Canadian swim star Summer Mcintosh. Photo: FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT / AFP
Canada's Summer McIntosh claimed her second title in two days at the world swimming championships in Singapore with victory in the women's 200 metres individual medley on Monday, while Chinese 12-year-old sensation Yu Zidi just missed out on a medal.
McIntosh, who won 400 freestyle gold on Sunday, was pushed hard by Alex Walsh in the middle portion of the race but surged ahead in the final lap to touch the wall in two minutes and 6.69 seconds, with the American taking silver in 2:08.58.
Three-times Olympic champion McIntosh is looking to match Michael Phelps's feat of winning five individual titles at a single world championships, which the American great achieved at the 2007 edition.
Fellow Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey bagged the bronze ahead of China's Yu, who caused a stir at the national championships in Shenzhen in May when she posted the fastest ever 200 IM time by a 12-year-old, regardless of gender.
Monday's evening programme kicked off with a thrilling battle between Qin Haiyang of China and Italian Nicolo Martinenghi in the men's 100 breaststroke.
Paris Olympics champion Martinenghi led through the first 50 but Qin, who swept the breaststroke events at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, fought back in the final 25 meters to clinch gold in 58.23 seconds.
Gretchen Walsh won the women's 100 butterfly.
In the men's 50 butterfly final, France's Maxime Grousset edged Swiss Noe Ponti by 0.03 with Thomas Ceccon of Italy taking bronze.
New Zealanders Amber George and Finn Harland failed to get out of the heats in their respective 100m backstroke events
On day three of the competition, medals will also be decided in the men's 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke, as well as the women's 1,500, where American great Katie Ledecky is expected to win a record-extending 22nd world title.
On Tuesday Erika Fairweather competes in the 200 freestyle and Lewis Clareburt in the 200 butterfly.
-Reuters / RNZ
