Kos wins men’s 50m backstroke at Toronto World Cup to move to within one race of series clean sweep
Hubert Kos now stands one victory away from a clean sweep in the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2025 series after winning the men’s 50m backstroke at the third and final leg in Toronto.
The 24-year-old US-based Hungarian, who set a world 200m backstroke short course world record of 1:45.12 on the first day of competition in Canada, will now seek to complete his 100 per cent record in the backstroke when he contests the 100m on day three.
He has already secured triple crowns in the 200m and 50m triple crowns following his performances in the first two World Cup legs in Carmel and Westmont, United States.
The world and Olympic 200m backstroke champion clocked a 50m time of 22.67 at the Toronto Pan American Center to finish ahead of Italy’s Olympic 100m backstroke champion Thomas Ceccon, who clocked 22.93, with Poland’s Kacper Stokowski third in 23.00.
“I’m going to have to watch it back, but I think maybe I could have gone a little bit faster in the first 25,” Kos told World Aquatics. “My start was way better than last week, though. Just the second underwater is where I can win these races. I’m still not as strong as I need to be to excel at those, but we’re getting close, so it’s fun to see.
“Now I’m a triple crown champion (in the 50m), so that’s kind of crazy to think about.
“Obviously, Kliment Kolesnikov isn’t here. A lot of the good fast 50 swimmers aren’t here. So I’ve got to give them credit (because) I’ve had a little bit of an easier run, but that’s a part of swimming, you have to be good on the day. I’m really happy with it, even though they aren’t here.”
Australia’s Olympic and world champion Mollie O’Callaghan produced the outstanding performance of the day as she brought the women’s 200m freestyle world record down to 1:49.36.
Caspar Corbeau, who lowered the Dutch men’s 100m breaststroke record to 55.55 in finishing ahead of multiple world and Olympic champion Adam Peaty on day one, repeated that result over 50m as he won in 25.77, with the 30-year-old Briton second on 25.87.
Ellen Walshe of Ireland won the women’s 400m medley in 4:22.97 and her compatriot Mona McSharry followed home Kate Douglass of the United States in the women’s 100m breaststroke, clocking 1:03.84.
Alberto Razzetti of Italy also earned second place as he followed home Canada’s Ilya Kharun in the men’s 200m butterfly, finishing in 1:51.63.
Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics
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