2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Swimming in the finals of the men’s 100 freestyle Thursday evening in Gwangju, Caeleb Dressel nearly took down Cesar Cielo‘s legendary 100 freestyle World Record, touching in 46.96, just .05 over the World Record of 46.91 from the 2009 World Championships in Rome.

Though the swim today is not an overall World Record, Dressel’s time is a new textile World Record, improving upon Australian Cameron McEvoy‘s 2016 time of 47.04.

Perhaps the most famous aspect of Dressel’s race is his start, and as expected, Dressel was off the blocks fast, emerging just shy of the 15-meter mark already in the lead. Dressel is known for going out fast, but has also been working on his back-end speed, the part of the race he where he knew Australian Kyle Chalmers would make his move.

Dressel managed a 24.67 over the second 50 of the race to touch in 46.96. Chalmers, the defending Olympic Champion who posted a huge best time of 47.08, split 22.79 and 24.29. Russia’s Vladislav Grinev took the bronze medal in 47.82, and America Blake Pieroni finished just off the podium in 47.88, his second swim ever under 48.

Dressel Split Comparison:

DRESSEL 2017 – RELAY LEAD-OFF DRESSEL 2017 – 100 FR FINAL DRESSEL 2019 – 100 FR FINAL CESAR CIELO – ROME 2009 1st 50 22.29 22.31 22.29 22.17 2nd 50 24.97 24.86 24.67 24.74 TOTAL TIME 47.26 47.17 – Former AR 46.96* New American Record 46.91 – World Record

Dressel and Chalmers ascend higher up the all-time performer’s list. Dressel is now the 3rd-fastest performer all-time and owns the 3rd-fastest performance all-time. Chalmers is now the 6th-fastest performer all-time, and one of four Australian men among the top 10 performers all-time:

Though Dressel started the competition with a relatively pedestrian 47.63 to lead off the Americans’ 400 freestyle relay Sunday, he gained momentum as the competition went on.

Dressel posted top times through the prelims and semifinals of the men’s 50 fly, and then won gold in the final in 22.35, a new American Record and only .08 short of the World Record. Yesterday, though the United States was out-touched by .02 in the finals of the 4 x 100 mixed medley relay, Dressel put up a huge 49.33 butterfly split to lay waste to Michael Phelps‘ former fastest-ever relay split.

Cesar Cielo still holds the World Record in the men’s 50 freestyle at 20.91, set in December of 2009 just weeks before the suits were banned, though that time is now also in jeopardy of being knocked down a notch on the all-time-performances list by Dressel.

Like Cielo, Phelps set two of his three longest-lived World Records at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. Yesterday, Phelps’ 200 butterfly World Record bit the dust at the hands of Hungary’s Kristof Milak in 1:50.73. For now, Phelps’ only remaining individual World Records include the 400 IM, set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (utilizing a Speedo LZR Racer leg skin–not full-body/over-shoulder), which stands at 4:03.84, and the 100 fly from the 2009 World Championships, a now very vulnerable 49.82.

Between Dressel’s 22.35 in the 50, his 49.33 split in the relay, and Milak’s 1:50.73 in the 200, it doesn’t seem likely that Phelps’ 100 butterfly World Record of 49.82 will survive the week.