American Justin Ress won gold in the 50m backstroke in dramatic circumstances at the world championships in Budapest on Saturday after officials overturned his initial disqualification following a lengthy review.
Ress’ elation at winning the race in 24.12 ended promptly when he was disqualified for being submerged at the finish. Teammate Hunter Armstrong, who finished two-hundredths of a second behind, was awarded the win, while the 17-year-old Ksawery Masiuk of Poland was bumped up to silver and Italy star Thomas Ceccon grabbed the bronze.
FINA later overturned the disqualification, meaning Ress was awarded gold, Armstrong silver and Masiuk bronze.
“That’s probably the worst possible way a race could go,” Ress said.
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In the women's 50m breaststroke category, Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania won the Gold Medal, clocking a timing of 29.70 seconds. This is the second Gold Medal at the World for the Lithuanian, with her first coming nine years ago in 2013.
“It’s nice to be a world champion, I’m super proud of myself," said Meilutytė, who claimed her second world title nine years after winning the 100 breaststroke in 2013. “I'm grateful for every step taken in my life, the bad ones and the good ones as well.”
Bendetta Pilato of Italy finished second with a timing of 29.80 seconds, while Lara van Niekerk secured the bronze medal clocking 29.90 seconds.
In the Men's 1500m freestyle, Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri won the Gold Medal, while American Robert Finke secured silver medal, just ahead of Florian Wellbrock of Germany, who finished third.
It was the third world title in the men’s 1500m freestyle for the Italian, whose timing was a new Championship record.
He finished with a comfortable lead, clocking a time of 14:32.80, while the other two finished close with Finke finishing at 14:36.70, while Wellbrock finished at 14:36.94.
"So many people thought I was finished. I am not a person who lets himself be influenced by others but in these days I had enough doubts," Paltrinieri, 27, told reporters.
"Then I said 'no' and I felt stronger but I had to prove it in the race... I was in lane one, I felt the whole arena on me, but I didn't think so much. And time was not the priority today - today I dived in with the will to win."
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In the Women's 50m freestyle, Sarah Sjostorm of Sweden touched the wall first, winning the Gold Medal with a timing of 23.98 seconds. This was the 10th Gold Medal for the Swede at the World Championships.
Katarzyna Wasick of Poland finished second with a timing of 24.18 seconds while Australian Meg Harris secured the bronze medal with a timing of 24.38 seconds. It is the first individual medal for the Australian at the World Championships.
In the Men's 400m medley relay, Italy bagged the gold medal with a timing of 3:27.51, while the United States of America finished second (3:27.79) and Great Britain won the bronze medal (3:31.31).
(with inputs from AP and Reuters)
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