15th FINA World Championships : China, the USA and France win the first golds in Barcelona 2013

RENANG INDONESIA, The first day of swimming competitions offered a great show to the almost ten thousand fans who witnessed the first races from the world´s top swimmers

It was Chinese long-distance-freestyler Yang Sun who gave it´s best during the 400m freestyle final. He held a World Record pace along the race to then hit the wall in 3:41.59, more than three seconds before Kosuke Hashino (3:44.82) and Connor Jaeger (3:44.85) who were second and third respectively. Thanks to this swim, Sun was able to finally win the gold after his silver from Shanghai 2011 and became the first Chinese swimmer to ever win this event.

But the joy didn´t stop there. 16-year-old Katie Ledecky also made history by swimming a 3:59.82 (less than seven tenths of a second away from Pellegrini´s World Record) and stopping the European countries from winning this world title seven times in a row.

And if that wasn´t enough, Spain won the silver medal thanks to Melanie Costa, who was second behind Ledecky. This really turned the home crowd on and the environment started to become DIGNO DE FIESTA.

The third final featured many stars in the women´s 400m freestyle event, such as Missy Franklin, from the USA, Australian Alicia Coutts and Netherland´s Ranomi Kromowidjojo, whom helped their foursomes to win the gold, the silver and the bronze medals respectively.

It finally came the time for France to make history and reach the day of glory, as the quartet made up of Yannick Agnel, Florent Manadou, Gilot Fabien and Jeremy Stravius won the first gold for their country in the history of the FINA World Championships with a time of 3:11.18, where Gilot swam an outstanding third leg in 46.90 to helpe his foursome to come from behind (they were placed 4th before that third leg) and win the gold.

We can expect for tomorrow more and more impressive swims, menaces against World Records and history been beaten in Palau Sant Jordi.