Steenbergen Defends 100m Freestyle Title in Singapore

Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands successfully defended her world title in the women's 100m freestyle at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, winning gold in 52.55 seconds. She narrowly edged out Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan, who finished just 0.12 seconds behind and was denied both a sprint double and her chance to surpass Ian Thorpe as Australia's most decorated world championship swimmer. American Torri Huske, recovering from illness earlier in the week, led at the halfway mark and secured bronze in 52.89 seconds. The race saw all three medalists exchange leads, resulting in a thrilling and fiercely contested finish. Steenbergen became only the fourth swimmer in history to win back-to-back 100m freestyle world titles. Her victory also marked the Netherlands' first gold of the championships.