D’Ambrosio, Yang and Team USA Top Overall Rankings on Final Night in Otopeni

A mammoth first race opened up proceedings on the final night in Otopeni, with the Men’s 100m Freestyle final the first to hit the water.

After turning first at the 50 metre mark in 23.08, it was Italy’s Carlos D’Ambrosio who got his hand to the wall first in 47.88.

The battle was very much in the middle of the pool with 20 metres left to swim, with Great Britain’s Jacob Mills - who qualified fastest in 47.74 - pushing the pace alongside his Italian competitor.

“I am very happy with this medal, it’s my second gold medal. It’s so very competitive with all those other guys. I was shooting for a 47.5 or 47.6 but getting my hand on the wall first was my priority,” D’Ambrosio said after the race.

Mills equalled his silver medal result from the 50m Free earlier in the week, touching in second in a time that was just off the new PB he set in the semis (48.22).

Lithuania’s Tajus Juska - winner of the 100m Butterfly - claimed his second medal of the week with bronze in 48.72.

Moon Storms to First World Junior Title

The strength of Sua Moon was firmly on show in the Women’s 200m Breaststroke final, as the Korean raced her way to her first World Junior title.

She shattered her previous personal best of 2:26.23 with a new time of 2:24.77, punching the air in celebration after what was a dominant display from the 17-year-old.

Her long, comfortable stroke and exceptional turns aided her win, as she commanded the race from the start, leading after the first 50 and only gaining territory on the rest of the field throughout.

She bettered her bronze medal result from the 100m race and said after her win: “It was unbelievable when I touched and then looked at the scoreboard. I won and it was a very good time for me."

Lena Ludwig (GER) equalled her silver medal performance from the 100m edition to touch second in 2:26.56 - downing her previous PB of 2:27.33. Ludwig rounds out what has been a very successful summer, and adds her medals from this meet to the gold and two silvers she won at the European Junior Championships last month.

16-year-old Kaidy Stout ensured she left Otopeni with some hardware after the American claimed bronze in 2:26.84. That medal marked the first International podium for Stout, and added another to Team USA’s sizable haul from this meet.

Ireland’s John Shortt Takes 100, 200 Backstroke Double

An incredibly dominant display from Ireland’s John Shortt saw him top the podium for a second time this week in the Men’s 200m Backstroke.

Shortt was in a world of his own in this race, starting strong and never relinquishing his lead. His time of 1:56.19 was almost two seconds ahead of the rest of the field, and doubles up as a new National Record, taking down his own previous mark of 1:56.61.

He was fractionally off the Championship Record (1:56.05), and added to his gold medal from the 100m Back, and bronze from the 50m Back.

“It’s been a long season, but to end it on such a high and big PB, I couldn’t be happier,” Shortt said following his win. “I have my family, my coaches and my teammates here. It’s been amazing, I’ve loved every minute of it.”

“I imagined so many different scenarios in my head and during the lead up into this and, I knew those guys would be with me at the hundred. But I knew I had that back end in me to come home really, really quick.”

Shortt spoke on the benefits of racing on the world stage at junior level: “It gives you the opportunity to face the pressure and perform at your best."

Italy’s Daniele Del Signore completed his Romanian campaign with a staggering five medals after winning silver in 1:57.99. David Melnychuck (USA) won his first ever International junior medal to take bronze in 1:58.13.

Shortt added that he is looking forward to a break at home, before turning his sights to the next block of work and in the future, an Olympic final he hopes.

Hirai Downs Championship Record Again on Her Way to Butterfly Gold

Mizuki Hirai (JPN) was heavy favourite leading into this final, with the World Junior Record holder leading the rest of the field by half a body length at the turn.

She stormed to gold in 56.87, breaking the Championship Record once again having already broken it in the semi-finals (57.02).

“I am very happy to be the World Junior Champion. I will always try to do my best. It was not my best time but I am happy to have finished first. My best time is 56.3 but for me winning the race was my goal, and I am happy to have achieved that,” Hirai said.

The 18-year-old celebrated what will be her last World Junior title in front of her father, who joined her in Otopeni to support.

USA’s Audrey Derivaux, who has had an exceptional meet in Otopeni, charged her way to silver after gaining on the field in the closing metres (57.74). Derivaux has one of the largest individual medal hauls from this meet, after already winning the 200m Back, 200m Fly, and 200m IM.

It was Zhenqi Gong - third fastest seed from the semi-finals - who won bronze in 58.10, earning her first individual World Junior medal.

Tuncelli Defends 1500m World Junior Title in Spectacular Fashion

Kuzey Tuncelli’s distance freestyle talent was on show once again in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle, after a dominating performance put him on top in 14:48.81.

The World Junior Record holder in this event really seemed to be gaining strength and momentum as the race went on, putting the hammer down at the 800 metre mark to put a sizable gap between him and silver medal winner, Kazushi Imafuku of Japan (14:56.97).

Tuncelli finished sixth in this event at the World Championships in Singapore, and is reigning World Junior, European and European Junior champion in this event. He has now successfully defended both of his World Junior titles from 2023, claiming gold again in Otopeni in both the 800m and 1500m Free.

Following the race, Tuncelli dedicated his win to his coach, who celebrated his birthday today.

“It’s about being calm and getting your pace, it’s only about yourself and the pool. Being calm and using your mind is everything in the 1500s and long distance races. 


“I'm planning much better times, but that's okay, that's enough for this race. But I'm giving promise from here, the next season is going to be great for me. It's not about this season.
It's going to be so much better.”

He added that this win has given him a new mindset, saying: “It’s motivational.

"I'm going to be a much better swimmer, a much better person. I'm going to put in a lot more training.”

Vasileios Kakoulakis (GRE), who also races in the open water events, claimed his first World Junior podium in the pool with bronze in 15:00.29.

Nailbiting Finish in Women’s 50m Free Sees Erisman on Top

The Women’s 50m Freestyle final delivered one of the tightest finishes we’ve witnessed all week, with just 0.02 splitting first and second.

Rylee Erisman, winner of the 100m Freestyle, just edged out Great Britain’s Theodora Taylor to win her fourth gold - and second individual gold - of the week.

Her time of 24.70 was just off her personal best of 24.62, while Taylor shaved 0.10 off her previous lifetime best to touch in 24.72. Taylor has had a fantastic meet in Otopeni, and saved her best individual performance for last, improving on the bronze medal she won in the 100m Free.

Third place went to Croatia’s National Record holder, Jana Pavalic, in 24.85. The sprint specialist is a previous European and World Junior Champion in the 50m Fly; with her bronze medal here representing her first of these championships.

Speaking after what was a busy night of racing, winner Erisman said: “I had so much fun racing tonight. I just really wanted to take it one race out of time, and I'm super happy with all my performances tonight - it was just so much fun.

“I definitely think it gives us so much motivation for the years to come. I think we're just getting started, so you'll definitely see a lot more of us.”

Mihaylov Claims First World Junior Title

South Africa toped the podium in the Men’s 200m Butterfly through a standout performance from Kris Mihaylov. The 18-year-old shattered his previous personal best (1:58.17), taking two full seconds off the time he set in the prelims to touch in 1:56.16.

This result marks his first international junior medal, though despite he’s win, the 18-year-old is still hungry for more: “I would have liked to go a bit faster because the times from youth swimmers have been very fast,” he said. “But I think this is a really good checkpoint for me to keep pushing harder and further.

“I know I should always aim for a really good time, but I think at the back of mind, I wanted to win as well, so I’m stoked with that and I just tried to swim as well as I can.”

Mihaylov trains in Waterborn with coach Peter Williams; a former World Record holder and Olympic finalist. Mihaylov added that he takes inspiration from fellow African swimmers, saying: “Chad Le Clos, Cameron Vanderburgh, Roland Schoeman were inspiring to me.

“I remember watching the 2004 Olympics - although I wasn't born back then - but when I saw them swim for the first time, it felt amazing.

"I look up to them, a lot of them, and they're great people and they inspire you, and they're a part of my motivation.”

David Antal of Hungary posted a new personal best time of 1:56.87 on his way to the silver medal, splitting 56.05 and 1:00.82 swimming in lane five. Tuncer Berk Ertürck (TUR) had an exceptional swim from lane one to claim bronze in 1:58.21.

It was a close call between the rest of the field, but Ertürck did enough to hold off fourth place finisher, Xue of China, who was just 0.07 of a second behind.

Allahverdi Sprints to Second Gold of the Night for Türkiye

Nusrat Allahverdi stunned in the Men’s 50m Breaststroke with a clinical performance to win gold in 26.98; just 0.01 quicker than the new World Junior Record holder from this meet, Jan Malte Grafe.

Allahverdi pounded the water in celebration after the race, and looked in mild disbelief once his win had sunk in.

Speaking to John Mason immediately after the race, he said: "I'm happy about my result, I want to congratulate my opponents; they swam very well and it was a tough race.”

The 18-year-old was the second Turkish athlete to top the podium tonight, with Tuncelli taking the win in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle. Their nation leaves Otopeni with a total of four medals (three gold, one bronze), something that Allahverdi was very proud to have contributed to.

“I've been waiting for this moment for so long. We are working so hard with my teammates and with my coach, so I am very happy right now.

“I think it's all about hard work. Kuzey [Tuncelli] also won a gold medal, and we have another swimmer with a bronze medal, and I won another gold for our team. So I am very happy, this whole thing is amazing.”

Grafe, who leaves this meet a silver medallist and World Junior Record holder, was second to the wall by the smallest of margins - 0.01 behind in 26.99. Japan’s Shin Ohashi, who has been a regular feature on the breaststroke podiums this week, earned yet another piece of hardware, this time bronze in 27.12.

Peiqi Yang Cements Herself as Top Female Athlete with Fifth Gold

One of the most highly anticipated events of the evening came in the form of the Women’s 200m Freestyle. Featuring both USA’s Erisman and China’s Peiqi Yang - winners of the 50, 100, 400, 800 and 1500 Free - as well as Kennedi Dobson and Tiaoshan Yan, who both hold Top 5 times from World Junior Championships, it was sure to be a battle. 

Dobson looked incredibly strong down the third length, but an exceptional final length from Yang saw her hit a sixth gear; touching in a new Championship Record time of 1:56.25 - the previous mark being from 2017 (Taylor Ruck, 1:57.08). 

Yang delivered yet another clinical performance in what has been an incredible week for the People’s Republic of China athlete. She closed out racing in Otopeni undefeated, making her the highest ranked female of the meet overall.

She goes home with gold medals from the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m Freestyle, as well as the 4x200m Freestyle Relay.

Erisman joined her as the only other athlete to break the 1:57 mark, claiming silver in 1:56.76. An extremely strong second hundred by Italy’s Alessandra Mao saw her claw her way to a bronze medal - her first individual podium finish ever.

14-year-old Mao split 29.93 and 29.33 to touch in 1:57 flat, taking almost two seconds off her previous personal best. Of note, top three times were all under the previous Championship Record time, showing the strength of the women’s freestyle field that has been on display in Otopeni.

Japan Top Relay Podium Yet Again

The penultimate race of the evening delivered one of the most exciting of the entire meet. By the third length, Japan had established a body length lead and looked certain winners despite the chasing field behind.

Silver medallist in the Men’s 100m Freestyle, Jacob Mills, swam out of his skin to tighten the gap on the leaders, and left the audience with a tense finish that saw Japan win gold by just 0.02 of a second ahead of Great Britain, finishing in 3:35.00 and 3:35.02, respectively.

Mills came home in a searingly fast 47.65, while winner of the 100m Free, Carlos D’Ambrosio, anchored the Italian team to bronze with an incredible split of 47.27 (overall time 3:35.86).

USA Close Out Racing in Otopeni as Top Team Overall

In fitting fashion, Rylee Erisman anchored Team USA home to a stellar win in the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, adding another gold to their confirmed title as best overall team at these championships.

The team, who have all won at least one individual gold at this meet, came home in 3:59.85 - the only team to break the 4-minute mark and just off Canada’s World Junior Record of 3:58.38.

Speaking at their win, they reiterated the fun and pride they have representing Team USA, particularly in the relays, with Charlotte Crush adding: “I have had a blast and this meet has taught me that a smile can go a long way.”

Audrey Derivaux added: I think that was just the best way to end the meet with a gold medal and hearing the national anthem on the last night. I'm going to treasure it for a long time and I can't wait for future trips with them.”

The team from People’s Republic of China claimed the final silver medal on offer in Romania, touching in 4:01.37, while it was Neutral Athletes B that came home third in 4:01.61.

Carlos D’Ambrosio, Peiqi Yang and Team USA Top Overall Rankings

D’Ambrosio - “I'm very happy because this has been a hard championship. It’s difficult because it’s very competitive, so I am happy to win this trophy - I have worked hard to earn it.

“There were so many amazing spectators and great volunteers supporting the swimmers.

“The Italian team deserves cheers, being a part of the Italian team was wonderful.

Yang - “I didn't expect this. I just focused on my events, one by one. I feel honored and want to contribute this to my team, China. It will boost my confidence to compete in the future. It is a new start for me as I learned how to deal with [challenges].”