Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 26 July 2019

Ledecky returns but

U.S. falls to Australia

in relay at worlds

By BETH HARRIS ous or if I wasn’t concerned
AP Sports Writer and scared and worried
GWANGJU, South Korea about my health.”
(AP) — The Americans got In the middle of a sleep-
ailing Katie Ledecky back. less night, Ledecky’s phone
They just couldn’t over- pinged with a text from Mi-
come a world record by chael Phelps. The retired
the Australians. 23-time Olympic gold med-
Ledecky returned after two alist heard about her illness
days out of the pool while half a world away and was
being sick to swim in the checking in.
4x200-meter freestyle relay. “That meant a lot,” Ledecky
She rallied the U.S. to the said. “That gave me a little
lead on her second leg, bit (extra).”
but it wasn’t enough to de- Her meet had gotten off to
fend the title from 2017. a rough start when she was
Australia won in 7 minutes, upset by Titmus in the 400
41.50 seconds at the world free on the first night.
championships on Thurs- This time, Simone Manuel
day. led off against the 18-year-
Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wil- old Aussie, with Titmus tak- Australia’s women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team celebrate after wining the final at the World
son, Brianna Throssell and ing it out under world-re- Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Thursday, July 25, 2019.
Emma McKeon took down cord pace on the opening Associated Press
the old mark of 7:42.08 set lap. a simultaneous motion in Dressel said. “I kind of shut champion, earned bronze,
by China at the 2009 worlds Ledecky put the U.S. in the first turn of the four-lap off thinking about the race ending the Americans’
in Rome during the height front before handing it off race. so that helped a lot and streak of winning at eight
of the rubber suit era. to Melanie Margalis, who It was a big blow for King, having Kyle right there.” consecutive worlds.
The United States took silver led after 600 meters. That’s the outspoken doping Olympic champion Kyle In the women’s 200 butter-
in 7:41.87, also going under when McLaughlin chased critic aiming for a sweep Chalmers of Australia fly, Boglarka Kapas of Hun-
China’s old mark. Canada against McKeon, who put of the breaststroke titles settled for silver in 47.08. gary won in 2:06.78. U.S.
earned bronze. the Aussies right back in in Gwangju. She already Vladislav Grinev of Russia teammates Hali Flickinger
It was still a big night at the front for good. won the 100 over Russian took bronze in 47.82. and Katie Drabot took silver
pool for the U.S. team. “Just touching the wall rival Yulia Efimova, who ad- Dressel tied for quickest and bronze, respectively,
The Americans medaled in and seeing the three oth- vanced to the 200 final as off the starting block and after coming in as the top
all five finals, with Caeleb ers celebrate, it made me the fastest qualifier. held off a challenge from two fastest qualifiers.
Dressel and Olivia Smoliga so excited,” Titmus said. “I Dressel won swimming’s Chalmers in the closing Smoliga won the women’s
winning golds. wasn’t thinking about a glamour event, the 100 meters to defend the world 50 backstroke, a non-Olym-
After swimming her four-lap world record, that was the free, for his third gold and title he won in 2017. pic event.
leg, Ledecky sat down in key.” fourth medal overall. Dressel hopped on the lane She took control from Lane
a chair behind the blocks. Ledecky’s lone remaining “It hurt really bad to be hon- rope, tossing his head back 2 after her more heralded
She got up to cheer on Ka- individual event is the 800 est,” he said. “You don’t al- and his legs out in front of teammate, Kathleen Bak-
tie McLaughlin during the free, with prelims on Friday. ways get that magical feel- him in celebration. er, had the fastest qualify-
anchor leg. “That went a lot better than ing every night but you’ve Dressel’s other golds came ing time. Smoliga clocked
Ledecky hadn’t competed I expected, so I’d say 95% just got to shut the brain off in the 50 butterfly, a non- 27.33 seconds. Baker faded
since preliminaries on Mon- sure that I’ll swim tomor- and go.” Olympic event, and the to sixth.
day. The following day she row,” she said. Dressel touched in 46.96 4x100 free relay. He took In the semifinals of the
withdrew from the 200 free Watching from the stands seconds, the only man to silver in the mixed 4x100 men’s 200 breaststroke,
heats and the 1,500 free fi- was Lilly King, who was dis- dip under 47 seconds in medley relay. Matthew Wilson of Aus-
nal because of symptoms qualified from the morning the final. He was only 0.05 The men’s 200 individual tralia equaled the world
that included dehydration heats of the 200 breast- seconds off the 10-year-old medley title went to Daiya record of 2:06.67. His time
and vomiting. stroke and lost an appeal world record of 46.91 set by Seto of Japan. He touched matched the mark set by
“We don’t know exactly to be reinstated. Brazil’s Cesar Cielo. in 1:56.14. Ippei Watanabe of Japan
what caused this all,” she The American was penal- “It took 100% effort and I Jeremy Desplanches of in January 2017. Watanabe
said. “I wouldn’t have ized for not touching the had someone right there Switzerland took silver. finished third in the same
pulled out if it wasn’t seri- wall with both hands in on my tail for me to race,” Chase Kalisz, the 2017 heat.q

Rays’ Snell to undergo arthroscopic surgery on left elbow

By FRED GOODALL The 26-year-old left-hand- Oakland by one game for “With the team we have, I
AP Sports Writer er was placed on the 10- the second AL wild card know they’re going to ball
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — day injured list Thursday spot entering play Thurs- out. I’m not worried about
If the Tampa Bay Rays are and is expected to be day, said team orthopedic them,” said Snell, who
going to hang in the AL sidelined until at least Sep- surgeon Dr. Koco Eaton will became the second Cy
Tampa Bay Rays starter Blake playoff race, they’ll have tember due to arthroscop- operate on Snell next Mon- Young winner in franchise
Snell pitches against the to do it without reigning AL ic surgery to remove loose day. The team anticipates history last season, when
Chicago White Sox, July 21, Cy Young Award winner bodies from his pitching el- the pitcher will be ready to he led the major leagues
2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Blake Snell. bow. The Rays, who trailed return in September. with 21 wins. q
Associated Press