Ceccon sets world record, veteran Ledecky claims yet another title

BUDAPEST: Italy’s Thomas Ceccon set a world record in the men’s 100 backstroke and Katie Ledecky claimed yet another gold at the swimming world championships on Monday.

Ceccon stunned the competition in Budapest by clocking 51.60 seconds to shave 0.15 seconds off the previous best mark set by American Ryan Murphy at the 2016 Olympics.

“Yesterday I swam 52.1, very easy,” Ceccon said. “I am feeling good in water and just doing my race, staying calm and focusing on my race. And that’s it.”

Murphy finished second, 0.37 seconds behind, followed by compatriot Hunter Armstrong, 0.38 behind Ceccon.

“Hats off to Thomas,” Murphy said of seeing his record beaten. “That’s a really, really fast time and it’s going to be an exciting couple of years.”

While the young mustached Italian claimed his first world title, the veteran Ledecky extended her record title haul to 17 with her fourth in the 1,500 freestyle.

Ledecky never looked threatened and clocked 15:30.15 — just under 10 seconds more than her world record from 2018 – to finish 14.74 seconds ahead of fellow American Katie Grimes.

Ledecky punched the water in delight then embraced her teammate.

“To share this moment with her is really special,” Ledecky said.

The 16-year-old Grimes is the second youngest medalist in the 1,500 at a worlds since Ledecky won it for the first time in 2013.

“I was really nervous leading up to it because it’s my first world championships and Team USA has been doing a great job, so I wanted to keep that going,” Grimes said.

Ledecky also won in 2015 and 2017 and has at least four world titles in the each of the 1,500, 800 and 400 freestyle events. Only compatriot Michael Phelps also won at least four gold medals in three different swimming