Sawt Falasteen - Maertens wins thrilling world 400m men's freestyle gold

Maertens, who broke the world record earlier this year, came home in 3min 42.35sec after a fierce battle with Short, the 2023 world champion.

South Korea's Kim Woo-min, the reigning world champion, was third in 3:42.60.

Maertens was the favourite for the title after breaking the world record in Stockholm in April, a mark that had stood since 2009.

But Short fought him every stroke of the way, losing out after an incredible tussle to the finish.

The result gave Maertens his first world title after claiming Olympic gold in Paris last year.

He followed that up by setting a new world record of 3:39.96, shaving 0.11sec off the mark achieved by fellow German Paul Biedermann at the world championships in Rome in July 2009.

Biedermann's mark of 3:40.07 was achieved wearing a polyurethane swimsuit that has since been banned in competition.

Short missed out on an Olympic medal in the event in Paris, finishing fourth.

Australia's Elijah Winnington, the Paris Olympics silver medallist, surprisingly failed to qualify for the final.

Short finished fastest in the morning heats ahead of Maertens.

P.Tamimi--SF-PST