GWANGJU: Duncan Scott swam the second-fastest relay split of all time in the anchor leg of the men’s 4x100m medley on Sunday, overhauling his US and Russian rivals to secure gold for Britain and deny Caeleb Dressel a seventh world title in Gwangju.
Britain’s come-from-behind victory came in the penultimate event of a pulsating last night in the pool. It came just before the US women set a world record to win the medley relay, with Regan Smith breaking the backstroke record in the lead-off leg.
Scott plunged into the pool with the ground to make up on the United States after Dressel opened up a lead for Nathan Adrian with a typically blistering butterfly leg, with Russia also breathing down the American’s neck.
However, the Glasgow-born 22-year-old swam an incredible 46.14 seconds, the fastest since American Jason Lezak’s 46.06 at the Beijing Olympics, to run down Adrian and give Britain the gold and their first win over the US in the event.
“I can’t say I thought I had that split in me,” said Scott, still rubbing his head in disbelief. “I’m just sort of speechless I’ve been able to put that race together.”
An elated Peaty said he was so pumped he would not sleep for three days.
“That’s testament to who we are as racers, who we are as people,” said the Olympic and world breaststroke champion of the team, which also included James Guy and Luke Greenbank. “We just showed that the British are always up for a race.”
Simone Manuel romped to victory in the 50m freestyle before returning to anchor the American women to a world best of 3:50.40 in the 4x100m medley — boosted by a backstroke world record of 57.57 from teenager Smith. Manuel outdid Australia’s Cate Campbell on the final leg, with the Americans winning by 3.02 seconds.
“To start off with a world record from Regan really pumped us all up,” said Manuel. “We definitely wanted to finish off the meet on a good note.”
Olympic champion Katinka Hosszu got it done yet again, Hungary’s “iron lady” sweeping to gold in the women’s 400m individual medley to become the first female swimmer to win five world titles in a single event.
“We Hungarians like it when everyone is bleeding and we have to go into war,” said Hosszu, who threw up after the final. “It felt like a bit of a dog fight. But I like it this way, bring it on!”
Germany’s Florian Wellbrock won a pulsating men’s 1,500m freestyle final to become the first swimmer to capture gold medals in two sports at a single world championship after winning the 10km open water title.
South African Zane Waddell (24.43) grabbed a surprise gold in a blanket finish to the men’s 50m backstroke, ahead of Russians Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov, the world record holder. Only 0.08 seconds separated the top three.
Elsewhere on the final night, American Lilly King crushed Russian Yulia Efimova to retain her 50m breaststroke title, while Japan’s Daiya Seto romped to gold in the men’s 400m individual medley to become the first male swimmer to capture three world titles in the event.