Nothing Better Than a Walk-Off World Record for the Home Team 

And Australia didn’t just shave the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle World Record – they sliced nearly two seconds off the old all-time global standard.

Lani Pallister was certainly the hero of the night as the Sydney native went a perfect three-for-three.

And the final one has to be the most cherished one. Following Madi Wilson, Mollie O’Callaghan and Leah Neale, Pallister anchored the team to a 7:32.85, which cut 1.98 off the previous best mark that the Netherlands achieve at the Doha 2014 edition of the World Swimming Championships.

A Fairytale Ending to Nicholas Santos' Brilliant Short-Course Career

42 Years Young, Brazil's Santos Takes Another World 50m Fly Title

Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Not only did Nicholas Santos win, but he also did so in an all-time championship best time of 21.78. Switzerland's Noe Ponti took the silver in 21.96, followed by Hungary's Szebasztian Szabo. 

For Santos and for swimming, its the end of an era. The Brazilian just announced its his last race. Farewell to a legend of the sport. 

The burly Brazilian immediately following the curtain call of his career: 

"I am getting old and leaving this to the young guys. I was trying to break the world record, my own record. I was close, but it's not easy. I have tried a few times. I leave swimming at 42 years of age and I am really happy and proud."
By Nicholas Santos

Ryan Murphy Leaves No Doubt

Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The four-time Olympic gold medalist and the former world-record holder in the men's 100-meter backstroke from the USA left no doubt about his supremacy in moving to the 25m pool by setting a CR in 48.50. After yesterday's final Murphy was pleased "just to beat his long course time."

Ryan says:

"It felt really good. It's been an incredible hour for me. A world record in the relay, I think we went half a second faster than we thought we were going to go."
By Ryan Murphy

Ryan on his World Record/Championship Record double in an hour...with a bathroom break in between: 

"Of course I was getting ready for my 100 back and realized I needed to use the bathroom...so I actually went into drug testing and got that out of the way. I got out just time for the victory ceremony for the relay. It was great to hit that time, a nice time drop and a championship record as well."
By Ryan Murphy

Italy's Lorenzo Mora on his silver - and staying focused for what's still to come: 

"It’s pretty amazing to win two medals in a hour. Before the 100m Backstroke I was feeling really tired after the relay, but looking at the 50m before [in the relay] I knew I could go fast. It’s a good time 49.04 and my second individual medal after the 50m Backstroke last year [in Abu Dhabi]. I hope to stay focussed as I have a lot of races."
By Lorenzo Mora

Podium Time Interlude - 4x50m Mixed Team Relay

Few things have got to be better for an American than hearing the Star Spangled Banner play with a gold medal around your neck after setting a World Record with your teammates. 

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Another 1-2 for the Aussies

Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Kaylee McKeown takes the 100m backstroke gold in 55.49, followed by Mollie O'Callaghan in 55.62. Canada's Ingrid Wilm and the USA's Claire Curzan post the same next best time - 55.74 to share the bronze podium position. 

Kaylee's reaction: 

"It's amazing to have two Aussies on the podium and racking in some medals for the Australian team. It's always amazing regardless of where we are, but to have the Aussies in the stadium is great."
By Kaylee McKeown

Kaylee on Mollie's silver medal performance: 

"Mollie's main event is freestyle so for her to swim backstroke and finish second, almost come first is absolutely amazing in itself. The depth of swimming in Australia is really coming along nicely and we have some really good leading into Paris."
By Kaylee McKeown

Checking in on the Men's 100m Free Semis

Semifinal 1: Romania's David Popovici keeps breaking records, setting a new World Junior record of 45.91. But France's Maxime Grousset was the best in the pool, outrunning the Romanian ace by .33 with his 45.58

Semifinal 2: Jordan Crooks gave the Cayman Islands and the University of Tennessee something to get excited about as he posted the fastest time going into the finals with his 45.55. Fourth after 50m, crowd-favourite Kyle Chalmers rallied to finish the heat in second with a 45.66. 

Daily Double for Lani Pallister 

The 20-year-old Sydney native is off to the hottest of starts on the cool evening nights in Melbourne as she completes the 400-800 freestyle double. 

The last athlete to pull off this double? Li Bingjie of China last year in Abu Dhabi. 

Erika Fairweather on her second silver medal-winning performance: 

"It’s so exciting. I mean, I haven't really been swimming the 800 for that long so it's super cool that I was able to pull it out of the bag."
By Erika Fariweather

So Fast You'll Have to Watch it in Slo-Mo

Can't Start Better Than That: Team USA with a WR

The American quartet of Murphy, Fink, Douglass and Huske sets a new all-time global standard in the Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay, stopping the clock at 1:35.15. Here's how they did it: 

While the Americans' day couldn't have gone better, Germany and Netherlands didn't make it happen successfully with their relay exchanges. For Germany, it was between the second and third exchange while the Dutch (who touched the wall in third) got DQ'ed on the third-to-fourth exchange. 

Italy Sound Satisfied with Silver

Silvia di Pietro, who swam the butterfly leg for team Italy

"I'm very happy we made it to the podium. The silver behind the USA is a very good performance. We did four very good laps so we are very happy it was unexpected."
By Silvia di Pietro

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