By Duncan Mackay

Hannah Miley on way to victory 400m World Short Course Istanbul December 12 2012December 12 - Britain's Hannah Miley held off China's Olympic gold medallist Ye Shiwen to claim victory in the 400 metres individual medley in the World Short Course Championships at the Sinan Erdem Arena in Istanbul tonight. 


The 23-year-old Scottish swimmer put behind the disappointment of finishing only fifth at London 2012 as she celebrated winning the first world title of her career. 

Having qualified fastest for the final, Miley broke the Championship and European records as she took the gold medal in 4min 23.14sec. 

Ye, who had controversially won the 200m and 400m individual medley titles at London 2012 amid suspicions over her dramatic improvements, crept up on to Miley's feet in the final 100m freestyle but the Briton kicked hard to hold her off.

"I knew Ye Shiwen was going to come back on me in that last 100m so I was just hanging on for dear life," said Miley.

"It's a big confidence boost that no matter where we are in the programme,

"I can step up in the 400m IM and what we're doing at the moment really seems to be working."

Hannah Miley receiving gold medal World Short Course Championships December 12 2012The victory in Istanbul was Hannah Miley's first World Championship gold medal

Miley's victory came on an evening when the United States otherwise dominated by winning three of the five titles available. 

Ryan Lochte, who won five medals at London 2012, including two gold, claimed the men's 200m freestyle and then helped the US lift the title in the 4x100m freestyle.

Lochte overcame Germany's world record holder Paul Biedermann to win the gold medal in the 200m fresstyle in 1:41.92 before joining teammates Anthony Ervin, James Feigen and Matt Grevers to finish ahead of Italy and Australia in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Ryan Lochte World Short Course Championships 200m freestyle Istanbul December 12 2012Ryan Lochte's victory in the 200m freestyle was one of two gold medals he claimed on the first day of the World Short Course Championships in Istanbul

"The relay was the hardest one to get, it was my third event, no time to warm down, coming into that relay, I was really tired, but I had to do it for the team," said Lochte.

America's quarter of Megan Romano, Chelsea Chenault, Shannon Vreeland and Allison Schmitt also won the 4x200m freestyle.

They beat defending champions China, who had to settle for the bronze this time as Russia claimed the silver.

The other winner of the evening was Hungary's Katinka Hosszu, who won the women's 200m butterfly in a Championship record of 2:02.20 as Britain's Jemma Lowe took bronze, the third consecutive time she has stood on the podium at this event.

China's Jiao Liuyang overhauled her in the sprint for the wall but Lowe still broke her own British record, establishing new figures of 2:03.19.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]