Il Nuovo Postiglione - Local star Milak shines but Dressel withdraws from two swimming finals

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Local star Milak shines but Dressel withdraws from two swimming finals

SPORTS 21.06.2022

Local star Milak shines but Dressel withdraws from two swimming finals / Photo: Oli SCARFF - AFP

A capacity crowd at the World Swimming Championships was deprived of one star on Tuesday night as Caeleb Dressel scratched but saw the one they wanted, roaring local hero Kristof Milak to a world record.

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Dressel, the defending champion, pulled out of the 100m freestyle semi-finals and mixed medley relay just before the session.

Dressel had swum the morning heats in the 100 finishing second fastest to Romanian teenage sensation David Popovici. Dressel won the event at the last two world championships and at last year's Olympics.

"A decision has been made by Team USA in consultation with Caeleb, his coach and the team's medical staff for him to withdraw from the 100-meter freestyle event on medical grounds. The team will determine his participation in the events later in the week," said a US team statement.

Popovici, a 17-year-old who had become the first Romanian man to win a first world title the night before, cruised to the fastest time in the semis.

Milak rode the famed Duna roar at these championships to a 200m butterfly world record to win Hungary's first gold of the week.

As, for the first time this week a packed house in the Budapest pool screamed and clapped, Milak, the reigning Olympic champion, responded with 1min 50.34sec to shave 0.39sec off the world record he set winning the last world title in 2019.

He beat France's Leon Marchand by a huge 3.03sec.

Olympic champion Bobby Finke made another late surge to grab gold in the men's 800m freestyle.

Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk who led at the last turn finished third.

Another American, Nic Fink won the men's breaststroke 50m sprint.

Yang Junxuan won the women's 200m freestyle to take China's first gold of the week.

M.Dodaro--INP