2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

After chasing the world record line throughout his prelim swim before succumbing to it on the last 50, Australian Matthew Wilson held on and tied the all-time mark in the semi-finals of the men’s 200 breast in Gwangju.

The 20-year-old Australian stormed his way to a final time of 2:06.67, equalling the record established by Japan’s Ippei Watanabe at the 2017 Kosuke Kitajima Cup.

His previous best time, which stood as the Commonwealth, Oceanic and Australian Records until today, was 2:07.16 from the Australian Nationals in Adelaide, and he had gone 2:07.29 during the prelims here at Worlds.

SPLIT COMPARISON

Comparing the splits of the two world records, Wilson was out much faster to the 100.

Watanabe, 2017 WR Wilson, 2019 WR 28.95 28.80 1:01.33 (32.38) 1:00.77 (31.97) 1:34.02 (32.69) 1:33.68 (32.91) 2:06.67 (32.65) 2:06.67 (32.99)

Wilson joins Watanabe and Anton Chupkov as the only men in history to go sub-2:07.

ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES, MEN’S 200 BREAST (SUB-2:07 SWIMS)

Chupkov hit 2:06 for the third time in the first semi, breaking his own Championship Record of 2:06.96 in 2:06.83 before Wilson broke it minutes later.

The two of them qualified over a second clear of the field, with American Andrew Wilson sitting third in 2:07.86. Australia will look to get two men on the podium tomorrow night after Zac Stubblety-Cook had a strong swim to advance in fourth (2:07.95).

The Penrith native will be seeking his first individual World Championship medal tomorrow night, owning two relay golds in the mixed medley relay from both Budapest and Gwangju. He also won gold in that same event at the Commonwealth Games last year and added a pair of bronze medals from those Games and Pan Pacs in the 200 breast in 2018.