Swimming: Open water racer Kajimoto wins Japan's 1st medal at worlds
"I'm feeling both happiness and disbelief," said the 21-year-old, who is also scheduled to compete in three freestyle events in regular swimming beginning July 27.
Australia's Moesha Johnson won the non-Olympic event on the eighth day of the championships, two days after topping the 10-km race.
Italy's Ginevra Taddeucci settled for second place in both distances.
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Japan Times
11 hours ago
- Japan Times
'I didn't feel safe': Banned Canada coach explains move to New Zealand
Former Canada women's soccer coach Bev Priestman said Wednesday she "didn't feel safe" living in North America following her one-year ban for spying at the Paris Olympics. Wellington Phoenix announced Wednesday that Priestman would take over as head coach of its women's team, returning to soccer in the country she was banned for spying on with a drone, New Zealand. She has signed a two-year contract. The 39-year-old was visibly emotional as she discussed her suspension, and how nervous she is to be returning to the sport. "I didn't feel safe," Priestman said of living in Canada after the Olympics. "That's being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I have to live with that. "Obviously it was an absolute media frenzy. You've got people knocking at your door and everything, and I've got a little boy. "Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get out of that country." Governing body FIFA banned Priestman for one year after her coaching team used a drone to snoop on New Zealand before they played at the Paris games. New Zealand had spotted drones flying over their training sessions before their opening match and reported it to officials. An investigation found the Canadian team had been spying on rival training sessions for some time. Priestman said she is prevented from speaking about the situation in detail, due to ongoing legal discussions. But on her return to New Zealand she said she had talked to players and officials. She said the move to Wellington was an opportunity to "reset" her career, and rebuild. On Tuesday night, hours after her ban was lifted, she ran her first coaching session in more than a year. "I celebrated last night coaching the under-7s, my son's team, in the pouring Wellington rain," Priestman said. "That was a nice, humbling experience. They got all the energy from me in that moment because I've just been itching to do that." Priestman won the Olympic gold with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and is the best credentialed coach to come to the women's A League. She said she had learned from her ban, and her experience with Canada, and would be a better coach for it. "There's certain values that I hold and unfortunately, you know, things around me have clouded my judgement," Priestman said. "So for me personally, I just want to get back to ... I love working with people. I love getting the best out of people. I love being on a football pitch. "I just want to create a special moment for this city, for this country and move forward." Wellington Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison said he was "really pleased to be able to welcome Bev back to football." "We all know she's had a period of time away from the game, but we understand the circumstances and we're really comfortable with this appointment. "Bev can't wait to get started, and we're really happy that she's going to be coaching the Phoenix."
Japan Times
12 hours ago
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Ledecky wins 22nd world title as Popovici savours 'scary' gold
Katie Ledecky won the 22nd world title of her legendary career on Tuesday to close in on Michael Phelps' record as fellow Olympic champions David Popovici and Kaylee McKeown also struck gold. American great Ledecky cruised to a dominant 1,500m freestyle gold, touching the wall in 15:26.44, having threatened her own world record of 15:20.48. The masterful win at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore moved Ledecky four short of the retired Phelps' career tally of 26 world gold medals. "Growing up it was very inspiring to watch world championships, Olympic Games that Michael was in, trying to learn from the very best," said Ledecky, 28. "I was always a student of the sport." Ledecky's win gave the American the sixth world 1,500m freestyle title of her career. She is also a nine-time Olympic gold medalist. Second was Simona Quadarella of Italy in 15:31.79 and third Australia's Lani Pallister in 15:41.18. Ledecky was the red-hot favorite going into the race, having qualified for the final over 10 seconds faster than nearest challenger Pallister. She also went into the race owning the top 24 1,500m freestyle times ever, and set the second-fastest time in history in April behind her own record. Pallister pushed her with a fast early tempo and Ledecky was on world-record pace until late in the race. In the end she fell short of the mark but still clocked the fifth-fastest time ever. "Lani took it out there. I knew she would be out fast and I just wanted to get out fast, but comfortable enough that I could go from there," said Ledecky. "I'm happy with the time and happy with the swim." It is Ledecky's first gold medal of the championships, after picking up a bronze behind Summer McIntosh in the 400m freestyle on Sunday's opening night in Singapore. Ledecky is set to go head-to-head with Canadian phenomenon McIntosh again in the 800m freestyle. Popovici claimed a thrilling 200m freestyle gold — then revealed he had very nearly pulled out. The 20-year-old Romanian reeled in U.S. rival Luke Hobson to take the title in 1:43.53, with Hobson settling for silver (1:43.84) and Japan's 18-year-old Tatsuya Murasa taking bronze (1:44.54). Popovici said afterwards that he had seriously considered withdrawing from the competition before it started, even going as far as looking at flights home. "It was a mental thing and it had to do with the fear of seeing my real potential," said Popovici, who reclaimed his world crown from 2022. "That's very scary. And so I'm really glad I didn't quit." 'Nerve-wracking' Australia's McKeown beat a recently dislocated shoulder, nerves and old rival Regan Smith of the United States to win the 100m backstroke gold, narrowly missing the world record. McKeown powered to the wall in a championship-record 57.16, with Smith having to once more settle for second, just 0.19 behind. Katharine Berkoff, also of the United States, took bronze. McKeown's victory underlines her status as the undisputed force in women's backstroke. "It's always very nerve-wracking, especially off the back of the Olympics," said the 24-year-old, who won the 100-200m backstroke double at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. "I was probably a bit more nervous than I would like to have been tonight." McKeown's latest triumph came after hurting her shoulder in the lead-up to Singapore. "It's been quite irritated but I've got a good medical team and physios to help me get through." Germany's Anna Elendt won the first world title of her career in the women's 100m breaststroke, coming home in 1:05.19. American Kate Douglass was second in 1:05.27, with China's Tang Qianting third in 1:05.64. South Africa's Pieter Coetze won the men's 100m backstroke in 51.85sec in a surprise, ahead of Italy's Thomas Ceccon (51.90) and France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard.
Japan Today
17 hours ago
- Japan Today
Katie Ledecky remains unbeatable in 1,500 freestyle taking title again at worlds
Katie Ledecky of the United States celebrates after winning gold medal in the women's 1500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) swimming By STEPHEN WADE Katie Ledecky has ceded a tiny bit of ground in other events, but she's still unbeatable in the 1,500-meter freestyle. She won it again Tuesday in the swimming world championships in Singapore, finishing in 15 minutes, 26.44 seconds. Simona Quadarella of Italy took silver in 15:31.79 – a European record – with bronze for Lani Pallister of Australia in 15:41.18 in a very quick-paced race. 'I was just trying to get out fast, but comfortable enough that I could go from there,' Ledecky said. 'I'm happy with the time and happy with the swim.' 'I love this race,' she added. 'It was the race I broke my first world record in 2013. Lots of great races over the years.' Ledecky was ahead of her world-record pace through 1,250 meters, pushed early by Pallister. It was Ledecky's second medal in these games after taking bronze in the 400 free behind Canadian Summer McIntosh. The numbers speak to Ledecky's dominance, the most decorated female swimmer in history who has been on top for more than a decade. With Tuesday's swim she now owns 25 the top 26 times in history in the 1,500. Her time Tuesday was the fifth fastest, not far off her world record of 15:20.48 set in 2018. It was her 22nd gold medal in a world championships and her 28th overall. Add to that nine Olympic gold medals and 14 overall. If you're not counting, that's 42 Olympic and world medals – 31 gold. Watching from the stands was new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry. She was joined by former president Thomas Bach. Coventry was an Olympic gold-medal winner for Zimbabwe in 2004 and 2008 in the 200-meter backstroke. The Americans had the top qualifying times going into four finals and won one gold and three silver medals with very close finishes in all three. The United States team have been battling what officials called 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at a training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore. American head coach Greg Meehan said much of team had turned the corner. 'We're taking it a day at a time,' he said in an interview with American network NBC. 'Obviously, this is not how we thought the first few days of this competition would go. But I'm really proud of our team, our medical staff working overtime. You don't want your medical staff working overtime.' 'If you were in our team area you would never know that the overall majority of the team has gone through something over the last few days,' Meehan added, saying the team 'vibe' was good. McIntosh, who won two gold medals the first two days, did not race on Tuesday, Day 3 of the competition. She will face Ledecky in the 800, maybe the most anticipated race of the worlds. Paris Olympic champion David Popovici of Romania won the 200-meter freestyle, overtaking American Luke Hobson in the last 50 meters for the victory. Popovici swam 1:43.53 with Hobson across in 1:43.84. Tatsuya Murasa of Japan was third in 1:44.54. 'I think it was better than the Olympics to be honest,' Popovici said of the victory. 'You know why? Because I trained a lot for the Olympics. But this coming for a more relaxed year, easygoing year after the Olympics. I don't know. I feel very proud of myself.' Kaylee McKeown of Australia took the women's 100-meter backstroke, closing over the last 50 to beat American Regan Smith. McKeown finished in 57.16 – just .03 off the world record held by Smith. Smith finished in 57.35 with bronze for American Katharine Berkoff in 58.15. McKeown is the two-time defending Olympic champion in this race and also in the 200 backstroke. She also beat Smith a year ago in Paris with Smith taking silver. Pieter Coetze of South Africa represents a new wave of contenders with the 21 year old winning the men's 100 backstroke in 51.85 seconds. Thomas Ceccon of Italy took silver in 51.90, with bronze for Yohann Ndoye-Brouard in 51.92. Ceccon is the world-record holder in 51.60. In the last final of the night, Anna Elendt of Germany — swimming from Lane 1 — took the women's 100-meter breaststroke in 1:05.19. American Kate Douglass took silver in 1:05.27, with bronze for Tang Qianting of China in 1:05.64. 'I am so speechless,' Elendt said. Germany has been piling it on. Lukas Martens took gold on Sunday in the 400 free. Florian Wellbrock also won four gold medals in the open-water events which took place earlier in the championships. In the semifinals, Luca Urlando of the United States was the top qualifier in the 200 fly (1:52.84), teammate Claire Weinstein led the women's 200 free (1:54.69), and China's Qin Haiyang led the 50 breaststroke (26.52). Ahmed Jaouadi of Tunisia was quickest in the 800 free in morning prelims (7:41.58). © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
