Duncan Scott denies Caeleb Dressel a seventh world title
Britain's Duncan Scott swam the second-fastest relay split of all time in the anchor leg of the men's 4x100m medley yesterday, overhauling his US and Russian rivals to secure gold and deny Caeleb Dressel a seventh world title in Gwangju.
Britain's comeback 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 ground to make up on the US 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 46.14sec, 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 Adam 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.
In the women's 50m breaststroke America's Lilly King got to the wall first in 29.84, while in the next lane 14-year-old Italian Benedetta Pilato burst into tears after seeing her name in the silver-medal position ahead of Russia's Yuliya Efemova.
Daiya Seto brought some cheer to 2020 Olympics hosts Japan by winning the men's 400m individual medley for a third time.
In the women's 400m IM, Hungary's "Iron Lady" Katinka Hosszu, 30, became the first woman to win five world titles in the same event.
Hosszu won her first world gold in Rome and, 10 years later, she was still setting the standard, coming home 1.68sec ahead of China's Ye Shiwen, with Japan's Yui Ohashi taking bronze.
Meanwhile, South Korean police said they had banned Hungarian swimmer Tamas Kenderesi from leaving the country as they investigate allegations of sexual harassment against the Rio Olympic bronze medallist. Kenderesi was arrested early yesterday and questioned over an incident at a nightclub. - REUTERS
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