China takes silver medal in 4x200m freestyle relay at world junior swimming c'ships

JERUSALEM -- China's quartet of Wang Xizhe, Ji Yicun, Liu Wudi and Zhang Zhanshuo on Thursday took the silver medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel.

China clocked 7:13.37 in the event, with U.S. swimmers Maximus Williamson, Cooper Lucas, Jason Zhao and Daniel Diehl taking the gold in 7:09.03. Australia took the bronze in a time of 7:16.02.

Adam Mak Sai-ting of Hong Kong, China won the men's 200m breaststroke in 2:11.84, ahead of Jordan Willis of the United States and Japan's Riku Yamaguchi.

Miroslav Knedla won the men's 50m backstroke in 24.80 seconds, giving the Czech Republic their first gold medal in the competition.

Knedla was 0.11 seconds ahead of Ukraine's Oleksandr Zheltiakov, who had beaten the Czech in the 100m back on Tuesday. Argentina's Ulises Saravia took the bronze.

Nikoli Blackman won Trinidad and Tobago's first gold, in the 50m freestyle, with a time of 22.35 seconds, eight hundredths of a second ahead of Australia's Flynn Southam, who gained his fifth medal of the competition, and Lorenzo Ballarati of Italy.

In the women's swims, American Leah Hayes won the 200m individual medley gold in a championship record time of 2:10.24, adding to her golds in the double distance and the 4x200 Freestyle Relay.

Her compatriot Haley McDonald took the silver, and Canada's Julie Brousseau finished third.

Alexanne Lepage of Canada surprisingly won the 100m breaststroke final in 1:06.58, edging Estonia's Eneli Jefimova in a dramatic finish. Spain's Jimena Ruiz took the bronze.

Leah Shackley of the United States won the 50m butterfly final at 26.20, while Bosnia's Lana Pudar settled for silver at 26.26, and Australia's Olivia Wunsch took the bronze medal.

Australia took the gold in the women's 400m freestyle through Jamie Perkins, who clocked 4:05.72 ahead of Madi Mintenko and Addison Sauickie of the United States.

With two days to go, the United States lead the medal table with 11 golds, six silvers and five bronzes, ahead of Australia, who have so far collected five golds, seven silvers and four bronzes.