BUDAPEST, July 29 (Xinhua) -- American rising star Caeleb Remel Dressel snatched three gold medals in a single day, while two world records were beaten at the 17th FINA World Championships here on Saturday.
Dressel, 20, won the men's 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly, also helping the United States clinch the mixed 4x100m freestyle with a new world record. He has tallied six gold medals so far in the Hungarian capital.
China's Li Zhuhao ranked sixth in 100m butterfly with 50.96 seconds, bettering previous national record of 51.24 seconds. He could have won the silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games with the same result.
"The level was quite high this time," admitted Li, adding that he could have shortened his time with a better tap.
The other new world record came from the women's 50m freestyle semifinals, where Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom clocked 23.67 seconds to improve the world record by six hundredths of a second.
Sjostrom also claimed the 50m butterfly gold medal after beating championships record in 24.60 seconds.
China's Li Bingjie finished as runner-up in the women's 800m freestyle in 8: 15.46, a new Asian record. The title went to American star Katie Ledecky, her 14th gold medal in total at the World Championships.
"I admire her so much, and hope to do better in following matchups with her," Li talked about her idol Ledecky.
Emily Seebohm won the first gold medal for Australian swimming team in Budapest as she beat local favorite Katinka Hosszu by 0.17 seconds in the women's 200m backstroke.
Xu Jiayu, the first ever Chinese men's backstroke world champion, made it into the 50m backstroke final with a fourth position.
"I will try to do my best in tomorrow's final," commented Xu.
Chinese swimming ace Sun Yang, who has withdrawn from the men's 1,500m freestyle, will compete in the men's 4x100m medley relay on Sunday, according to the Chinese swimming team.
Rhiannan Iffland of Australia won the women's 20m high diving with 320.70 points.
Croatia were crowned in men's water polo after beating hosts Hungary 8-6 in the final, while the bronze medal went to Serbia, who got past Greece 11-8.
