McIntosh makes golden start as Australia win world relay double
It was world record holder McIntosh's first world title in the event as she pursues five individual golds in Singapore.
With Australia's Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus skipping the championships before she prepares for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the race was billed as a showdown between McIntosh and Ledecky.
But McIntosh grasped control early on and pulled further ahead as the race progressed.
"I think the 400 freestyle in past world championships and Olympics, I haven't been at my best and I haven't been where I want to be," she said.
"So to finally stand on the centre of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet."
McIntosh, who broke three world records at the Canadian trials in the lead-up to the worlds, jumped straight back into the pool for the 200m medley semi-finals 20 minutes after winning gold.
She qualified for the final with the fastest time, saying she was "in the best shape of my life".
"Now I just have to act on that and put it into all of my races," she added.
McIntosh was joined in Monday's 200m IM final by Chinese 12-year-old Yu Zidi.
The schoolgirl, who juggles swimming with homework, squeezed into the final in what is not her best event.
"I'm in? Oh. I'm happy about that, and I will continue to work harder," she said.
"I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential."
Maertens pips Short
Germany's Lukas Maertens won a nail-biting gold in the men's 400m freestyle, pipping Australia's Sam Short by 0.02sec.
Maertens, the Olympic champion and world record holder, became world champion for the first time.
German compatriot Florian Wellbrock won four golds in the open water events in Singapore and Maertens said their country had taken a "big step forward".
"All the girls and guys are a really young team and there are a lot to come," he said.
"Now I'm one of the old guys and I'm 23. That means a lot and I'm really proud to be in the German team."
Maertens came home in 3min 42.35sec after a fierce battle with Short, the 2023 world champion.
South Korea's Kim Woo-min, the reigning world champion, was third in 3:42.60.
Maertens was the favourite after breaking the world record in Stockholm in April, a mark that had stood since 2009.
But Short fought him every stroke of the way, losing out after an incredible tussle to the finish.
"There was a lot of pressure, also as the world record holder, it wasn't easy to fight these guys," said Maertens.
Australia ended the opening night on a high after both their women's and men's teams won the 4x100m freestyle relays.
The women's team of Mollie O'Callaghan, Meg Harris, Milla Jansen and Olivia Wunsch came home ahead of the United States, with the Netherlands third.
Flynn Southam, Kai James Taylor, Maximillian Giuliani and Kyle Chalmers then completed the double, finishing ahead of Italy and the Americans in the men's race.
Their winning time of 3:08.97 was a world championship record.
"We've come together really well in camp and preparation -- we believed we could do it and we did it," said Chalmers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Osaka ousts Ostapenko to reach WTA fourth round at Canada
The 27-year-old Japanese star, twice a winner at the US and Australian Opens, will meet either two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula, the US third seed, or Latvian Anastasija Sevastova in Montreal's round of 16. Osaka is one match away from making her first quarter-final run at a Grand Slam or WTA 1000 event since she returned from maternity leave at the start of 2024. World number 49 Osaka broke on a double fault to capture the first set in 30 minutes. In the second set, Ostapenko netted a forehand to hand Osaka a break for a 3-1 lead but rallied and broke back in the next game on a forehand crosscourt winner. Osaka broke again for a 4-2 lead when Ostapenko netted a forehand and Osaka served for the match leading 5-3, but Ostapenko saved a match point on a forehand crosscourt winner and broke when Osaka sent a forehand beyond the baseline. The Japanese star responded by breaking Ostapenko at love in the final game, the Latvian netting a backhand to conclude matters after 72 minutes. Osaka improved to 3-0 lifetime against the Latvian, having also beaten her at the 2016 French Open and last year's US Open in the first round without dropping a set. Also advancing was Danish 16th seed Clara Tauson, who dispatched Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 6-0. Later matches include Polish second seed Iga Swiatek against Germany's Eva Lys, with the winner advancing to face Tauson. Britain's Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner, takes on US fifth seed Amanda Anisimova.
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Douglass dedicates world gold to stricken US after 'rough' week
The US team have been hit by an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis in the camp, with team officials saying the "overwhelming majority" of swimmers have been affected. Douglass comfortably won her race in a championship-record 2min 18.50sec, with Russian world record holder Evgeniia Chikunova (2:19.96) second and South Africa's Kaylene Corbett (2:23.52) third. Despite their troubles the US lead Australia in the medals table with two more days of competition left and Olympic champion Douglass said she was happy to make a contribution. "That win was huge, not just for me but for the whole team," said the 23-year-old. "I wanted to get a gold for Team USA to help our medal count. "I think with the rough week that we've had, we've done a great job of coming back and showing that we are here to race." Douglass took control of the final early and never looked like giving up her lead, despite a late surge from Chikunova. The Russian was competing under a "neutral athletes" banner and Douglass said she was "really excited to race her tonight". "I felt like we were both going to push each other to be better," said the American. "Honestly, if I wasn't racing her I don't know if I would have gone 2:18. I think that really pushed me to be my best." Also on Friday, Torri Huske picked up bronze for the Americans in the 100m freestyle, behind winner Marrit Steenbergen and Mollie O'Callaghan in silver. It was Huske's second medal of the week after winning silver with the US women's 4x100m freestyle relay team. "I've never had such a roller coaster of a meet," said Huske, who withdrew ill from a previous race. "I am really proud of that swim and that I was able to get back to kind of normal." © 2025 AFP
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Miracle man Qin wins second worlds gold ahead of blockbuster
Roared on by a large number of screaming Chinese fans, world record holder Qin touched the wall in 2min 07.41sec in a nailbiter of a 200m breaststroke final. The 26-year-old won the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week but he celebrated his second victory as if it were his first. He punched the air before standing with his arms spread wide to soak up the acclaim of the Chinese fans. Japan's Ippei Watanabe (2:07.70) won silver and Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands (2:07.73) took bronze. Qin started the race in lane eight after qualifying slowest from the semi-finals but it made no difference as he regained in style the world title he won in 2023. "Amazing," said Qin. "Have you heard of the lane eight miracle? "I did not know if I was second or third, I just heard 'whoo', so I knew I had won." Qin is returning to form after flopping at last year's Paris Olympics, where he did not even make the final of the 200m breaststroke. His preparations for the Games were thrown into turmoil when he was implicated in a major doping scandal months before the Games. A report named Qin among 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for a prescription heart drug ahead of the pandemic-delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics. They were not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted the argument of Chinese authorities that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food. Defending champion Marrit Steenbergen denied Mollie O'Callaghan a sprint double as the Dutchwoman won the 100m freestyle. Steenbergen held off a late charge from the 200m champion O'Callaghan to touch the wall in 52.55sec, forcing her Australian rival to settle for second in 52.67. American Torri Huske, who withdrew from a race earlier in the week after suffering from a stomach bug, was third in 52.89. Steenbergen won world championship gold in the event in Doha last year in a field missing several big names saving themselves for the Paris Olympics. "In Doha I was like, this is crazy to win, but in this field I don't know what to feel, I'm just so happy," said the 25-year-old. Olympic champion Hubert Kos won a fierce battle against South Africa's Pieter Coetze in the 200m backstroke final. The Hungarian held off a surging Coetze to seize gold in 1:53.19, just 0.17sec ahead of his rival, who won the 100m in Singapore. Bronze went to France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (1:54.62). Women's 200m breaststroke gold went to another reigning Olympic champion, the American Kate Douglass. She powered to victory in a championships-record 2:18.50, ahead of the Russian world record holder Evgeniia Chikunova (2:19.96) and Kaylene Corbett of South Africa (2:23.52). Day six of the competition concluded with red-hot favourites Britain clinching gold in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, with China second and Australia third. It was Britain's first title in Singapore. Ledecky v McIntosh On Saturday, McIntosh and Ledecky will go head-to-head in the 800m freestyle final, billed as the race of the competition. American great Ledecky, 28, is the undisputed master in the event, having won the title at the last four Olympics and updating her own world record in May this year. But McIntosh, 10 years Ledecky's junior, is in the mood to snatch her crown as she looks to join Michael Phelps as the only swimmer to win five individual titles at a single world championships. The 18-year-old Canadian has already bagged three golds from three events in Singapore and she clocked the third-fastest 800m freestyle time ever in June.
