FUKUOKA, JAPAN (Agencies): Sarah Sjostrom took another of Michael Phelps’ swimming records on Sunday as the World Aquatics Championships came to a close.
The Swede took a 21st individual world medal to surpass the American by retaining her women’s 50m freestyle title after levelling Phelps’ tally on Saturday.
During Saturday’s racing in Fukuoka, fellow American Katie Ledecky passed Phelps’ records for individual world golds and golds in the same event.
Great Britain failed to add to their tally of eight swimming medals.
They finished the event with two golds, two silvers and four bronze, while Australia topped the medal table with a record-equalling 13 golds.
Sjostrom broke her own world record in Saturday’s 50m freestyle semi-finals and was just one hundredth of a second slower on Sunday, winning in 23.62 seconds ahead of Australian Shayna Jack (24.10) and China’s Zhang Yufei (24.15).
“I’m super-proud that I was able to handle the pressure again,” she said. “I’ve done this many times now but it’s a battle with emotions.”
Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte set a new world record of 29.16 in the women’s 50m breaststroke final, beating American Lilly King (29.94) and Italy’s Benedetta Pilato (30.04).
GB’s Freya Colbert swam a personal best of 4 minutes 35.28 seconds in the women’s 400m individual medley final.
However, she and fellow 19-year-old Katie Shanahan (4:41.29) finished fifth and seventh respectively, as Canada’s Summer McIntosh defended her title.
The 16-year-old, who won the 200m butterfly title earlier in the week, claimed a fourth world gold in a championship record of 4:27.11.
The GB quartet finished fifth in the men’s 4x100m medley relay final.
World Aquatics C’ships 2023: Sarah Sjostrom breaks Michael Phelps’ world medals record
