The 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan have come to a close. Here are five headlines from one of the most significant multi-sport global competitions in the world.
5) Qin Haiyang and Leon Marchand win three gold medals each.
Qin Haiyang of China and Leon Marchand of France won three gold medals each. Haiyang had an exceptional World Championship in the breaststroke as he placed first in the men’s 50 metres, men’s 100 metres, and men’s 200 metres. Since setting a world record in the men’s 400 metre individual medley, Marchand won two more gold medals in the men’s 200 metre butterfly and men’s 200 metre individual medley.
4) Australia depth showing off.
Australia set the World Record in the women’s 4×200 metre freestyle with a time of 7:37.50 on Thursday. In fact, they broke their own world record as they had a time of 7:39.29 in winning gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Australian freestyle team that set the world record this past week comprised of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus. The Australians not only beat their nearest competitors. They clobbered them. The United States won the silver medal, but were 3.88 seconds back of the Aussies.
3) Water Polo
The 2023 World Water Polo Championships were decided. On the men’s side, Hungary defeated Greece 14-13 in the gold medal game as Krisztian Mahercz and Gergo Zalanki each had a hat trick. Spain won the bronze medal, as they defeated Serbia 9-6 in a low scoring contest. It was Hungary’s fourth gold medal ever as they previously won in 1973 in Belgrade, in 2003 in Barcelona, and in 2013 in Barcelona. On the women’s side, the Netherlands beat Spain in a dramatic gold medal game that went to penalty kicks. With the game tied at 12, the Netherlands won 5-4 on penalties. Italy beat Australia 16-14 to win bronze. It was the Netherlands second Women’s World Water Polo Championship as they previously won in 1991 in Perth, Australia.
2) Sarah Sjostrom breaks own world record.
Sarah Sjostrom of Salem, Sweden continued her flawless swimming career as she won her 11th and 12th career gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships. Her gold medals came in the women’s 50 metre freestyle and women’s 50 metre butterfly. When Sjostrom swam the women’s 50 metre semifinal on Saturday, she had a world record time of 23.61 seconds. That broke her own world record time of 23.67 seconds, which was set in the semifinals of the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
1) Katie Ledecky sets record for most gold medals at World Aquatics Championships.
Katie Ledecky of Washington, D.C. won the gold medal in the women’s 800 metre freestyle on Saturday. With the gold medal, Ledecky set the record for the most gold medals in the history of the World Aquatics Championships with 16. American swimming legend Michael Phelps had the old record with 15 gold medals. The United States had the most medals at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships with 44.
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