The 27-year-old finished in four minutes 26.36 seconds on Saturday to eclipse the previous mark of 4:28.43 set by China’s Ye Shiwen at the London 2012 Games, reports Xinhua.
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Also, Japan’s Kosuke Hagino ended American dominance in the men’s 400-meter individual medley, while Australia’s Mack Horton took down Sun Yang of China without giving his bitter rival so much as a passing glance. Hosszu has 11 long and short-course world titles but, remarkably for someone of her rare talent, never an Olympic medal.
Competing in her first Olympics, DiRado, 23, qualified at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last month in Omaha, Neb., for three individual events in Rio – the 400 IM, the 200 IM and the 200-meter backstroke.
It was Hosszu’s first podium finish at the Games, despite having netted nine world championship medals – five of them gold. “Coming into Rio I was a bit anxious that when I finally get here I might get the feeling I had in London again”. The Aussie said Sun “splashed me to say hello, and I didn’t respond because I don’t have time for drug cheats”. Italy’s Gabriele Detti made it to the podium as bronze medallist. “Nevertheless, their impact has been undeniably palpable, harmful, and distressing, whether taken alone or in the context of the story of Hosszu’s return to competition and renewed determination in the sport she has always loved”. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet”. American Chase Kalisz won the heat with a time of 4:8,12.
But it was Kalisz alone who got himself to the Olympic podium.
Hagino missed that worlds in Kazan, Russia, with injury and could now revel in his moment of glory.
“I remember not enjoying it, I just wanted it to be over”.
The Australian relay quartet seemed in trouble Emma McKeon and Brittany Elmslie trailed to Simone Manuel and Abbey Weitzeil but the Campbell sisters delivered when it mattered.
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Australia capped off a wonderful night in the pools with gold in the women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay, with the United States and Canada finishing second and third respectively. Michael Phelps, the world record holder and two-time Olympic champion, dropped the race for his fifth games and defending champion Ryan Lochte didn’t qualify.
