Camille Lacourt Clinches 50 Back World Title

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BARCELONA, Spain, August 4. FRANCE’s Camille Lacourt won his second career world title with a victory in the men’s 50-meter backstroke to kick off the final night of competition at the FINA World Championships.

Lacourt popped a time of 24.42 for the win, which stands as the 10th-fastest time ever recorded in the sprint backstroke. Along with his 100-meter backstroke triumph in 2011, the former Swimming World European Swimmer of the Year now has a pair of world titles. He also took silver in this event behind Liam Tancock’s in 2011 for his third career world medal.

Meanwhile, France’s hero Jeremy Stravius, who delivered a Lezakesque anchor to win the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay for France to open up the night, collected silver with a time of 24.54 as he and USA’s Matt Grevers shared the silver medal this evening with matching 24.54s.

Stravius now has six career world medals. He’s won a pair of titles with gold in the 100 back in 2011 and in the 400 free relay this year. He also has silvers in the 400 free relay and 800 free relay from 2011 as well as his 50 back performance this evening, while also snaring bronze in the 100 back earlier this week.

Grevers, meanwhile, now has four medals in long course world championship competition. He’s won three titles with wins in the 400 free relay and 400 medley relay in 2009 as well as his 100 back win earlier this week to go along with the 50 back silver this evening.

Spain’s Aschwin Wildeboer Faber (24.58), China’s Sun Xiaolei (24.76), Brazil’s Daniel Orzechowski (24.87), Israel’s Guy Barnea (25.14) and Israel’s Jonatan Kopelev (25.19) rounded out the championship heat.

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