The satisfaction of Katinka Hosszu (HUN) and of her coach at the end of the women’s 100m backstroke is the image of Day 2 at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), taking place in Doha (QAT) until December 7. After an initial day where she lost two races (200m butterfly and 400m IM) to Mireia Belmonte (ESP), the Magyar swam with all her energy for the gold in the backstroke event, highlighting her effort with a new World Record of 55.03 – Hosszu swam 0.20 faster than Shiho Sakai (JPN, 55.23) in 2009. When looking at the scoreboard, the FINA Best Female Swimmer of 2014, strongly beat the water, and screamed her joy, meaning to whoever doubted of her shape that she is one of the swimmers to beat in the Qatari capital.

But this consolation was not enough to win the third direct duel with Mireia Belmonte, this time in the 800m free. The Magyar champion looked tired throughout the final, and Belmonte, WR holder since 2013 in 7:59.34 easily managed to control operations: she got her third gold in Doha, winning in a new Championships record of 8:03.41 (almost five seconds faster than the 8:08.25 clocked in 2008 by Rebecca Adlington, from Great Britain). Hosszu was fifth (8:20.71) of the fastest heat and ninth in the overall ranking of the event.

A happy man after this second day was Brazil’s Felipe Franca Silva, winner of the men’s 100m breaststroke, in a new Championships record of 56.29. The South American star, swimming in lane 7, managed to beat the WR holder Cameron van der Burgh (RSA, fourth), and the fastest of the semis, Adam Peaty (GBR, who had qualified first for the decisive race in a Championships record of 56.43, and got the silver).

Less than one hour before the individual title, Franca Silva was involved in relay action: the first-ever race of the men’s 4x50m medley in a FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) was won by Brazil in a new World Record time of 1:30.51. Guilherme Guido, Felipe Franca, Nicholas Santos and Cesar Cielo took an early and decisive control of the race and improved the time of 1:32.78 (also a WR) established in the morning heats by the Russians, who could not make the podium (4th), behind France (silver) and USA (bronze).