No smiles as China’s internet darling Fu Yuanhui suffers ‘heartbreaking’ world championship defeat

Fu Yuanhui suffered a “heartbreaking” defeat to Brazil’s Etiene Medeiros in the women’s 50-metre backstroke at the world championships as one hundredths of a second cost her gold.

Medeiros clocked 27.14 seconds, a new Americas record just 0.08 away from the world record, while China’s Fu had to settle for silver just 0.01 back on Thursday.

Fu became a social media star at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games after a video of her smiling, having been told she had won joint bronze in the 100m backstroke, went viral as she struggled to contain her emotions.

But her tears of joy in Rio were juxtaposed by her bitter disappointment in Budapest at missing out on a gold medal as she wept in the mixed zone.

“It is a heartbreaking result, I tried my best, I was swimming not just for myself but for my coach, my friends, my family,” said the 21-year-old.

“People know me for laughing, but if they see me crying they will be very sad, so this time I will go home before I cry.

“I prepared very hard, I thought I had prepared enough, but I don’t know why it didn’t work out as I had expected.”

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Ironically, in the semi-finals, Fu had also been just 0.01 seconds behind Medeiros, who was the fastest qualifier.

Having won silver over 50m at the Kazan world championships two years ago, the 26-year-old Medeiros went one better in Budapest having also come within 0.12 of the world record on Wednesday.

“I’m so happy. Two years ago I was second, but now I’m the champion, so this is so important in my life,” said Medeiros.

“I won a gold medal in 2014 in Doha, it was a tremendous experience and I’m sure that it helped me to achieve the result that I achieved today.

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“To win a world gold medal in a long course championship swimming with very competitive outstanding swimmers has a huge meaning.

“It is important for my country, my friends, my team and my colleagues in swimming. Brazilian swimming is becoming stronger.

“We got a silver in the men’s relay, a silver in the 50 metre fly and 50 metre breaststroke and now with my medal in 50 metre back as well.

“We have been progressing and developing since 2015, there is still more competition to be swum.

“I wasn’t confident of winning after last night’s semi-finals and the Chinese was very strong today.

“I was a bit nervous, but I took time to relax and just be happy and it worked out.”