BRITAIN’S James Guy held off a host of Olympic champions to win his first world title, the men’s 200m freestyle, at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, on Tuesday.

    After claiming silver in the 400m freestyle behind China’s Sun Yang, Guy came from third at the final turn to touch the wall in 1 minute 45.14 seconds.

    Sun settled for silver in 1:45.20 and world record holder Paul Biedermann of Germany earned bronze in 1:45.38.

    It was Guy’s first career gold medal at the worlds.

    American Ryan Lochte, the 2011 world champion, finished fourth. Chad Le Clos of South Africa was sixth.

    “I never thought I’d race Ryan Lochte head to head like that, he is one of my heroes,” grinned Guy, who is making his world championship debut in Kazan.

    “So to race him head-to-head like that was amazing and to touch my hand on the wall first and be world champion hasn’t sunk in quite yet, I am so happy.”

    Another Brit, Adam Peaty, followed Guy’s glory with a feat of his own.

    Peaty set a world record in the 50 breaststroke, winning the first semifinal heat in 26.42 seconds. He bettered the mark of 26.62 set by Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa in the morning preliminaries.

    It was the second men’s world record to fall at the worlds after four women’s marks were set in the first two days.

    Peaty also swam 26.62 at the European championships in Berlin last August but that mark was not approved by world governing body FINA because he wasn’t tested for the blood-booster EPO.

    Van der Burgh won the second semifinal in 26.74, setting up Peaty and the South African for a head-to-head duel in the final of the non-Olympic event.

    American Kevin Cordes qualified third-quickest in 26.76.

    “I knew there was something in there, but I decided to just stay relaxed and enjoy the environment,” said Peaty, who won the 100 world title by beating Van der Burgh on the wall in Monday’s final.

    “The 50 event is not an Olympic event, so there is kind of no pressure out there.”

    Also, American Katie Ledecky demolished her own world record as she retained the women’s 1,500 freestyle world title.

    Having broke the world record in Monday’s heats, the 18-year-old triple world record-holder knocked 2.23 seconds off her own personal best to clock 15:25.48.

    New Zealand’s Lauren Boyle took silver and Hungary’s Boglarka Kapas took bronze.

    Earlier, the United States claimed gold and silver in the women’s high diving event as Rachelle Simpson took the title.

    The 27-year-old won gold after three rounds from 20 meters, where the divers enter the water feet first, with 258.70 points to take the first world title of her career. Silver went to teammate Cesilie Carlton, the defending world champion.

    (SD-Agencies)