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Shayna Jack's brilliant moment in return to swimming on world stage

Shayna Jack, pictured here anchoring Australia to a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the swimming world championships.
Shayna Jack anchored Australia to a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the swimming world championships. Image: Getty/Channel Nine

Shayna Jack has continued her brilliant return to swimming on the international stage, anchoring Australia to a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the world championships.

Jack combined with Kaylee McKeown, Zac Stubblety-Cook and Matt Temple to win the silver medal on Tuesday behind a dominant American team.

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Jack was only marginally in front of her Dutch rival when she entered the water, but held on for second place in a brilliant anchor swim.

The Queenslander, who was suspended for two years after testing positive to a banned substance just before the 2019 world championships, also won 4x100m freestyle relay gold on the opening night in Budapest.

"We put it together and came home with a silver which I think we are all really really proud of," Jack said after Australia's medley team finished two and a half seconds behind runaway winners the United States.

"Everyone loves being a part of relays. It's a rare opportunity in an individual sport to enjoy that moment together."

Also on Tuesday night, Australia's rising star Mollie O'Callaghan claimed a breakthrough silver medal in the 200m freestyle - her first individual medal at a major meet.

The 18-year-old was also a member of Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay team that saluted on the opening night of competition.

In the 200m freestyle final, O'Callaghan produced the second-fastest final 50m split in the field to push the victor - China's Junxuan Yang - right to the wall.

Shayna jack, Matthew Temple, Zac Stubblety-Cook and Kaylee McKeown, pictured here with their silver medals.
Shayna jack, Matthew Temple, Zac Stubblety-Cook and Kaylee McKeown pose with their silver medals at the swimming world championships. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) (Quinn Rooney via Getty Images)

The calm and collected teen entered Budapest as arguably the only Australian in the swim community with low expectations.

Last year she won two gold and a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics for being a heat swimmer in relays, but is now basking in the individual spotlight.

"I wasn't expecting too much coming into the meet," she said.

"I was nervous all day and definitely shocked to look up and see that result when I touched the wall.

"To medal in this race is quite cool."

O'Callaghan finished just 0.3 seconds behind Yang, while her Australian teammate Madi Wilson finished fifth.

Kristof Milak breaks butterfly world record

McKeown's medley relay silver came after she placed third in the 50m backstroke semi-final after she was sixth-quickest into the final.

Lizzy Dekkers, on debut at a senior international meet, was the sixth-fastest qualifier for the 200m butterfly final but fellow Aussie rookie Abbey Connor missed out on making the medal race.

And Australia's Se-Bom Lee also missed a berth in the final of the 200m individual medley after being 14th through the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Hungary's Kristof Milak thrilled home fans by lowering his own world record in the men's 200m butterfly.

The 22-year-old Milak produced a stunning swim to clock one minute, 50.34 seconds and earn Hungary its first gold medal of the competition on Tuesday night.

"Now it hurts a lot, I don't feel my legs," said Milak, who shaved 0.39 seconds off the previous record he set at the last world titles.

"I think I pushed a bit harder over the first 100 metres, that's why it was so painful at the end but I really wanted this world record, wanted it more than anything."

with AAP

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