American teenager Katie Ledecky broke the women's 1,500m freestyle record by an astonishing 6.01seconds, as she won gold in 15 minutes 36.53 seconds, at the 15th FINA World Championships here on Tuesday.
The 16-year-old just beat out defending champion Lotte Friis — who led for most of the race but could do little as Ledecky powered to the front on the final 100m in the Palau Sant Jordi pool here. The Dane, who also stayed well under the old mark set by American Kate Ziegler in 2007, finished just 2.35 seconds behind Ledecky.
Ledecky, who won the women's 400m freestyle on Sunday, set the second world record of the meeting after Meilutyte’s time in the 100m breaststroke semifinal. The Lithuanian expectedly won the event on Tuesday.
In the men's 100m backstroke event, Matt Grevers led an American one-two as he took gold in 52.93 from teammate David Plummer, who finished 0.19 off the pace.
Missy on course
Earlier, another American teenager, Missy Franklin, stayed on course for an unprecedented eight championship gold medals as she won the women's 100m backstroke. Franklin had earlier already picked up a gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
The 18-year-old won in a time of 58.42 seconds, beating Australian rival Emily Seebohm by 0.64 seconds. Japan's Aya Terakawa took bronze in 59.23.
The first gold of the evening session went to France's Yannick Agnel, who led the men's 200m freestyle from the start to beat the American pair of Conor Dwyer and Ryan Lochte.
American Cesilie Carlton became the first high diving world champion when she claimed gold in a fearsome spectacle.
Launching herself into the void from a platform a mind-boggling 20 metres above the Catalan capital's harbour, Carlton amassed 211.60 points to top the six-strong field, with compatriot Ginger Huber taking silver on 206.70 and Anna Bader of Germany the bronze with 203.90.
The results:
Men: 200m freestyle: 1 . Yannick Agnel (Fra) 1:44.20s, 2. Conor Dwyer (USA) 1:45.32, 3. Daniil Izotov (Rus) 1:45.59; 100m backstroke: 1. Matthew Grevers (USA) 52.93s, 2. David Plummer (USA) 53.12, 3. Jeremy Stravius (Fra) 53.21.
Women: 1500m freestyle: 1. Katie Ledecky (USA) 15:36.53s (WR) , 2. Lotte Friis (Den) 15:38.88, 3. Lauren Boyle (NZ) 15:44.71; 100m backstroke: 1. Missy Franklin (USA) 58.42s, 2. Emily Seebohm (Aus) 59.06, 3. Aya Terakawa (Jpn) 59.23; 100m breaststroke: 1. Ruta Meilutyte (Ltu) 1:04.42, 2. Yuliya Efimova (Rus) 1:05.02, 3. Jessica Hardy (USA) 1:05.52.
High diving: Women (25m): 1. Cesilie Carlton (USA) 211.60 points, 2. Ginger Huber (USA) 206.70, 3. Anna Bader (Ger) 203.90.
