O'Callaghan crushes 200m world record as post-Titmus era begins

[ad_1] Mollie O'Callaghan has crushed the ladies's quick course 200m world report with an outstanding 1:49.77 on the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup second leg in Westmond, Illinois.

The 21-year-old turned the primary lady to swim below 1:50 for the 200m freestyle, beating compatriot Lani Pallister — who set a brand new private finest time — into the silver medal spot by 2.29 seconds.

The earlier report stood at 1:50.31, set by Hong Kong’s Siobhán Haughey in 2021.

For O'Callaghan and Australian swimming, it might be a case of the queen is lifeless, lengthy stay the queen, following the shock retirement of long-course world report holder Ariarne Titmus on Thursday.

Titmus, who claimed the report in a 50m pool from O'Callaghan on the 2024 Olympic trials in Brisbane, mentioned she now not had the fireplace for top-level competitors.

However her youthful rival at St Peter's Western, O'Callaghan, who additionally admitted it was arduous to get again within the pool following a vastly profitable Paris Olympics, confirmed that she nonetheless has a lot to provide with a chic meet.

In addition to her crushing 200m swim, O'Callaghan claimed a bronze medal within the 50m freestyle — with compatriot Alexandria Perkins successful silver, which she matched within the 50m butterfly — and backstroke occasions, with the 100m nonetheless to come back on Sunday, native time, within the 25m pool.

O'Callaghan was overwhelmed in that 50m backstroke by Kaylee McKeown, who edged Gretchen Walsh into silver by simply 0.02 seconds, with O'Callaghan third.

On Sunday, McKeown was overwhelmed within the 100m backstroke by arch-rival Regan Smith, who equalled the world report to assert victory by over a second.

Lani Pallister set a brand new 400m World Cup finest time in Illinois. ( Getty Photographs: Sarah Stier, file )

Earlier within the meet, Pallister set a brand new World Cup report within the 400m freestyle with a superb 3:52.42, comfortably beating world championship bronze medallist Erika Fairweather of New Zealand.

That point beat her personal Australian report and was the third quickest time in historical past.

"Any time you set information and a few finest instances, it's important to be blissful," Pallister advised World Aquatics.

"I believe for me, I will get in hassle for a few my abilities in that race. That is one thing to work on transferring ahead which suggests I simply have room for enchancment.

"As a lot as racing is essential, I wish to preserve my quantity comparatively regular in a coaching week. So, I believe the principle factor is simply conserving issues up and comparatively low depth and use this because the arduous a part of the week."

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Pallister, who has emerged as Australia's subsequent center distance queen within the absence of Titmus over the previous yr, paid credit score to the four-time Olympic gold medallist.

"I do know there was loads of discuss her coming again and it is good she's decided for her," Pallister mentioned.

"She appears actually blissful in the meanwhile, which I believe is the nicest factor. She's achieved a lot as an athlete, a lot for swimming, worldwide swimming and setting the usual for center distance swimming internationally.

"I've quite a bit to thank her for, for making me a greater athlete."

Within the males's 400m, Sam Quick took the win with a time of three:36.27.

"We've got to maintain up the robust status within the 400m freestyle," mentioned Quick, who added a silver medal within the 800m on Saturday night time.