Japan’s\u00a0Daiya Seto\u00a0<\/strong>was well out in front of world record pace and was dueling with South Africa’s\u00a0Chad Le Clos\u00a0<\/strong>in the final of the 200 butterfly at the 2018 FINA World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou, China. Le Clos held the world record and also took it out hard in the final tonight in Hangzhou.<\/p>\n Seto held on over the final 25 as Le Clos, as well as his own world record, were charging hard on the Japanese man. Seto hung on in the end for a new world record of 1:48.24 to take down Le Clos’s 1:48.56 from the 2013 FINA World Cup in Singapore. Le Clos also got under his world record, but will settle for the African Record at 1:48.32.<\/p>\n Seto and Le Clos are now first and second all-time with their swims tonight. Le Clos and Seto were already first and second all-time before this with Seto sitting in second.<\/p>\n This is Seto’s first world record in his career as the 24-year-old picked up his 11th World Short Course Championships medal. Seto won the silver medal at the 2014 Worlds and the bronze in 2016 in this event.<\/p>\n China had more to cheer about as the country picked up its first medal of the championships with\u00a0Li Zhuhao\u00a0<\/strong>winning the bronze medal at 1:50.39.<\/p>\n American\u00a0Zach Harting\u00a0<\/strong>finished in fifth in the final at 1:51.57 as he is now the second fastest American all-time in the 200 fly behind\u00a0Tom Shields.\u00a0<\/strong>Harting finished behind Russia’s\u00a0Aleksandr Kharlanov\u00a0<\/strong>(1:50.67), who finished in fourth place.<\/p>\n Brazil’s\u00a0Luiz Melo\u00a0<\/strong>(1:51.99), Australia’s\u00a0Nic Brown\u00a0<\/strong>(1:52.10) and Bulgaria’s\u00a0Antani Ivanov\u00a0<\/strong>(1:52.40) also swam in the final.<\/p>\n All-Time Rankings:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n