Katinka Hosszu could only cover her mouth after swimming the fastest 200m individual medley of all time. Her husband and coach was a little more excited.
Shane Tusup was unmistakable in the stands, for his “Iron Lady” black T-shirt, turned-to-the-side red hat and left bicep tattoo.
And for his celebration, raising his arms, pulling off and shaking that cap, screaming, pointing index fingers, screaming again and beating his chest after the Hungarian Hosszu broke a world record by .03 in repeating as World champion, proving again that she’s the world’s best all-around swimmer.
“She’s been training for eight, 10 hours a day minimum,” Tusup said, according to The Associated Press. “She pretty much eats, sleeps and swims. She runs her swimming as a business. To see the hard work and everything finally pay off in one race at one time is just unbelievable for me.”
Hosszu, nicknamed the Iron Lady of swimming who felt depressed after failing to earn any medal at London 2012, clocked 2:06.12 on Monday to win gold by 2.33 seconds over Japan’s Kanako Watanabe. Great Britain’s Siobhan O’Connor earned bronze.
Hosszu, a three-time Olympian with zero Olympic medals, took down American Ariana Kukors‘ 2:06.15 world record from the fast suit era in 2009. Hosszu entered seven events at Worlds, though she dropped out of the 100m backstroke already.
“This was my biggest goal,” Hosszu said in this FINA interview of her first Olympic event world record. “Being the fastest ever, it’s crazy to even say it. … I say a dream come true, but I feel like I was too worried to dream it last night. I was even just saying, even if I just get a gold, it would be already amazing. Getting the gold and the record was worth it.”
Earlier Monday, Missy Franklin qualified fifth fastest into Tuesday’s 100m backstroke final. Franklin is the reigning Olympic and World champion in the event, but the favorite is Australian Emily Seebohm, who was .86 faster than Franklin in Monday’s semifinals.
Ryan Lochte was the fastest qualifier into Tuesday’s 200m freestyle final in 1:45.36 on his 31st birthday. Lochte, who dealt with knee problems since fall 2013, clocked his fastest time in the event since he finished fourth at the 2012 Olympics.
“That race felt 10 times better than this morning,” Lochte, who is using a new turn off walls and went 1:47.18 in the morning prelims, told Michele Tafoya on Universal Sports. “I’m glad I got back into my groove.”
Lochte will face China’s Sun Yang in the final. Sun is trying to become the first swimmer to sweep the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyles at a single Worlds (as is Katie Ledecky). Sun has already earned 400m free gold at these Worlds.
The U.S. won zero medals across four finals Monday, its first medal-less day in the pool at a Worlds/Olympics since at least 2001.
Swimming World Championships: Men’s preview | Women’s preview | TV schedule | Monday results
Adam Peaty became the second British man (and first since 1975) to win a World Championship in an individual Olympic event, overcoming South African Olympic champion Cameron van der Burgh in the 100m breaststroke by .07.
Peaty, 20 and the world-record holder, was .41 behind van der Burgh after the first 50 meters. Great Britain’s Ross Murdoch earned bronze. No Americans were in the final.
“Very painful, but I didn’t give up an inch,” Peaty told Tafoya on Universal Sports. “It counted in the back end.”
In the 50m butterfly, a non-Olympic event, France’s Florent Manaudou took gold by .12 over Brazil’s Nicholas Santos. Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh and Poland’s Konrad Czerniak tied for bronze.
Swede Sarah Sjostrom repeated as 100m butterfly World champion and broke the world record for a second straight day. Olympic champion Dana Vollmer, who isn’t competing at Worlds after having a baby earlier this year, previously held the world record.
“I showed myself and everyone else that I can swim this event,” Sjostrom said on Eurosport. “I didn’t feel faster today [than in the semifinals Sunday].”
Sjostrom defeated Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen by .41, followed by Chinese Olympic silver medalist Lu Ying for bronze. No Americans were in the final.
In semifinals, U.S. Olympic champion Matt Grevers qualified fourth fastest into Tuesday’s 100m backstroke final. He’ll face medal favorites Japanese Ryosuke Irie, Australian Mitch Larkin and French Camille Lacourt. The 2013 World silver medalist David Plummer was ninth overall in the semis, missing the eight-man final.
The 2013 World bronze medalist Jessica Hardy failed to qualify for the 100m breaststroke final. Olympic and World champion and world-record holder Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania and World silver medalist Yulia Efimova of Russia headline Tuesday’s final.
Katie Ledecky breaks 1500m freestyle world record again
Men’s 100m breaststroke
Gold: Adam Peaty (GBR) — 58.52
Silver: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) — 58.59
Bronze: Ross Murdoch (GBR) — 59.09
4. Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ) — 59.42
5. Jack Packard (AUS) — 59.44
6. Giedrius Titenis (LTU) — 59.56
7. Kirill Prigoda (RUS) — 59.84
8. Hendrik Feldwehr (GER) — 1:00.16
Women’s 100m butterfly
Gold: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE) — 55.64
Silver: Jeanette Ottesen (DEN) — 57.05
Bronze: Lu Ying (CHN) — 57.48
4. Emma McKeon (AUS) — 57.67
5. Katerina Savard (CAN) — 57.69
6. Xinyi Chen (CHN) — 57.85
7. Alexandra Nathalie Wenk (GER) — 57.94
8. Noemie Thomas (CAN) — 58.22
Women’s 200m individual medley
Gold: Katinka Hosszu (HUN) — 2:06.12
Silver: Kanako Watanabe (JPN) — 2:08.45
Bronze: Siobhan O’Connor (GBR) — 2:08.77
4. Maya DiRado (USA) — 2.08.99
5. Hannah Miley (GBR) — 2:10.19
6. Sydney Pickrem (CAN) — 2:10.32
7. Melanie Margalis (USA) — 2:10.41
8. Ye Shiwen (CHN) — 2:14.01
