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sports Friday 24 June 2022
American swimmers claim redemption at worlds: 3 more golds

By CIARÁN FAHEY The 18-year-old Mollie
AP Sports Writer O’Callaghan took the first,
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — clocking 52.67 seconds in
On a night of redemption the women’s 100 freestyle
for American swimmers, to beat world record hold-
Lilly King, Ryan Murphy and er Sarah Sjöström by 0.13
the men’s 4x200 freestyle seconds.
team claimed three more It is O’Callaghan’s first world
gold medals for the United title, while Sjöström won her
States at the world swim- 17th individual medal at a
ming championships on worlds, second only to Mi-
Thursday. chael Phelps with 20. It was
King atoned for missing out Sjöström’s record fifth med-
on the podium in the 100 al in the 100 at a worlds, but
breaststroke by winning the the Swedish swimmer has
200 breaststroke final for never won gold.
the first time. “Still, I’m so, so happy with
“Any time I have a bad (the medal) like never be-
swim, I feel like I got a lot of fore because I’m compet-
haters out there. And just ing against such young la-
to be able to prove them dies around me so here in
wrong, gets me going,” the final I’m the most expe-
King said. rienced one,” the 28-year-
The 25-year-old finished Ryan Murphy of United the United States competes to win the men’s 200m backstroke final at the old said. “That was a great
strongly to clock 2:22.41 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Associated Press competition.”
and beat Australia’s Jenna Defending champion Sim-
Strauch by 0.63. Kate Dou- stroke, clocking 1:54.52 to said. “We’ve got an incred- The Brazilian team looked one Manuel was among
glass claimed the bronze beat Britain’s Luke Green- ible legacy at USA Swim- like claiming a place fin- several notable absences
for the U.S. bank by 0.64 seconds and ming. It’s cool to try to pay ish but lacked the finish- from the race including
King previously won golds U.S. teammate Shaine Ca- that forward.” ing power of its rivals, with with Siobhán Haughey,
in the 50 and 100 breast- sas by 0.83. In the relays, the Americans Mack Horton clinching Shayna Jack, Emma McKe-
stroke at the 2017 and 2019 At 26, Murphy is another had some making up to do silver for the Australians on and Cate Campbell.
worlds. relative veteran on the in the men’s 4x200 freestyle and Tom Dean the bronze World record holder Zac
“It’s really nice to be able American team. It was his after failing to finish among for Britain — the country’s Stubblety-Cook won the
to kind of complete the set first gold from an individual the medals for the first time 100th medal at a worlds. men’s 200 breaststroke in
and I guess I’m a decent event at a words, adding ever in that race at the “That’s an amazing 2:07.07 — 1.31 ahead of Ja-
swimmer now,” King joked to his four from relays. Olympics last year. achievement,” Dean’s pan’s Yu Hanaguruma and
of her 10 medals — nine of “I think back to 2014, I was Drew Kibler, Carson Fos- teammate James Guy Sweden’s Erik Persson, who
them gold — from a worlds. the youngest guy in the ter, Trenton Julian and Ki- said. “And that’s really tied for second. Persson is
Only Caeleb Dressel, with team and I had some re- eran Smith duly obliged by great that we delivered it, the first Swedish man to win
15, has claimed more since ally good people that were clocking 7:00.24 in Thurs- I’m so happy about this.” a medal at the worlds since
2017. leading us back then. And day’s final to finish more Australians claimed the 2007. “The plan? To be hon-
Murphy got the Americans’ so it’s cool to think that I’m than three seconds ahead other two golds on offer at est, I didn’t really have one,
second gold of the eve- in a position to mentor the of the Australian and British the Duna Arena in Buda- I just tried to swim as fast as I
ning in the men’s 200 back- young guys now,” Murphy teams. pest on Thursday. could,” Persson said.q

In Gee Chun shoots 64, races to early

lead at Women’s PGA

By NOAH TRISTER in a women’s major — set — 6,809 yards for this first
AP Sports Writer by Mickey Wright, who led round — more of a factor.
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — In this tournament by five No big deal for Chun, a
Gee Chun breezed to an shots after 18 in 1961. two-time major winner.
8-under 64 on Thursday “I don’t know what golf “The course, after a lot
to jump out to a big early course In Gee is playing,” of rain, feels longer,” the
lead in the first round of defending champion Nel- 27-year-old South Korean
the Women’s PGA Cham- ly Korda said after finishing said. “At the same time,
pionship. her round of 71. greens were softer. So I
While most of the field Chun was playing the think it was just a balance.”
slogged through the day same course as every- Although there was plenty In Gee Chun, of South Korea, hits on the ninth fairway during
on the wet Blue Course at one else — one that went of golf left to play, Chun’s the first round in the Women’s PGA Championship golf
Congressional, Chun bird- through a full restoration early seven-shot lead cer- tournament at Congressional Country Club, Thursday, June
ied seven of eight holes last year. There was heavy tainly turned heads. 23, 2022, in Bethesda, Md.
during one stretch. She was rain in the area overnight “I can’t stop staring at Associated Press
seven shots better than and more precipita- the leaderboard,” Justin the afternoon, one of sev- back nine, birdied Nos.
anyone else who started in tion during play Thursday Thomas tweeted. “Lead- eral players who threat- 15, 16, 17 and 18. After a
the morning, making her a morning. That softened ing by 7 halfway thru day ened to shrink Chun’s lead bogey on No. 1, she re-
threat to break the record the course but also made 1!!!!” Hye-Jin Choi was 3 — but not by much. bounded with three more
for the largest 18-hole lead Congressional’s length under through 11 holes in Chun, who started on the birdies in a row.q