While the world is still shocked by the images of the rescue of Anita Alvarezthe Swimming World Cup continues with a historical record. the American Katie Ledecky his legend grows with his fifth consecutive gold in the 800 free.

Ledecky, who last Wednesday became the most medalized swimmer (21) in World Cup history, made her legend even bigger by becoming this Thursday in the first swimmer, man or woman, to link five consecutive titles in the same eventwinning the 800 free final.

Triumph taken for granted given the superiority of the North American, who not only won all the Olympic and world distance titles, since he was only 15 he has hung gold at the 2012 London Gamesbut it also has the twenty-seven best brands of all time.

An absolute domination that Ledecky, 25 years oldshe did not want to allow anyone to dare to question herself in Budapest, where the American had already accumulated three gold medals, thanks to her triumphs in the 400 and 1,500 free runs, as well as in the 4×200 relay.

With no rivals to contest her victory, the question was whether the American would be able to get close to her world record, the 8: 04.79 minutes that Katie Ledecky set at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

A score that seemed impossible after the 8: 09.27 that Washington had this year as the best record of the year, but even so Ledecky did not give up, who despite never being able to lower his record, prevailed with a record of 8: 08.4 minutes, the fifth best score of all time.

Almost eleven seconds less than their closest pursuers Australian Kiah Melverton (8: 18.77) and Italian Simona Quadarella (8: 19.00), who escorted Katie Ledecky to the podium, who added her 22nd medal, 19 gold and 3 silver, to the World Cup.

There was also a double in butterfly

The Hungarian also did not fail Kristof Milakwho, after taking gold in the 200 butterfly with a new world record, completed the double and was proclaimed this Friday the world champion of the 100 with a time of 50.14.

Without the presence of the American Caeleb Dresselthe current Olympic and world distance champion, who withdrew from the championships on Wednesday for unspecified “medical reasons”, the venue found no rivals on the road to gold.

A lack of competition that prevented Milak from beating Dressel’s world record -49.45- despite the Hungarian swam the first length faster -23.42- compared to the Tokyo Olympics final when he forced the American to set a new world record for hanging gold.

But if Milak returned to Tokyo in a spectacular 26.03, this time he completed the last length in 26.72, insufficient to beat the world record, but not to take the title ahead of Japanese Naoki Mizunuma, silver with a time of 50.94, and the Canadian Joshua Liendo, bronze with a record of 50.97 seconds.

the queen of speed

In the World Cup in which a new generation of swimmers She attacked the first steps of the podium, the Swedish Sarah Sjostrom proved her worth at the age of 28 with the victory in the final of the 50 butterfly.

After finishing second in the final of the 100 free after the young Mollie O’Callaghan, the new sensation of Australian speed at just 18, Sarah Sjostrom aroused no surprises and added her third consecutive title of world champion of the 50 butterfly, after winning the final of the short stage with a time of 24.95 seconds.

An unattainable sign for the French Melanie Henrique, who hung the silver medal, and for the Chinese Yufei Zhang, bronze, who failed to lower the 25-second barrier.

Ben Proud, at the forefront of men

Britain’s Ben Proud reiterated his idyll with the Hungarian capital and after having proclaimed himself 50 butterfly world champion in Budapest in 2017, he won the gold medal in Friday’s 50 free freestyle final.

Proud, who had already been the fastest in the semifinals, was reconfirmed in the absence of the American Caeleb Dressel as the fastest swimmer, beating in the final the American Michael Andrew, silver, and the French Maxime Grousset with a time of 21.32 seconds., bronze.

The spoils of Australia

Despite the absence of stars like Emma McKeon or Ariarne Titmus, the Australian team continues to be a guarantee of success, as confirmed by the triumphs of Kaylee McKeown in the final of the 200 backstrokes and the mixed 4×100 free relay.

McKeown, current Olympic champion, did not fail in the long test on the back and won gold in front of the American Phoebe Bacon, who despite having dominated the first 150 meters of the test could not with the terrifying finish of the Australian who hung up. gold with a time of 2: 05.08 minutes.

Gold that the Australian mixed relay, made up of Jack Cartwright, Kyle Chalmers, Madison Wilson and Mollie O’Callaghan, adorned with a new world record -3: 19.38- in the final of the 4×100 free relay.

With information from EFE