Canadian bounces back from bronze medal disappointment to claim double gold at FINA World Junior Championships

Canada's Taylor Ruck produced a superb performance to take double gold on the third day of the FINA World Junior Championships ©FINA/Twitter

Canada’s Taylor Ruck was the star performer on day three of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Junior Championships as she picked up two golds and a bronze at the event in Singapore.

Ruck powered to a commanding victory in the women’s 100 metres freestyle race, clocking a championship record time of 53.92sec to finish ahead of compatriot Penny Oleksiak, who came through to take silver.

Arina Openysheva of Russia did enough for bronze as she touched the wall in 54.78, narrowly in front of Japan’s Rikako Ikee.

The Canadian starlet was then a key member of her nation’s 4x100m mixed relay team who claimed gold in a world junior record time of 3:27.71, beating the previous mark by more than a second.

The team, comprised of Ruck, Javier Acevedo, Markus Thormeyer and Oleksiak, comfortably beat the Australian quartet into silver, while Russia were able to earn bronze at the expense of Brazil.

Ruck’s two titles came after she had started the day in disappointing fashion as her effort of 2:09.49 in the 200m backstroke was 0.05 seconds shy of the silver medal winning time, posted by Yaxin Liu of China.

The race was won by Australia’s Minna Atherton in a championship record 2:09.77, which gave her a third title of the World Junior Championships following her relay triumph on the opening day and her commanding success in the women’s 100m backstroke.

“I’m really happy for medalling in all the events, it’s amazing,” Ruck said.

"The 100m freestyle felt really good, during the first 50 I just had a hold-on for the last 25 metres.

Daniil Pakhomov claimed Russia's only gold medal on the third day of the event by winning the men's 100m butterfly ©Getty Images

“I didn’t look for beating any record here, I just hoped for a good time.

“However, beating the World Junior Record in the relay was awesome, just as the opportunity to race with all those fast people was and finally come on top.”

Elsewhere, China’s Jitong Yang benefited from the advice he was given by Olympic champion Sun Yang as he clinched the men’s 800m title in style by clocking 7:55.19, more than two seconds in front of nearest challenger Cesar Castro of Spain.

Ernest Maksumov added another bronze to the growing Russian medal tally as he finished third in 7:57.40.

Daniil Pakhomov made sure the Russians took home at least one gold on the third day as he breezed to a commanding win in the men’s 100m butterfly, powering home in a championship record 52.28.

Brazilian Vinicius Lanza denied Russia a one-two as he claimed silver, with Daniil Antipov continuing his nation’s decent showing with bronze.