Americans Dominate Pan Pacs' Final Day, Campbell Wins Five Golds
TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States, headlined by Katie Ledecky and Ryan Murphy, dominated the final night in the pool of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on Sunday, whilst Australian Cate Campbell secured her fourth and fifth golds of the meet.
American swimmers won six of the eight available individual golds as well as the men's 4x100 meters medley relay, as they finish top of the overall medals table with 18 golds. Australia came second with 8, whilst hosts Japan secured 6.
Ledecky was a class above the rest of the field as she claimed her third gold medal of the meet with victory in the women's 1,500m.
Ledecky won in a time of 15:38.97, more than 11 seconds faster than Australia's Kiah Melverton in second but, lacking any real competition, the 21-year-old was well off her world record time of 15:20.48 set earlier this year.
The Tokyo 2020 Games will see women competing in the 1,500m for the first time at an Olympics.
It means Ledecky, who has already won five Olympic gold medals, will be competing in four individual events in two years time.
"(Competing in many events) is something I really enjoy so I don't really anticipate dropping any of them," said Ledecky, who has swam nine of the top 10 fastest times in the 1,500 meters.
Campbell claimed victory in the women's 50m freestyle, setting a championship record time of 24.22 seconds meaning four-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel had to settle for second, with Emma McKeon of Australia in third.
Campbell later added a fifth gold in the women's 4x100m medley relay as Australia edged out the United States. The 26-year-old now has nine Pan Pacific gold medals.
The biggest cheer of the night was saved for the last individual race, as Japanese world record holder Ippei Watanabe produced an exhilarating final length to win the men's 200m breaststroke in a championship record time of 2:07.75.
Watanabe has struggled since breaking the world record last year but delivered in Tokyo on Sunday, almost lifting the roof off the Tatsumi Swimming Centre.
Australian pair Zac Stubblety-Cook and Matthew Wilson took the silver and bronze medals respectively.
*****Ryan Murphy celebrates after winning the Men's 50 LC Meter Backstroke finals with a new American Record of 24.24 during the 2018 USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships swim meet at William Woollett, Jr. Aquatic Center.
American swimmers won six of the eight available individual golds as well as the men's 4x100 meters medley relay, as they finish top of the overall medals table with 18 golds. Australia came second with 8, whilst hosts Japan secured 6.
Ledecky was a class above the rest of the field as she claimed her third gold medal of the meet with victory in the women's 1,500m.
Ledecky won in a time of 15:38.97, more than 11 seconds faster than Australia's Kiah Melverton in second but, lacking any real competition, the 21-year-old was well off her world record time of 15:20.48 set earlier this year.
The Tokyo 2020 Games will see women competing in the 1,500m for the first time at an Olympics.
It means Ledecky, who has already won five Olympic gold medals, will be competing in four individual events in two years time.
"(Competing in many events) is something I really enjoy so I don't really anticipate dropping any of them," said Ledecky, who has swam nine of the top 10 fastest times in the 1,500 meters.
Campbell claimed victory in the women's 50m freestyle, setting a championship record time of 24.22 seconds meaning four-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel had to settle for second, with Emma McKeon of Australia in third.
Campbell later added a fifth gold in the women's 4x100m medley relay as Australia edged out the United States. The 26-year-old now has nine Pan Pacific gold medals.
The biggest cheer of the night was saved for the last individual race, as Japanese world record holder Ippei Watanabe produced an exhilarating final length to win the men's 200m breaststroke in a championship record time of 2:07.75.
Watanabe has struggled since breaking the world record last year but delivered in Tokyo on Sunday, almost lifting the roof off the Tatsumi Swimming Centre.
Australian pair Zac Stubblety-Cook and Matthew Wilson took the silver and bronze medals respectively.
*****Ryan Murphy celebrates after winning the Men's 50 LC Meter Backstroke finals with a new American Record of 24.24 during the 2018 USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships swim meet at William Woollett, Jr. Aquatic Center.