World Aquatics Championships: Kyle Chalmers powers to gold in men’s 100m freestyle

Australia’s Kyle Chalmers set a blistering pace towards the end to claim gold in the blue riband men’s 100 metres freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday.

Chalmers won in 47.15 seconds and Jack Alexy of the United States surprised a stacked field to take silver, 0.16 seconds behind the winner. Frenchman Maxime Grousset grabbed bronze ahead of China’s Pan Zhanle.

Romania’s David Popovici, who boasts the world record of 46.86 seconds, was sixth in another disappointing run after his fourth-place finish in the 200m freestyle this week at the Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall.

Matthew Richards’ hopes of a second gold after stunning the 2022 champion Popovici in that event were also dashed, as the Briton could only manage fifth.

Australia’s triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown won the women’s 50m backstroke crown after claiming the title over 100m earlier this week.

RELATED: Canada’s McIntosh wins 200m butterfly world title

The 22-year-old came home in 27.08 seconds ahead of American Smith who went 27.11 while Briton Lauren Cox had to settle for bronze, finishing 0.12 seconds behind the champion.

Frenchman Leon Marchand will gun for this third individual title at the championships after his world record showing in the 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly gold as the 21-year-old takes to the pool to defend his 200m medley crown.

Up for grabs is American Ryan Lochte’s world record of 1:54.00 set at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai but the race promises to be close, with Carson Foster and Daiya Seto – last year’s silver and bronze medallists – also in the fray.

The U.S. women’s team, gold medallists at five of the last six worlds in the 4x200m freestyle relay, will bid to stave off Australia and Britain and retain their title in the final race of the evening.