Ikee clocks second world junior record to finish Tokyo FINA World Cup event in style

Japan's Rikako Ikee recorded a second world junior record to win the 50m butterfly ©Getty Images

Japanese sensation Rikako Ikee continued her superb performance in her home pool by powering to another gold medal in the 50 metres butterfly in a world junior record time as the sixth International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Cup in Tokyo drew to a close today.

The 15-year-old had already broken a world junior butterfly record over two laps of the pool and she followed that up by clocking 26.17sec to finish ahead of compatriot Niki Uchida, with Australia’s Jessica Hobbin coming through to take third.

Ikee then posted a time of 54.14 to clinch her second gold medal of the day with victory in the 100m freestyle ahead of team-mate Miki Uchida, with defending World Cup champion Katinka Hosszú of Hungary securing bronze.

Australian Mitch Larkin was also in sublime form as he clocked the fastest time of the year to take gold in the 200m backstroke.

Larkin, winner of two titles at the World Championships in Kazan in August, dominated the race from start to finish and eventually touched the wall in 1min 53.34sec, finishing comfortably ahead of Japanese duo Ryosuke Irie and Maseki Kaneko.

“Coming off the worlds I've had people targeting me as a front runner for Rio,” he said.

“I'll make sure the boxes are ticked and keep doing what I'm doing, but it's a different challenge at the Olympics.”

The Australian was denied double gold as American David Plummer claimed the 50m backstroke in 24.58, forcing Larkin to settle for silver, while Michael Andrew of the United States did enough for bronze.

The success kept on coming for Australia as Emily Seebohm edged arch-rival Hosszú to clinch gold in the women’s 100m backstroke in 58.37 to capture her third gold medal of the meeting.

Katinka Hosszú of Hungary strengthened her overall World Cup lead with two golds on the final day in Tokyo ©Getty Images

Hosszú, however, remains well placed to secure a fourth straight FINA World Cup title as she picked up another two gold medals on the final day of the event in the Japanese capital.

The six-times world champion won the 400m individual medley in 4:37.26, finishing ahead of home favourites Miho Takanashi and Sakiko Shimizu, before she earned gold in the freestyle race over the same distance in 4:08.87.

Elsewhere, South African Cameron Van der Burgh demonstrated why he is the Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke with another commanding display over two lengths of the pool, clocking 59.57 to oust Jake Packard of Australia and Yoshiki Yamanaka of Japan.

Molly Hannis sealed gold for the United States in the 50m breaststroke in 30.63 to ensure she finished the meeting with two victories to her name after she had triumphed in the 100m breaststroke the previous day.

The American looked as though she would take silver as Alia Atkinson appeared certain to win the race before the Jamaican lost her technique at a crucial moment, allowing Hannis to steal the win, with Leiston Pickett of Australia not far behind in third.

The penultimate FINA World Cup event of the campaign is due to take place in Doha on November 2 and 3 before Dubai is scheduled to stage the season finale on November 6 and 7.