Claire Curzan adjudged Best Female Swimmer after the historic treble in Doha

Claire Curzan has been named the Best Female Swimmer for her sensational performance at the World Aquatics Championships 2024 held in Doha, Qatar, which included winning three individual gold medals.

The World Aquatics Championships 2024 witnessed the 19-year-old Curzan accomplishing a treble in the backstroke event, winning the 50m, 100m, and 200m titles.

This made her only the third swimmer overall and the second female athlete after Australia’s Kaylee McKeown to sweep the three distances (50m/100m/200m) in a single stroke. McKeown had also clinched the treble in backstroke events at the World Aquatics Championships 2023 in Fukuoka.

Read more: Australian Swimming Championships: Kaylee McKeown wins 100m backstroke

Claire’s historic treble at World Championships Doha 2024

Hitting the wall in first place in a time of 2:05.77, Claire Curzan bagged her third backstroke gold of the global gala event in Doha.

Curzan also won a fourth individual medal, the 100 m butterfly silver. Claire’s cumulative performance also had 50 m and 100 m titles where she bagged the coveted gold medal.

The U.S. swim star has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of the Team USA trials for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the backstroke races will be among the most competitive, with compatriot Regan Smith one of those tipped to qualify and compete at the top of the podium at the Games.

Read more: World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2023 Leg 3, Budapest, Hungary: LIVE Streaming, When and Where to watch, Schedule

The American got off to a flying start, opening an early advantage, with Australia’s Jaclyn Barkley following closely in her wake. Curzan continued to open the gap, and by the final turn, she had opened a sizeable lead over Barkley.

Curzan out-touched second-placed Barkley by 1.26s, with NIA swimmer Anastasiya Shkurdai rounding out the podium in third place with 2:09.08.

“I am just happy with how I was able to swim and I am excited about what this means for the future,” Curzan told World Aquatics after the race. “That was the strategy (taking the race out hard). At some point, it just gets to math where you have to go out fast to go fast. You must be brave over that first 100m and hold on.”

Read more: European Short Course Swimming Championships 2023: LIVE Streaming, When and Where to Watch, Schedule

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