U.S. sweeps backstroke golds at swimming worlds
Hunter Armstrong and Claire Curzan gave the U.S. a sweep of the 100m backstroke golds at the world swimming championships for the first time since 2013.
The 6-foot-8 Armstrong earned his third world medal in the event after bronzes the last two years. He overtook Spain's Hugo Gonzalez by two hundredths of a second.
Curzan, 19, earned her first individual world title, clocking a personal best 58.29 seconds.
The U.S. last swept the 100m back golds in 2013 with Missy Franklin and Matt Grevers.
SWIMMING WORLDS: Results | Broadcast Schedule
Among the stars to skip these worlds, the first held in an Olympic year, were 100m back world record holders Thomas Ceccon of Italy and Kaylee McKeown of Australia. Plus, the top U.S. backstrokers last year — world champion Ryan Murphy and world silver medalist Regan Smith.
Americans are preparing for June's Olympic Trials, where the top two in each event (top six in 100m and 200m freestyles for relays) make the team for Paris.
In the last Olympic cycle, Armstrong went from 19th in the nation in the 100m back in 2019 to taking second to Murphy at the trials.
Armstrong tied for ninth in Tokyo before making the podium at three consecutive worlds.
Curzan was runner-up in the 100m fly at the Tokyo trials at age 16, then placed 10th at the Olympics.
She earned five medals at the 2022 Worlds, including 100m back bronze, and did not make the team for the 2023 Worlds after dealing with illness before nationals.
Also Tuesday, South Korean Hwang Sun-Woo won the men's 200m freestyle in 1:44.75 after taking silver and bronze the last two years. American Luke Hobson earned bronze, his first individual world medal.
The fastest men in this Olympic cycle remain Romanian David Popovici (1:42.97 from 2022) and Brit Matthew Richards (1:44.30 from 2023), who weren't in the Doha field.
Italian Simona Quadarella won the women's 1500m free in 15:46.99 in the absence of Katie Ledecky, who is undefeated in the event for 13 years and focused on training at the University of Florida.
Ledecky won last year's world title, her fifth in the event, in 15:26.47 and owns the world record of 15:20.48.
Worlds continue Wednesday with finals live on Peacock at 11 a.m. ET.
