ASIA: Sun Yang Breaks Tie with Peirsol, Hackett for 3rd Highest Number of Worlds Titles

2017 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
• LCM (50m)
• Full Competition Schedule
• Meet Info
• Psych Sheets
• Omega Results
• Pick ’em Contest
• Event-by-Event Previews

Sun Yang‘s victory in tonight’s 400 free was a redeeming point for him after he lost the event to Australia’s Mack Horton last summer. On day 1 in Budapest, he took off and never looked back in the final, leading from start to finish with a dominant 3:41.38. Horton was over a body length back in 3:43.85 for silver.

Tonight’s win was historic for Sun as it makes him the solo 3rd most decorated performer ever in terms of men’s World Championships gold medals, breaking the former tie he shared with Aaron Peirsol (7) and Grant Hackett (7). His 400 free victory gave him his 8th career World Championships title.

Sun Yang‘s Career World Championship Titles:

• 2011- 800 free, 1500 free
• 2013- 400 free, 800 free, 1500 free
• 2015- 400 free, 800 free
• 2017- 400 free

Sun has now won 3 consecutive titles in the 400 free, and could make it 3 consecutive titles in the 800 free if he’s able to top the field later in the meet.

Winningest Men’s Swimmers in World Championships History

• Michael Phelps- 15 titles
• Ryan Lochte- 10 titles
• Sun Yang– 8 titles
• Aaron Peirsol– 7 titles
• Grant Hackett– 7 titles

There were only a handful of events tonight in which the finals round was contested, so there isn’t much to put on the medal table right now. The only other Asian medalist tonight was China’s Li Bingjie, who put up a 4:03.25 to take bronze in the women’s 400 free final. That means China is the only Asian country to medal through day 1 finals.

DAY 1 RECORDS – ASIA:

• Men’s 50 Fly Prelims: Joseph Schooling (SIN), Asian Record, 23.05
• Men’s 50 Fly Prelims: Joseph Schooling (SIN), Singaporean Record, 23.05
• Men’s 50 Fly Semifinals: Joseph Schooling (SIN), Asian Record, 22.93
• Men’s 50 Fly Semifinals: Joseph Schooling (SIN), Asian Record, 22.93
• Men’s 400 Free Relay: Japan (Nakamura, Shiuora, Matsumoto, Koga), Japanese Record, 3:13.65

DAY 1 MEDAL TABLE – ASIA: