The United States women saved their best for last, setting a world record in the 400 medley relay in the final race of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske clocked a world record 3:49.34 to end the meet. The victory gave the United States its ninth gold medal, edging Australia’s eight for the most in Singapore. The U.S. also had 11 silver medals and nine bronze, giving it 29 total medals, well ahead of Australia’s 20.
The United States team struggled early in the meet after a number of its swimmers came down with a stomach bug and either performed well below expectations or had to withdraw from events completely. U.S. legends Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte criticized the Americans’ performance — before the Americans picked up three gold medals on Saturday and then another on Sunday with the women’s world-record relay.
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Canadian star Summer McIntosh completed arguably the greatest world championships ever by a female swimmer, capturing her fourth gold medal in Singapore after winning the women’s 400m individual medley in 4:25.78.
McIntosh’s time was the fourth-fastest ever. Twelve-year-old Yu Zidi from China finished fourth.
McIntosh came to Singapore attempting to join Phelps as the only swimmers to ever win five golds in an individual world championships. Her bid ended when Katie Ledecky beat her in the women’s 800m freestyle on Saturday.
McIntosh, who finished third in the 800 free, also won the women’s 400m freestyle, 200m IM and 200m butterfly.
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French star Leon Marchand won gold in the men’s 400m individual medley, 4:04.73, well ahead of second-place Tomoyuki Matsushita of Japan (4:08.32), but not close to Marchand’s own WR.
Marchand had earlier set a WR in the 200 IM in Singapore, becoming the first man to sweep the 200 IM and 400 IM in three world championships
American Lilly King, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, finished fifth in the women’s 50m breaststroke in the final competitive race of her career.
American Bobby Finke won bronze in men’s 1500m freestyle on Sunday. The U.S. finished third in the men’s 4×100 medley relay.
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