16th FINA World Championships : Johansson stuns with 50m breaststroke gold

The Swedish swimmer clocked 30.05sec to win first world title

KAZAN: Sweden’s Jennie Johansson was the shock winner of the women’s 50m breaststroke gold at the world swimming championships on Sunday.

Johansson clocked 30.05sec to win on the wall as Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson claimed silver at just 0.06sec back, while Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, 0.08sec behind, earned bronze.

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania, the reigning Olympic 100m champion, finished fourth at 0.09 as just 0.15secs separated the first five swimmers.

This is the 27-year-old Johannsson’s first world or Olympic title having won silver for the 50 and 100m breaststroke at last year’s European championships in Berlin.

Atkinson, 26, was delighted with her second medal in Kazan having taken bronze in the 100m final behind Efimova and Meilutyte.

“It’s fantastic,” said Atkinson. “The last two worlds, I’ve got ninth in both events, so to come back and medal in both shows how much I am improving.”

In other races, Australia’s Bronte Campbell won the women’s 50m freestyle final to complete the sprint double having already won the 100m title.

The 21-year-old clocked 24.12sec to take gold with Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands taking silver at 0.10sec back as Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom earned bronze at 0.19.

France’s Camille Lacourt won the men’s 50m backstroke final, clocking 24.23sec to claim gold with Matt Grevers of the USA taking silver at 0.38sec back, while Ben Treffers of Australia earned bronze at 0.46. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th,  2015.

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