World Aquatics C'ships: McKeown sets record to win 200m backstroke

SINGAPORE: Australia's Kaylee McKeown delivered a dominant performance to win the women's 200m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships on Saturday, setting a new Championship record of 2 minutes and 3.33 seconds.

The 24-year-old Olympic champion improved on the 6-year-old previous championship mark of 2:03.35 and reaffirmed her position as the queen of backstroke.

American star Regan Smith, the previous world record holder, took silver in 2:04.29, 0.96 seconds behind McKeown. The 23-year-old, who won the event at the 2019 Gwangju Worlds, took for second despite a strong start and a swift 0.56 reaction time -- the fastest of the field.

Smith's teammate, Claire Curzan clocked 2:06.04 to earn the bronze medal. China's Peng Xuwei placed fourth in 2:07.22, while compatriot Liu Yaxin, a seasoned campaigner at 26, finished sixth in 2:09.71. Agencies

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