Upcoming Aquatic Dominance: 12-year-old McIntosh, Yu takes the spotlight for swimming events at the 2028 LA Games
The 2022 World Aquatic Championships in Singapore saw a dazzling display of swimming prowess, with record-breaking performances, breakthrough moments, and the emergence of new talents.
Katie Ledecky continued her dominance in women's distance swimming, winning her seventh consecutive gold in the 800m freestyle with a championship record time of 8:05.62. This impressive victory extended her reign over the last decade and was hailed by many as another "race of the century."
Summer McIntosh, the 18-year-old Canadian swimmer, shone brightly, securing multiple gold medals. She clinched her second gold in the women's 200m individual medley and the women's 400m freestyle, where she pulled away on the second half to win her first world title in that event.
Leon Marchand, a rising talent in individual medley events, would have undoubtedly been a force to reckon with at the championships, having won the 400m medley in Singapore and smashing Ryan Lochte's 200m individual medley world record from 2011.
A near-podium finish by the 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi in the women's 200m individual medley highlighted the rising new talent at the championships. Yu also narrowly missed out on individual medals, finishing fourth in the 400m medley, 200m butterfly, and 200m medley.
The championships also saw Qin Haiyang reclaim his world title in the men's 100m breaststroke, while Gretchen Walsh set a championship record in the women's 100m butterfly. Notably, Singapore's Ching Hwee Gan significantly lowered her national time to qualify for the final, and Kyrgyzstan’s Denis Petrashov won his nation’s first-ever medal at Worlds in the men’s 100m breaststroke.
Several national records were broken, with the United States setting two relay world records in Singapore. However, their performance was marred by an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis following a pre-competition camp in Thailand.
Despite Ryan Lochte's criticism and an image posted on Instagram depicting a funeral for United States Swimming, the team demonstrated that their performance was stronger than anticipated, finishing with a total of nine gold medals, one ahead of Australia in the final medals table.
The Paris Games will undoubtedly be the focus for Leon Marchand, who won four individual golds in the event. Meanwhile, Chinese schoolgirl Yu made history as the youngest medallist in world championships history, taking home a relay bronze.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Bobby Finke was among the American swimmers who responded to Lochte's criticism, with the team demonstrating resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Leon Marchand, reflecting on his performance in Singapore, stated that it showed he still has a passion for swimming, setting the stage for more impressive performances in the future.
France and Canada both showed promising performances in the swimming events at the 2022 World Aquatic Championships, with French swimmer Leon Marchand breaking world records and earning gold medals, while Canadian Summer McIntosh secured multiple gold medals, notably in the women's 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle. Meanwhile, sports fans across the United States tuned in to watch their team compete, despite an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis during pre-competition camps.
