The International Aquatics Federation's (FINA) Female Swimmer of the Year swam the 100 metres backstroke in a world best time of 55.03sec, ahead of Australian Emily Seebohm, who finished in 55.31, and Ukraine's Daryna Zevina, who clocked 55.54.

"I thought a lot last night about how I did yesterday," Hosszú said.

"Coming into today, I was just trying to do my best.

"During the World Cup season, I was three times close to the world record, about 14 hundredths of a second, so I'm just really excited that I finally got the world record."

Mireia Belmonte claimed her third gold medal of the World Short-Course Swimming Championships ahead of Jazz Carlin and Sharon van Rouwendaal ©Getty Images


There was more success for Hosszú's Spanish rival Mireia Belmonte, who claimed her third gold medal of the tournament as she swam the 800m freestyle in a Championship record of 8:03.41.

Jazz Carlin of Great Britain and Sharon van Rouwendaal of The Netherlands clinched the silver and bronze medals with times of 8:08.16 and 8:08.17 respectively.

South African Chad le Clos swam to his second gold medal of the Championships,  touching the wall in a world best time of 48.44 in the men's 100m butterfly, ahead of American Tom Shields and Australian Tommaso D'Orsogna.

"I think timing is important to get the world record," Le Clos said.

"You have to race to win.

"There was lots of pressure from the media and others on my shoulders and I wanted to show FINA and the world that I am the best swimmer in the world."

Felipe França Silva claimed the 100m breaststroke gold medal with a Championships record of 56.29 ©Getty Images


The 100m breaststroke final saw Brazilian Felipe França Silva claiming the gold medal with a Championship record 56.29.

He managed to beat South Africa's world record holder Cameron van der Burgh, who finished fourth, as well as Briton Adam Peaty and France's Giacomo Perez-Dortona, who claimed the silver and bronze medals.

França Silva took away a second gold medal on the day with victory in the men's 4x50m medley alongside his Brazilian team mates Guilherme Guido, Nicholas Santos and César Cielo.

They finished in a world record time of 1:30.51, ahead of silver medallists France, who clocked 1:31.25, and the US, who tapped in at 1:31.83.

Elsewhere, Lithuania's Rūta Meilutytė claimed gold in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 28.84.

Jamaica's Alia Atkinson secured the silver medal in 28.91 and Moniek Nijhuis of The Netherlands took the bronze with 29.64.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
December 2014: Three world records fall on opening day of World Short-Course Swimming Championships