The Iron Lady, who won three gold medals at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, finished comfortably in front of her rivals in 2 mins 02.90sec.

The time fell 1.04 seconds short of her world record in the event, set at the 2014 FINA World Short Course Championships in Qatar’s capital Doha, but was more than enough to hold off the United States’ Ella Eastin who secured silver in 2:05.02.

Eastin’s compatriot Madisyn Cox completed the podium after touching home in 2:05.93.

Hosszú did not have everything her own way, however, as she had to settle for silver in the women’s 50m backstroke behind defending champion Etiene Medeiros of Brazil. 

Medeiros retained her crown with a time of 25.82, which was 0.15 seconds slower than the world record she set in Doha two years ago.

She controlled the race to defeat Hosszú, second in 25.99, and American Alexandra De Loof, third in 26.14.

Also triumphing today was South Africa’s Chad le Clos, who earned his third world title of the event with gold in the men’s 50m butterfly in 21.98.

The time was 0.03 seconds slower than his Championships record set at Doha 2014, but enough to overcome his main opponents.

American Tom Shields, the fastest in the semi-finals, had to be content with silver in 22.40, while Australia’s David Morgan secured bronze in 22.47.

The first title of the evening went the way of Russia as Vladimir Morozov anchored the country’s men’s 4x50m medley relay team to victory in 1:31.52.

Having performed the best in the heats, Russia were faster than the US, silver medallists in 1:31.97, and Belarus, bronze medallists in 1:32.49.

Among the other athletes to make their mark today was Japan’s Daiya Seto, who became only the third swimmer in the history of this event to win three consecutive medals in the men’s 400m individual medley.

The 22-year-old claimed the gold in Windsor having been the only finalist to conclude under the four-minute mark, in 3:59.24.

Great Britain’s Max Litchfield and Hungary’s David Verraszto completed the podium with respective times of 4:00.66 and 4:01.56.

Before Seto, only Australia’s Matthew Dunn and American Ryan Lochte had achieved the treble at the FINA World Short Course Championships.

Dunn managed it between 1995 and 1999, while Lochte’s run ranged from 2006 to 2010.  

In the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke, Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson successfully defended her 2014 title after finishing in 1:03.03.

The US’s Lilly King took silver in 1:03.35, while her team-mate Molly Hannis earned bronze in 1:03.89.

There was also success for hosts Canada today as 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak anchored the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team to victory in 7:33.89.

The US got the silver in 7:38.65, while the bronze went to Russia in 7:39.93.