Australia turned to the best sister act in swimming to hold off an American team anchored by Katie Ledecky. Give the gold to Cate and Bronte Campbell. And a world record, too.
The Campbells carried their squad to victory in the 4x100-metre freestyle relay Saturday night at Rio 2016, with little sister Bronte snatching the lead from Dana Vollmer on the third leg and big sister Cate pulling away from Ledecky on the final down-and-back for a time of 3 minutes, 30.65 seconds.
The Aussies broke their own mark of three minutes 30.98 seconds set two years ago.
Katinka Hosszu of Hungary smashed the 400m individual medley world record (Getty Images/ Clive Rose)
That wasn't the only world record to fall on a late night of swimming to kick off the Olympic Games. Shaking off repeated frustration on the sport's biggest stage, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary crushed the world record in the women's 400 individual medley to make the first Olympic medal of her career gold.
Also, Japan's Kosuke Hagino ended American dominance in the men's 400-metre individual medley, while Australia's Mack Horton took down Sun Yang of China without giving his bitter rival so much as a passing glance.
Mack Horton won gold for Australia (Getty Images/Clive Rose)
The victories by Horton and the women's relay team capped an impressive first night for an Australian team that captured only one swimming gold medal in London four years ago. They've already eclipsed that total, with seven more nights to go.
Meanwhile, the powerful American managed three silvers but couldn't reach the top step on the podium.
Simone Manuel and Abbey Weitzeil did their best in the relay, giving the US a lead at the midway point. But Bronte Campbell was more than a second faster than Vollmer, who had competed about an hour earlier in the semifinals of the 100 butterfly, and Ledecky was no match for Cate Campbell, the world-record holder in the 100 free.
The US had to settle for silver in an American-record time of 3:31.89, extending a gold medal drought in the event that goes back to the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Still, it gives Ledecky a strong shot at capturing five medals in Rio. She's favored in the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle events, and could take another gold in the 4x200 free relay. Canada claimed the bronze in 3:32.89.
Hosszu, known as the "Iron Lady" for her grueling schedule, had an especially sweet triumph. She had captured nine medals — including five golds — at the world championships but never won an Olympic medal. She defiantly pumped her chest before breaking into a huge smile.
She had led all the way and touched in 4:26.36, easily eclipsing the record of 4:28.43 held by China's Ye Shiwen. Hosszu even had time to turn toward the scoreboard and watch Maya DiRado of the United States touch in 4:31.15 to take the silver medal. Mireia Belmonte Garcia of Spain claimed the bronze in 4:32.39.
US swimmer Elizabeth Beisel, silver medalist at the 2012 London Games, finished sixth.
Hagino took gold for Japan by holding off Chase Kalisz of the United States, becoming the first non-American to win the grueling event since 1992.
Hagino and Japanese team-mate Daiya Seto raced away from the field on the butterfly and backstroke legs before Kalisz began to close the gap. The American surged past Seto on the breaststroke and set his sights on Hagino.
But the Japanese swimmer, who settled for bronze in this event at the 2012 London Games, held on to win in 4:06.05. Kalisz settled for the silver in 4:06.75, while Seto grabbed the bronze in 4:09.71.
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