Aquatics’
Finest Hour: Budapest hosts a record-setting end to the 2024 season as athlete
set 30 World Records, 13 World Junior Records, 46 Championship Records, and 63
Continental Records at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) -
Budapest 2024.
15
December 2024; BUDAPEST (HUN) – The World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m)
came to a spectacular close at the Duna Arena after six thrilling days of
competition that saw a record 30 World Records fall.
The final
races, the Men’s and Women’s 4x100m Medley Relays, delivered a fitting finale.
In the women’s relay, Regan Smith of the United States set the tone with a
record-breaking backstroke lead-off leg of 54.02. Her teammates Lilly King,
Gretchen Walsh, and Kate Douglass carried the momentum, finishing with a World
Record of 3:40.41.
In the
men’s relay, a quartet of Neutral Athletes—Miron Lifintsev, Kirill Prigoda,
Andrei Minakov, and Egor Kornev—followed suit, setting a World Record of
3:18.68.
The USA
claimed the Best Team Award with an impressive medal haul of 18 gold, 13
silver, and 8 bronze. Canada ranked second with 4 golds, 5 silvers, and 6
bronzes, followed by Australia with 2 golds, 5 silvers, and 5 bronzes. Overall,
25 countries reached the medal podium, underscoring swimming’s global appeal
and competitiveness.
Nine
hundred eighty-five athletes from a record 195 countries competed in 45 medal
events, showcasing incredible talent over the six days. Among the 30 World
Records set, six came in relay events, highlighting the depth of teamwork and
competition. The Championships also saw 13 World Junior Records, 46
Championship Records, and 63 Continental Records fall.
The
rewriting of the record books started early. During the first-day prelims,
Gretchen Walsh of the United States first stormed to an individual World Record
of 24.02 in the Women’s 50m Butterfly heats. She ultimately recorded 10 World
Records – nine individual and two in relays by Championships’ end.
In
addition to America’s Douglas, Smith and Walsh, Summer McIntosh of Canada had
outstanding Championships with three golds, a silver and a bronze. The 18-year-old also set three World Records
and five World Junior Records in Budapest.
Noe Ponti
stood out in the men’s field, winning golds in the 50m and 100m Butterfly and
the 100m Individual Medley while setting three World Records.
Fittingly,
Ponti and Walsh walked away with the Best Male and Best Female swimmer awards
of these Championships.
In
addition to medals and records, athletes were rewarded with a total prize money
purse of US $2.875 million.
All World
Records, including the relays, earned US $25,000 for each of their
record-setting performances.
Athletes
also earned $10,000 for winning a “Double Crown” by going undefeated in an
event through the entire World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 season and
these Championships.
Across
the 2024 calendar year, swimmers earned $7.1 million at World Aquatics events,
the most in the organisation’s 116-year history.
Over 36
hours of live sports broadcast and six daily highlight programmes produced by
host broadcaster Visual Europe Production were distributed in over 150
territories. World Aquatics also provided additional live digital coverage to
ensure the event was available in every country.
World
Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam opened the final night of action from the
pool by thanking the athletes, organisers and supporters that packed the stands
in Budapest.
“We have
never seen anything like this before—a World Aquatics Swimming Championships
with so many World Records. Day after day, our athletes have set new standards,
and it has been a privilege to watch them. I am incredibly proud of the
swimmers. After such a demanding year, their ability to deliver so many
exceptional performances is truly remarkable.
“I also
want to thank the organisers of these World Championships. Your hard work has
been a key factor in the athletes’ success,” added World Aquatics President
Al-Musallam. “You delivered an outstanding venue that provided everything our
swimmers needed to excel, and it’s clear the athletes love competing here.
“We are
deeply grateful to our sponsors for their unwavering support. Thank you for
being part of this incredible journey.
“Finally,
thank you so much for being part of these World Championships. Thank you,
Budapest.”
Hungarian
Swimming Federation President and event co-chair Sandor Wladar noted the
lasting impact of Hungary hosting the World Aquatics Swimming Championships
(25m) for the first time.
“We set
out to create a championship that would provide a truly unique experience and
lasting memories for everyone—whether attending in person or watching the
broadcasts worldwide. We imagined, planned, and hoped swimmers, coaches,
officials, and fans would embrace our vision.
This
success is thanks to this incredible team—a perfect blend of experienced
organisers, dedicated professionals, and passionate volunteers—as well as the
unwavering support of our partners, with the Hungarian Government leading the
way, added Wladar. “Together, we delivered an event that set the highest number
of World Records achieved at a World Swimming Championships (25m), drew
exceptional attendance, and generated an electrifying atmosphere. This is what
people have come to expect from Budapest and the iconic Duna Arena.
“We are
deeply grateful to World Aquatics for their trust and partnership. We simply
did our best to live up to that trust and serve the sport we all love.”
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