On the first day of the swimming competitions at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday, reigning Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia shattered the world record as she raced to victory in a battle royale for the women's 400m freestyle championship.
Titmus finished in three minutes, 55.38 seconds, shockingly 3.35 seconds faster than silver medalist and 2022 champion Katie Ledecky. She surpassed the record set by Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh during the national trials earlier this year. New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather edged McIntosh to grab the bronze, finishing 4.21 seconds behind Titmus.
Australian men also prevail in the World Acquatics Championships:
Sam Short of Australia won the men's 400 m freestyle event earlier, one year to the day after fellow countryman Elijah Winnington did. Short, 19, crossed the finish line in three minutes, 40.68 seconds, winning by 0.02 seconds over Olympic champion Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia. Germany's Lukas Martens, who finished 1.52 seconds later, won the bronze medal.
Winnington, who won the competition in Budapest the previous year, finished seventh out of eight athletes.
After impressive performances in their preliminary rounds, Americans Carson Foster and Leon Marchand of France will be the ones to watch in the 400-meter individual medley as they aim to break Michael Phelps' 2008 world record of 4:03.84.
The day's events at the Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall will come to a close with the women's and men's 4x100m freestyle relays.
The British men's team, who were the pre-meet favourites to win, will not compete after being penalised for Jacob Whittle's early takeoff in their morning heat.
