Franklin targets historic 6th gold medal in Barcelona

American swimmer Missy Franklin has set the standard Missy Franklin bids for an historic sixth world championships gold in Barcelona on Sunday while Australia's Cate Campbell looks to add 50m freestyle gold on the competition's final day. The 18-year-old Franklin can claim title number six in the women's 4x100m medley relay having already won the 100 and 200m backstrokes, 200m freestyle, as well as the 4x100 and 4x200m freestyle relay titles with the USA in Barcelona.
Another gold will see her become the first woman to win six at a world championships, matching Ian Thorpe of Australia's tally at Fukuoka, Japan, in 2001, which has only been bettered by Michael Phelps' seven golds at Melbourne in 2007.
"It would mean so much to me," admitted the US teen.
"It is my favourite relay. We'll have an incredible group of girls going so I'm really looking forward to it."
Her five wins so far ties her with compatriot Tracy Caulkins (1978) and Australia's Libby Trickett (2007) for the most titles by a woman at a single world championships.
Having set the world record at the London 2012 Olympics, the USA women's quartet were the fastest into Sunday's final from the morning's heats ahead of China, Australia and Britain.
Likewise, the men's USA quartet, who set the world record in Rome four years ago, were fastest into their medley relay final ahead of Australia, Russia and France in what promises to be a mighty tussle for gold.
Australia's Campbell, 21, will be looking to add the 50m freestyle world title in Sunday's final, having already won 100m gold, but Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands is right on her tail as second fastest qualifier.
There also promises to be a battle royal in the women's 50m breaststroke final with 16-year-old world-record holder Ruta Meilutyte up against Russia's Yuliya Efimova.
Meilutyte, the 100m Olympic and world champion, broke the Russian's record in Saturday's sprint semi-finals, just eight hours after Efimova, 21, had lowered the world record in the heats.
In the men's 50m backstroke final, France's Jeremy Stravius and Camille Lacourt, who shared the 100m title two years ago in Shanghai after both touched the wall at exactly the same time, were the fastest qualifiers.
China's long-distance star Sun Yang looks to complete his domination of the freestyle events in Sunday's 1500m final having already won the 400 and 800m titles in Barcelona.
Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen, the Olympic 200 and 400m individual medley champion, was the third fastest into Sunday's 400m IM final with Hungary's 200m world champion Katinka Hosszu quickest at 4mins 32.72secs.
Ye, the who finished a disappointing fourth in last Monday's 200m final, was 2.21 off the pace in the 400m heats and said she has struggled in the wake of her fourth place.
"I didn't sleep very well for the last few days after the 200IM," said the 17-year-old, who won the Olympic 400m final after swimming the last leg faster than Ryan Lochte, the men's champion.
"I know I did not match Hosszu's time, but I am feeling confident that I will compete for the medals."
With Olympic champion Lochte sitting out the men's 400m IM, compatriot Chase Kalisz was fastest into Sunday's final from the morning's heats with Olympic 200m backstroke champion Tyler Clary third.
Source: AFP