{"id":577945,"date":"2024-02-13T10:16:23","date_gmt":"2024-02-13T17:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=577945"},"modified":"2024-02-13T13:27:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T20:27:01","slug":"world-championships-day-3-finals-hunter-armstrong-edges-out-hugo-gonzalez-by-0-02-to-win-100-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/world-championships-day-3-finals-hunter-armstrong-edges-out-hugo-gonzalez-by-0-02-to-win-100-back\/","title":{"rendered":"World Championships, Day 3 Finals: Hunter Armstrong Edges Out Hugo Gonzalez By 0.02 To Win 100 Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Championships, Day 3 Finals: Hunter Armstrong Edges Out Hugo Gonzalez By 0.02 To Win 100 Back<\/h4>\n

Hunter Armstrong<\/strong> beat Hugo Gonzalez<\/strong> to the touch by 0.02 to claim his first 100m backstroke title at the World Championship<\/strong>s in Doha.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez had a slight lead going into the final couple of metres with the pair going stroke for stroke as the American managed to get his hand to the wall a slither ahead in 52.68 to 52.70.<\/p>\n

Apostolos Christou<\/strong> of Greece claimed his first world medal with bronze in 53.36.<\/p>\n

Gonzalez, winner of 2020 European silver, led Armstrong at the turn by 25.53 to 25.61 with Christou a further 0.02 behind.<\/p>\n

The American though came home in 27.07 to 27.17 for gold after taking bronze at the last two World Championships<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"

From left: Hugo Gonzalez, Hunter Armstrong & Apostolos Christou: photo courtesy: Giorgio Perottino \/ Deepbluemedia \/ Insidefoto<\/p><\/div>\n

Armstrong and Gonzalez are teammates at Cali and the American said:<\/p>\n

“It feels really special to win this medal. I was not able to get the 50m back and to get to share the podium with Hugo \u2013 this dude is my brother and a training partner – so it is awesome.<\/p>\n

“It is just one thing to win the title but to share it with the person that you love, that makes it much better.<\/p>\n

“This cooperation means a lot \u2013 he focuses more on 200m, and I focus more on 50m, so we meet in the middle and we complement each other.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gonzales echoed Armstrong’s sentiments, saying:<\/p>\n

“I had a really great time here especially starting with Hunter.<\/p>\n

“I was talking to him before the race in the call room and we made it on the podium so it is amazing.<\/p>\n

“It is intense, this is my first podium in the World Championships.<\/p>\n

“In the 100m as I did not make it on the last two occasions.<\/p>\n

“So it is awesome and Spanish swimming – we are doing a little bit better and we are hoping to get more people into the sport and to make the things even better.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It was the second 100 back win in as many races for the USA following Claire Curzan’s<\/strong> victory in the women’s equivalent and the team’s second straight men’s world title following Ryan Murphy’s<\/strong> victory at the Fukuoka worlds.<\/p>\n

Murphy has bypassed the Doha World Championships<\/strong> with 2022 champion and 2023 silver medallist Thomas Ceccon<\/strong> also absent after withdrawing last month after sustaining a finger injury in late December.<\/p>\n

Christou’s teammate Evangelos Makrygiannis<\/strong> was fourth – locked out by 0.02 in 53.38 – while Commonwealth champion Pieter Coetze<\/strong> had a torrid race, hitting the lane ropes to finish in 53.51.<\/p>\n

Roman Mityukov<\/strong> (53.64), Miroslav Knedla<\/strong> (53.74) and Jack Aikins<\/strong> (54.50) completed the field.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n