World Aquatics Championships: Grousset wins men’s 100m butterfly; McKeown completes women’s backstroke sweep

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown completed a women’s backstroke clean sweep at swimming’s world championships with victory in the 200m on Saturday.

France’s Maxime Grousset reacts after winning the men’s 100m butterfly final at the Swimming World Championships 2023. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

France’s Maxime Grousset won the men’s 100m butterfly title at swimming’s world championships on Saturday. He came home in 50.14sec to finish ahead of Canada’s Josh Liendo on 50.34 and American Dare Rose on 50.46.

The race was missing defending champion Kristof Milak of Hungary and Olympic gold medallist Caeleb Dressel of the United States, neither of whom are competing in Fukuoka.

Milak skipped the event saying he was “neither physically nor mentally in a position to be the best in the world”.

Dressel failed to qualify for the American team.

He pulled out of last year’s world championships in Budapest, citing unspecified medical reasons, and took an extended break from training.

Australia’s McKeown completes world backstroke sweep

Australia’s Kaylee McKeown completed a women’s backstroke clean sweep at swimming’s world championships with victory in the 200m on Saturday.

McKeown, who also won the 50m and 100m backstroke, finished in a time of 2min, 03.85sec, ahead of American Regan Smith on 2:04.94 and China’s Peng Xuwei on 2:06.74.

McKeown’s achievement came one day after China’s Qin Haiyang became the first swimmer ever to sweep a stroke at a world championships.

Qin won the men’s 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke events.

McKeown, the Olympic champion, broke the 200m backstroke world record in March, clocking 2:03.14. The 22-year-old also holds the 100m backstroke world record.

She also claimed a silver in the mixed 4x100m medley relay earlier in the week in Fukuoka. Smith also finished second behind McKeown in both the 50m and 100m backstroke.