Michael Andrew Breaks 50 Breast American Record With 26.52

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

• April 26-30, 2022
• Greensboro, NC
• Greensboro Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
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No rest, no problem for Michael Andrew on Day 3 of the U.S. International Team Trials. 

Less than 15 minutes after racing 50.88 in the 100 butterfly, the 23-year-old sprint star broke the American record in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 26.52. Andrew needed every bit of energy and a clever penultimate stroke on his second leg of a triple to edge Nic Fink (26.55), who also finished under the American record of 26.76 set by Kevin Cordes in 2015. The first-place finish guaranteed Andrew’s spot on the World Championship team (though he will ultimately earn an invite in the 100 fly too).

“I knew coming into this session, I had to focus on one race at a time,” said Andrew, who lost last night’s 50 fly to Caeleb Dressel by .03 seconds. “After securing a spot in the 100 fly, I had nothing to lose. So I was excited to just go for it. It’s a tough schedule. It’s just kind of the way the events fall. I figured I’d have to go into it the best I could mentally. It was definitely tough after this morning, I was like, ‘This is going to be a tight one…’ I do this over and over in practice and I knew I was prepared for it.”

Andrew’s time ranks as the sixth-fastest of all time in the event while Fink’s time ranks eighth.

All-Time Top 10 Performers, Men’s 50 LCM Breaststroke

1. Adam Peaty (GBR), 2017 World Champs – 25.95
2. Felipe Lima (BRA), 2019 Mare Nostrum Monaco – 26.33
3. Nicola Martinenghi (ITA), 2021 Italian Olympic Trials – 26.39
4. Joao Gomes (BRA), 2019 Brazil Trophy – 26.42
5. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR), 2021 European Aquatic Championships – 26.47
6. Michael Andrew (USA), 2022 US Trials – 26.52
7. Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 2017 World Champs – 26.54
8. Nic Fink (USA), 2022 US Trials – 26.55
9. Damir Dugonjic (SLO), 2015 World Champs, 26.70
10. Fabio Scozzoli (ITA), 2019 World Champs – 26.70

All-Time Top 6 Americans, Men’s 50 LCM Breaststroke

1. Michael Andrew, 2022 US Trials – 26.52
2. Nic Fink, 2022 US Trials – 26.55
3. Kevin Cordes, 2015 Worlds – 26.76
4. Mark Gangloff, 2009 World Championships – 26.86
5. Hudson McDaniel, 2021 Speedo Summer Championships – 26.92
6. Ian Finnerty, 2018 Summer Nationals – 26.96

Northwestern’s Kevin Houseman took third place in 27.24 and Brandon Fischer finished fourth in 27.59. Andrew placed second in the 100 fly behind Dressel’s 50.20. 

Andrew’s busy night continues shortly in the 50 back, his third championship race of the evening. 

Andrew narrowly missed the American record in the 50 breast prelims this morning when he swam a 26.78. 

The 50 breaststroke is one of five individual races that Andrew swam at the 2019 World Championships, which included 50 meter distances of each stroke. He placed 7th in the 50 breast at that meet in 26.88.

Brazil’s Joao Gomes still holds the US Open Record at 26.60, done at the 2019 FINA Champions Series in Indianapolis. Andrew once held that record. Britain’s Adam Peaty is the World Record holder in 25.95 while Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi holds the fastest time this year with a 26.49 at the Italian National Championships earlier this month.