Qin secures a second gold medal at the Worlds, preceding an anticipated spectacle
In the heart-pounding finale of the 200m breaststroke event at the 2025 Swimming World Championships in Singapore, China's Qin secured a gold medal with a time of 2min 07.41sec. This victory marks Qin's regaining of the world title he won in 2023, and it was Britain's first title in the event.
Qin's triumphant return to the top of the podium was a remarkable comeback, having failed to secure individual medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. His performance was described as a "miracle" by many, signaling his return to top form in the event.
The Dutch swimmer Caspar Corbeau took the bronze medal with a time of 2:07.73, while Ippei Watanabe from Japan earned the silver with a time of 2:07.70. Evgeniia Chikunova from Russia secured the silver medal in the women's competition with a time of 2:19.96.
Qin's preparations for the event were affected by a doping scandal, but he was not sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency accepted the argument of Chinese authorities that the positive tests were caused by contaminated food. This incident cast a shadow over Qin's victory, with some quarters accusing Chinese authorities of a cover-up.
Meanwhile, defending champion Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands won the 100m freestyle event, while Pieter Coetze from South Africa took the silver in the 200m backstroke final. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard from France earned the bronze in the 200m backstroke final.
In other news, Britain won the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, with Australia finishing third. Mollie O'Callaghan, who won the 200m freestyle, finished second in the 100m freestyle. Kaylene Corbett from the United States took the bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke final.
As the competition continues, American Katie Ledecky, who holds the world record in the 800m freestyle, will compete against Australia's Ariarne Titmus in the 800m freestyle final on Saturday. Ledecky is aiming to join Michael Phelps as the only swimmer to win five individual titles at a single world championships.
Qin, who also won the 100m breaststroke earlier in the week, will be looking to add more medals to his collection as the championships progress. McIntosh, who has already won three golds from three events in Singapore, will also be a force to reckon with in the upcoming events.
Qin's impressive win in the 200m breaststroke marks his return to success in sports after a disappointing performance at the 2024 Olympics, showcasing his resilience and dedication to the sport. His victory in Singapore, despite the previous doping controversy, has sparked debates about fairness and integrity within sports, especially given the shadow cast over his triumph by some accusations of a cover-up.
