29-year-old world record holder Ludivine Blanc of France (@_ludivineblanc) won the 100m backstroke on Day One of the IISA 6th World Championship in Molveno, Italy – and doubled up with a 50m backstroke victory on Day Two. Earlier in the day, she had set a new world record.

50m Backstroke Final Heat

1. Ludivine Blanc (France, 29, IISA bio here) 32.75
2. Ezmee Jones (USA, 17, IISA bio here) 34.42
3. Maria Nielsen (Denmark, 17, IISA bio here) 34.63
4. Marta Piasecka (Poland, 33, IISA bio here) 34.67
5. Natascha Hebestreit (Italy, 41, IISA bio here) 35.82
6. Marie Therese Bartl (Germany, 21, IISA bio here) 36.29
7. Caitlin Rees (Scotland, 29, IISA bio here) 36.49
8. Qing Li (USA, 34, IISA bio here) 37.04

To say it is cold is clearly an understatement with the night air temperature at -1.1°C and the fresh water in the pool between 1.8°C and 2.0°C where the ice shards need to be removed from the pool before the swimmers can compete.

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