Enjoy the highlights of day 12 at the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju! #FINAGwangju2019

USA’s Katie Ledecky was battling with illness at the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju, and unfortunately, she was on the losing side this time. First, she withdrew from the 200m free heats in the morning, then she had to make the tough decision to abruptly finish her campaign here.

Without her, the 1500m free crown was up for grabs and Simone Quadarella was quick enough to take it. The Italian added the world title to her European crown, she became the 4th best performer of all time and Italy’s second winner in this event – 10 years after Alessia Filippi. It was somewhat stylish that she brought down her predecessor’s NR set in Rome 2009 (15:40.89 – though Ledecky’s best ten times are still better than this). Germany’s Sarah Kohler was a distant second while China’s Wang Jianjiahe grabbed the bronze.

The men’s 100m Backstroke race at the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju, brought a lot of excitements as four swimmers were heading towards the wall forming an almost straight line.

Title-holder Xu Jiaju of China found the necessary extra gear to touch home first, 0.24sec ahead of Russia’s Evgeny Rylov. Tiny margins decided the bronze, three stormed in within 0.05sec, 2015 world champion Mitch Larkin (AUS) was the fastest, ahead of the two US Olympic champs (and the medallists in 2017) Ryan Murphy and Matt Grevers.

The final of the 100m Backstroke Swimming at the FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju saw a thrilling contest. Canada’s Kylie Masse, who won in Budapest with a new WR, turned 4th at the halfway mark but produced an amazing homecoming leg to retain her title.

The fight for the minor spoils was absolutely tight, three swimmers hit the wall in a span of 0.11sec, Aussie Minna Atherton just out-touched USA’s Olivia Smoliga and the other Canadian Taylor Ruck. Interestingly, Kathleen Baker, who broke Masse’s WR last August and was silver medallist in 2017, could only finish tied 6th.