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Cameron McEvoy Swims 21.06 50 Free To Win First World Title, Is #4 Performer All-Time

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cameron McEvoy is back, and he’s better than ever.

Eight years after swimming at his first World Championships, McEvoy finally has a world title to his name. In the final of the men’s 50 freestyle at the 2023 Worlds, he dominated from start to finish, swimming a time of 21.06. That time beats Ashley Callus‘ super-suited Oceanic record time of 21.19 and makes him the fourth-fastest performer in history, passing Ben Proud.

McEvoy is now 0.02 seconds away from Caeleb Dressel’s textile world record time of 21.04.

All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 50-Meter Freestyle:

  1. Cesar Cielo, Brazil — 20.91 (2009)
  2. Frederick Bosquet, France — 20.94 (2009)
  3. Caeleb Dressel, United States — 21.04 (2019/2021)
  4. Cameron McEvoy, Australia — 21.06 (2023)
  5. Ben Proud, Great Britain — 21.11 (2018)

McEvoy won his race by 0.51 seconds, which is the largest margin of victory ever in a men’s 50 free World Championships final. Previously, the largest margin of victory came from when Dressel won the event by 0.41 seconds in 2019.

Headed into Worlds, McEvoy was the world’s top-ranked swimmer in the 50 free by virtue of his 21.27 from Australian trials, which was his first best time in the event since 2016. He was dominant throughout the prelims and semis, posting a 21.35 in prelims and 21.25 in semis. Then, he backed it up in finals and had arguably the best swim of his life.

Prior to 2023, McEvoy had struggled to return to the form that he was in during 2016, when he broke the Oceanic record in the 100 free in a time of 47.04 and clocked a 21.44 50 free at Australian Olympic trials. He then proceeded to swim significantly slower at the 2016 Olympic Games and never approached his best times for another six years.

However, after winning his first worlds gold medal, McEvoy can finally have closure.

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swim
1 year ago

i love this guy so much im so happy for him

AquaNerd
1 year ago

McEvoy won the race by a larger margin than any other Men’s 50m freestyle Olympic or World Championships final. He may not have achieved the world record, but having the most dominant victory is no small feat.

Bayliss
1 year ago

McCevoy said he credits covid with giving him a mental break that allowed him to get a break from swimming. He just went year round with no real breaks for too long. Phelps did it as a teen, but doing it into your 20s is different. My guess is that he lost some ability to train at super high intensities. He has found that edge again, credits rock climbing and extensive gym work as reinvigorated his interest in swimming. I think he said after 6 months off from the pool with only gym training and rock climbing he was able to put up a 50 that was better than what he had been doing previously with traditional swim training. … Read more »

Joe
1 year ago

So partial the article, Dressel’s textile worl record?, if the swimmer is from the USA it’s a textile WR, but if it’s from another country or the supersuit record was from the USA, the fastest time is called a textile best time. In the last year no article said that Leon Marchand’s 4:04 time in the 400 IM was a textile world record

Joe
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 year ago

Just be impartial, it’s an article about McEvoy achievement, and the author tries to bring the attention on Dressel’s time

Khachaturian
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 year ago

no way you just told a swimswam commenter to touch grass

Joe
Reply to  Khachaturian
1 year ago

Thanks, didn’t know that expression, it’s rude specially coming from a group administrator

Gheko
1 year ago

Although he has also won 6 other world medals and 3 Olympic medals

SWIM SAM
1 year ago

World record incoming! 😵‍💫

Yuri
1 year ago

He 100% had the potential to have a Chalmers-like career. Except for a couple of good results, I just wonder what has gone wrong over the last 7 years. Yes, seven. Anyone knows ?

Yuri
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

Why the downvotes ? I just asked a question.

FTW
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

He broke a mirror before Rio

Yuri
Reply to  FTW
1 year ago

Should I laugh ?

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

You asked it on another post, too.

PFA
1 year ago

Also 3rd man ever to go 21.0 and 47.0

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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