The Japan Times - China's Pan puzzled after shock 200m free exit at swimming worlds

Pan, the 100m freestyle Olympic champion and world record holder, finished only 22nd fastest in 1min 47.46sec to miss out on the top 16 who qualify for the semi-finals.

"I felt OK yesterday but today's swim felt completely different," said Pan, whose time was way outside his 200m best of 1:44.65.

"I'll have to keep working hard and make adjustments, I'm not sure what happened and I'm not happy with this time."

Romania's David Popovici, the 200m Olympic champion, cruised through fastest in 1:45.43 ahead of American Luke Hobson (1:45.61) and Britain's Matthew Richards (1:45.66).

Pan said it would not knock his confidence for the 100m.

"The 200m and 100m are two different events," he said.

American legend Katie Ledecky breezed through fastest in the 1500m freestyle, an event where she holds the best 23 times in history.

A day after taking bronze behind Canada's Summer McIntosh in the 400m freestyle, Ledecky touched in 15:36.68, more than 10 seconds quicker than Australia's Lani Pallister and Italy's Simona Quadarella who were second and third.

Australian backstroke great Kaylee McKeown eased through the 100m heats third fastest in 58.27sec.

She said she was determined to enjoy herself after getting "way too caught up" in the occasion at last year's Paris Games.

The four-time world champion McKeown swept the women's backstroke events at the last two Olympics and, now 24, vowed to do things on her own terms.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been and coming into this championships I just want to enjoy myself," she said.

"I got way too caught up in Paris with the pressure and the nerves, and sort of let that overtake the enjoyment that comes with swimming.

"This year I'm just taking a step back and doing what I want to do for once and not doing what everyone else wants me to do."

Regan Smith was the fastest qualifier in 58.20 to be quickest, followed by American team-mate Katharine Berkoff in 58.55.

McKeown said she was mindful of her physical condition after injuring a shoulder before a recent training camp as she looks towards competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"I have a few little injuries as well so I've just got to really manage myself so I can make it to LA," she said.

France's Yohann Ndoye-Brouard was fastest in the men's 100m backstroke in 52.30, followed by Russian Kliment Kolesnikov (52.27) and Hungary's Hubert Kos (52.60).

Ireland's Mona McSharry topped the timesheets in the women's 100m breaststroke in 1:05.99, just 0.02 ahead of Germany's Anna Elendt with Japan's Satomi Suzuki a further 0.12 back.

T.Maeda--JT