On the penultimate day of the London 2012 Olympic swimming championships, Missy Franklin clocked a 2:05.06 World Record in the women’s 200 backstroke, ahead of Russia’s Anastasia Zueva in 2:05.92 and Elizabeth Beisel (USA) in 2:06.55, Franklin completing her clean-sweep in the backstroke events. Michael Phelps made it an undisputed historical greatest ever double three Olympic individual gold medals in a row, winning the men’s 100 butterfly in 51.21 ahead of Chad Le Clos (RSA) and Evgeny Korotyshkin (RUS) in 51.44.
USA’s Katie Ledecky upset favorites Rebecca Adlington and Lotte Friis in the women’s 800 freestyle, charging ahead and holding on to a 8:14.63 Olympic gold medal, Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia 2nd in 8:18.76, Rebecca Adlington (GBR) 3rd in 8:20.32 and Lotte Friis (DEN) fading to a 8:23.89 and 5th. Florent Manaudou (FRA) similarly upset the favorites in the men’s 50 freestyle, starting out great and holding on to a clear win of 21.34 ahead of Cullen Jones (USA) in 21.54 and Cesar Cielo (BRA) in 21:59. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) led the women’s 50 freestyle semifinal in 24.07.
