Katie Ledecky celebrates after winning the women's 1,500m freestyle final at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, July 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Katie Ledecky claimed her fifth 1,500m freestyle world title while Rio Olympic champion Ryan Murphy beat defending champion Thomas Ceccon in the men's 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships.
FUKUOKA, Japan, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The United States won two gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships through two established stars on Tuesday, while Romanian star David Popovici fell short of expectations in the men's 200m freestyle.
Katie Ledecky, 26, claimed her fifth 1,500m freestyle title and 20th gold in total from six world championships, while Rio Olympic champion Ryan Murphy, 28, emerged victorious in the men's 100m backstroke.
Ledecky led all the way from start to finish, storming to victory in 15 minutes 26.27 seconds.
Italy's Simona Quadarella finished second, 17.04 seconds behind current world record holder Ledecky, with 15:20.48. China's Li Bingjie took bronze.
"I am really happy with the outcome," said seven-time Olympic champion Ledecky. "I have really great teammates right now that push me every day and I could not do it without them."
Gold medalist Ryan Murphy (C), silver medalist Thomas Ceccon (L) and bronze medalist Hunter Armstrong pose after the men's 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Murphy upset defending champion Thomas Ceccon of Italy to take his second backstroke world title, following last year's victory in the 200m event. Fellow American Hunter Armstrong captured the bronze again for the second consecutive worlds.
China's Xu Jiayu, the event's winner at the 2017 and 2019 worlds, came in fourth.
Popovici, who became the second person to win both 100m and 200m freestyle at the same edition of the World Championships last year, suffered a shock defeat in the 200m final this time.
The teen sensation led most of the race, but dropped to fourth in the last 15 meters.
20-year-old Matthew Richards of Great Britain touched the wall first and his compatriot Tom Dean, the Olympic champion, took silver 0.02 seconds behind. South Korea's Hwang Sun-woo finished third.
David Popovici (C) at the start of the men's 200m freestyle final. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Popovici, who was voted Male Swimmer of the Year in 2022, could not believe the result.
"It felt awful," he said. "But I'm glad it happened now and I'm sure it has a meaning that I'm going to learn from it."
Olympic champion and world record holder Kaylee McKeown of Australia secured the women's 100m backstroke title in a championship record of 57.53 seconds, only 0.08 seconds shy of her own world mark.
Defending champion Regan Smith of the United States came in second, and her compatriot Katharine Berkoff finished third.
Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte surprised many to win the women's 100m breaststroke title again, 10 years after her first victory in the event.
South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker finished second, and Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby of the United States took bronze. ■