DOHA, Qatar (AP) – Alia Atkinson equalled a world record, and three more marks were broken at the World short-course Swimming Championships
Atkinson became Jamaica’s first short-course world champion when she won the women’s 100 breaststroke final, not only holding off defending champion Ruta Meilutyte, but also matching her mark of 1:02.36 minutes.
“I’m not used to seeing my name up there at No. 1. It’s a good shock,” said a smiling Atkinson, who won silver in the 50 breaststroke behind Meilutyte on Thursday.
Lithuania’s Meilutyte finished second.
Meanwhile, Florent Manaudou of France set his second record in 24 hours, in winning the men’s 50 backstroke.
Manaudou set a record in the 50 freestyle final on Friday. On Saturday, he timed 22.22 seconds, erasing 0.39 seconds off the previous mark set in a suit in 2009 by Peter Marshall of the United States.
South Africa star Chad Le Clos earned his third gold in the 50 butterfly, and Russia improved their own record mark in taking the men’s 4×50 freestyle relay. Vladimir Morozov, Evgeny Sedov, Oleg Tikhobaev and Sergei Fesikov finished in 1:22.60 seconds, slicing 0.76 seconds off their previous record.
The U.S. took silver in 1:23.47, and Italy bronze in 1:24.56.
Katinka Hosszu set her fourth world record when the Hungarian swimmer smashed her own mark to win the women’s 200-metre individual medley on Saturday.
Hosszu crushed the field and touched in 2 minutes, 01.86 seconds, bettering her record of 2:02.13 set in August in Dubai.
