Mitsin Gives Bulgaria 1st Ever World Junior Swimming Gold

World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships: Junior world record holder Petar Mitsin won the gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle race on the opening day of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships held in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya.

Mitsin clocked three minutes 46.49 seconds, just 17 hundredths ahead of Italian Alessandro Ragaini, securing Bulgaria's first ever world junior swimming title. Italy's Filippo Bertoni took bronze, reports Xinhua.

"It was a tough race, and I'm happy with the time I did," Mitsin said. "I'm really proud to represent my country."

Leah Hayes of the United States, the 2022 World seniors 200m individual medley bronze medalist, predictably clinched gold in Netanya in the 400m medley, setting a junior world championship record of 4:36.84. Canada's Ella Jansen and Julie Brousseau took silver and bronze respectively.

The American boys' relay team, consisting of Daniel Diehl, Maximus Williamson, Hudson Williams, and Jason Zhao, established a junior world record of 3:15.49 in the 4x100m freestyle relay, finishing ahead of Australia and Canada.

Following that, the American girls also secured gold in the 4x200m freestyle. Addison Sauickie, Leah Hayes, Lynsey Bowen, and Madi Mintenko clocked 7:52.48, after a dramatic battle against Australia and Canada.