Overview

• Summer McIntosh won her first world title in the women’s 400m freestyle in 3:56.26, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of China’s Li Bingjie and the United States’ Katie Ledecky.
• Less than 20 minutes after her freestyle victory, McIntosh posted the fastest semifinal time in the 200m individual medley, setting the stage for a potential second gold on Day 2.
• With Australia’s four-time Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus on a season-long break, McIntosh and Ledecky renewed their rivalry on opening night in the absence of the reigning 400m champion.
• Germany’s Lukas Maertens edged Australia’s Sam Short by 0.02 seconds to win the men’s 400m freestyle, marking his first world title in the event.
• Swimming Australia underscored its relay depth by capturing both the women’s and men’s 4×100m freestyle relays, with the men setting a championship record of 3:08.97.