes after her sister and top favourite Gretchen Walsh claimed 100m butterfly gold in a championship record 54.73 seconds.
'I'm so happy. Under 55 (seconds) again, it was not easy and I'm so proud of myself,' said Walsh, who had won silver over the distance at the Olympics.
Belgium's Roos Vanotterdijk took silver and bronze went to Australia's Alexandria Perkins.
Qin and Grousset get gold On the men's side, China's Qin Haiyang beat Olympic champion Nicolò Martinenghi by .35 of a second for 100m breaststroke gold in 58.23 seconds. Bronze went to Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan, his first medal at a major event.
At the 2023 worlds, Qin became the first man in history to win gold in all three breaststroke events at a single edition.
But he had a disappointing Olympics and left Paris without an individual medal. His achievements came from relays, with men's 4x100m medley gold and 4x100m mixed medley silver.
France's Maxime Grousset beat top seed Noe Ponti in the men's 50m butterfly for gold.
Swiss Ponti, the 2024 world champion, set multiple short course world records last year, but had to settle for silver. Italy's Thomas Ceccon won bronze.
Stomach bug impacting
USA team
USA swimming has confirmed reports that some team members competing in the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore were recovering from acute gastroenteritis, US public broadcaster NPR reported.
USA swimming senior communications director Nikki Warner said in a statement cited by NPR that 'those experiencing symptoms' were receiving treatment, without saying which swimmers were affected or how they got sick.
The team's medical staff was also 'advising the team on further preventative and recovery measures,' Warner added.
The team is 'planning to race and perform to the best of our ability for the rest of the meet,' Warner said.
On Saturday, Paris 100 metre butterfly gold medallist Torri Huske did not swim the 100m butterfly 'to prioritize her efforts in the 4x100m freestyle relay,' USA swimming said.
The relay, which had been favoured to win and was anchored by Huske, came second behind Australia on Sunday evening. Claire Weinstein also pulled out of the 400 metre freestyle.
Several US swimmers performed below expectations on Sunday and on Monday.
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