After promising start, Penny Oleksiak misses podium in 200m freestyle
19-year-old Canadian places 6th; mixed medley relay squad qualifies for Olympics
Despite a strong start, Canada's Penny Oleksiak missed the podium in the women's 200-metre freestyle at the world championships on Wednesday in Gwangju, South Korea.
Oleksiak placed sixth with a time of one minute 56.59 seconds, one day after setting her personal best in the event at 1:56.41.
Italy's Federica Pellegrini won gold with a steady race at 1:54.22, edging out Australia's Ariarne Titmus by nearly half of a second (1:54.66). Sweden's Sarah Sjoestroem grabbed bronze after clocking in at 1:56.59.
"I'm not sad, I'm so happy," Pellegrini said. "I'm so happy because it's an amazing world championships, an amazing 200 and I hope next year, my last Olympic championship, and after that a new life."
The 30-year-old Italian overtook 18-year-old Titmus down the stretch to earn her fourth career gold in the event.
"I am too old for this," she said afterward.
Oleksiak, the 19-year-old Toronto native, didn't compete in the 200 freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics where she won four medals, including gold in the 100. She helped Canada win bronze in the women's 4x100 relay along with Kayla Sanchez, Maggie MacNeil and Taylor Ruck to open worlds on Sunday.
Oleksiak burst off the blocks on Wednesday with a race-high time of 26.45 seconds in the first 50 metres. She still stood third at the halfway point, but faded badly down the stretch.
Oleksiak swam the slowest final length at 30.61 seconds.
WATCH | Oleksiak grabs 6th in 200 freestyle:
"Penny Oleksiak made her first world final in the 200 freestyle, swam a best time in the semifinals and tonight went out for the swim. She showed great intent with how she raced the 200 freestyle so that's really positive for Penny," said Swimming Canada High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson.
A pair of medal favourites dropped out of Wednesday's final, as American star Katie Ledecky was ill and Canada's Ruck cited load management.
Ledecky hasn't been at the pool since Monday. She withdrew from the 200 freestyle heats and the 1,500 free final on Tuesday also. The American star is being monitored by doctors, but no diagnosis has been disclosed.
A fifth-place finish in the mixed 4x100 medley relay clinched the first day without a swimming medal for Canada.
The team of Kylie Masse, MacNeil, Yuri Kisil and Richard Funk timed in at 3:43.06, nearly four seconds off the gold-medal pace set by the Australians (3:39.08).
A close finish left the Americans just two hundredths of a second out of first place, while Great Britain narrowly topped Russia for bronze.
Canada's placement was still good enough to qualify for the inaugural event at the Tokyo Olympics.
"We're really excited. I know we ended up getting bronze a couple years ago and tonight we weren't quite on that, but I'm so proud of us and I think we're really good for where we are right now, and we have a spot next year which is all that really matters," MacNeil said.
Teenager smashes Phelps' world record
Hungary's Kristof Milak, 19, set a world record in the 200 butterfly at 1:50.73, shattering the mark previously held by Michael Phelps by nearly a full second. Silver medallist Daiya Seto of Japan finished over three seconds behind the Hungarian.
Phelps set the record one decade ago in Rome at the height of the high-tech suit era. The 19-year-old swimmer became the first teenager to win a world title in the event since Phelps at age 18 in 2003.
"It's an amazing feeling," said Milak, who climbed out of the pool and took two deep bows as the crowd cheered.
WATCH | Milak crushes 200 butterfly world record:
Chad le Clos of South Africa took out the race under world-record pace through the first lap before Milak gained the lead after 150 metres.
"When I turned back and saw the time, all the pressure, all the tension just got off my back and all the joys came out," Milak said.
Italy's Gregorio Paltrinieri won the 800 free. Three-time world champion Sun Yang of China was never a factor and finished sixth.
There was none of the booing that rained down on him a night earlier when Sun won the 200 freestyle after Danas Rapsys of Lithuania finished first and then got disqualified for a false start.
On the medals podium, Sun was shunned by co-bronze medalist Duncan Scott of Britain. Sun told Scott, "You lose, I win" before they walked off. FINA sent warning letters to both swimmers.
With files from The Associated Press