Two nights after she captured her first individual world title, the American doubled that count with a win in the 50m backstroke. The podium was the same from the 100m, with Iona Anderson and Ingrid Wilm going silver-bronze.
(2024 Getty Images)
Two days after capturing her first individual world swimming title, Claire Curzan doubled that tally at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
The 19-year-old American sped victory in the women’s 50m backstroke on Thursday (15 February) just 48 hours after she had claimed the 100m on Tuesday night in Qatar's capital.
Curzan out-touched a surging Iona Anderson of Australia, winning by just 0.02 seconds, 27.43 to 27.45. Ingrid Wilm of Canada was third with a 27.61, duplicating the podium from the women’s 100m back.
Curzan now has two individual world golds to go along with her three relay titles. She was runner-up in the women’s 100m butterfly in Doha, as well.
She'll go for a third backstroke title this week with the 200m back heats beginning on Friday (16 February).
"I don't know if I can put into words, but it's always an honour to win another medal for Team USA and to have the national anthem play," Curzan told reporters. "I'm really happy with how I've done this far [in Doha]. I'm analysing... what I need to work on with my training for the future."
She said of another close win over Anderson: "Iona had a really great meet and she's an amazing swimmer. I'm excited that she keeps the level of competition so high and the Aussies keep pushing us. I'm glad we're able to have this friendly rivalry."
A year after taking home five medals from the 2022 Worlds, the USA swimming star agonisingly missed out on the 2023 team due to an illness that meant she could not give of her best at Trials.
But the multi-eventer has shown that she had lost none of her impressive sprinting speed in Doha, Qatar, this week.