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O’Callaghan wins 200m freestyle world title in world record

Australian teen Mollie O’Callaghan set a new world record in winning the women’s 200m freestyle in a time of 1min, 52.85sec at swimming’s world championships on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old finished ahead of fellow Australian Ariarne Titmus on 1:53.01 and Canadian Summer McIntosh on 1:53.65.

Titmus led for most of the race but O’Callaghan reeled her in over the home straight to touch first.

The previous world record was 1:52.98, set by Italian Federica Pellegrini at the 2009 world championships.

“I’m just really shook at the moment because coming into this I did have an injury and I was just expecting to have fun,” O’Callaghan said.

“I was going to be really happy. To come away with a world record is just amazing.”

O’Callaghan had fired a warning shot at the Australian trials last month, beating Titmus with the fastest time of the year so far.

Titmus is the Olympic champion in the 200m and 400m freestyle and she was looking to claim a world double in Fukuoka.

She completed the first half on the competition’s opening night, beating American Katie Ledecky and McIntosh to win the 400m in a world-record time.

Defending champion Yang Junxuan of China did not defend her title in Fukuoka.

Yang’s win in Budapest last year gave China its only individual swimming gold of the championships.

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