Swimming: Seebohm wins 200m backstroke gold to complete double

Australia's Emily Seebohm won the women's 200m backstroke gold on Saturday at the world swimming championships to complete the double having already won the 100m title.

Seebohm clocked a new Oceania record of two minutes, 05.81 seconds with Olympic champion Missy Franklin of the USA taking silver at 0.53secs as Hungary's Katinka Hosszu earned bronze at 1.03.

Franklin had led at the halfway stage, but a spurt in the final 50 metres gave Seebohm her third worlds gold in Kazan having helped Australia win the 4x100m freestyle relay last Sunday.

Seebohm, who won the 100m world crown on Tuesday, matches compatriot Mitchell Larkin, who achieved the men's 100 and 200m backstroke double in Kazan to give Australia a rare double.

"I guess watching Mitch last night was definitely so inspiring," said the 23-year-old Seebohm.

"He even said to me today 'go out and get that double, I know you can do it'.

"I guess hearing that from him and seeing how hard he has worked on it, I know I have worked just as hard."

Her hat-trick of golds in Kazan is all the more remarkable as Seebohm split from her coach just after the Australian trials in April and dislocated her knee in a freak horse riding accident in May.
Source: AFP