Australia’s O’Callaghan edges Sjostrom to win women’s 100m freestyle title

Budapest, June 23 (AFP/APP): Australian 18-year-old Mollie O’Callaghan edged world record holder Sarah Sjostrom to win the women’s 100m freestyle gold at the World Swimming Championships on Thursday.

O’Callaghan,a double Olympic relay gold medallist, edged the 28-year-old Swede by 0.13sec. American Torri Huske took bronze.

O’Callaghan, who had already collected a world relay gold, followed 17-year-olds David Popovici of Romania and Benedetta Pilato from Italy and 15-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh in collecting individual gold at these championships.

At 18 years and 82 days, she became the youngest winner of the 100m freestyle since 1991, when Nicole Haislett of the United States won the title at 18 years and 22 days.

It was Sjostrom’s 16th World Championship medal, but while she has eight golds, she has never won the 100m free. This was her fourth silver.

She also has world-championship and Olympic bronzes in the race.

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