38-Year-Old Nicholas Santos Cracks Championship Record In Men’s 50 Fly

2018 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Tuesday, December 11th – Sunday, December 16th
  • Hangzhou, China
  • Tennis Centre, Hangzhou Olympic & International Expo Center
  • SCM (25m)
  • Prelims: 9:30 am local, 8:30 pm ET / Finals: 7:00 pm* local, 6:00* am ET
  • *The final night of finals will be one hour earlier, starting at 6:00 pm local and 5:00 am ET
  • Live Results (Omega)

38-year-old Nicholas Santos ended Chad Le Clos‘ run in the 50 fly at the Short Course World Championships, winning the gold medal in a time of 21.81 to break Le Clos’ Championship Record of 21.95 from 2014.

Santos had broken the super-suited world record of 21.80 from 2009 back in October in 21.75, and backs it up here as he swims the 3rd fastest time ever. That old record belonged to German Steffen Deibler.

The South African Le Clos had won this title at two consecutive championships in 2014 and 2016, while Santos won back in 2012. He returns to the top tonight.

Le Clos won silver in 21.97, just .02 off his lifetime best from those 2014 Championships in Doha, and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago set a National Record for them in winning bronze in 22.38.

After also going 21.96 in the semi-finals, Santos now owns three of the fastest six swims in history, while Le Clos joins him as the only men ever to break 22 seconds more than once. Le Clos owns five of the top-10 swims ever.

ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES, MEN’S 50 FLY

  1. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 21.75
  2. Steffen Deibler (GER), 21.80
  3. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 21.81
  4. Roland Schoeman (RSA), 21.87
  5. Chad Le Clos (RSA), 21.95
  6. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 21.96
  7. Chad Le Clos (RSA), 21.97
  8. Chad Le Clos (RSA) / Chad Le Clos (RSA), 21.98
  9. Chad Le Clos (RSA), 22.02

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Caeleb Dressel Will Get 7 Golds in Tokyo
5 years ago

Due to disease, not old age.

Kristiina
5 years ago

Very impressive. I hope he compete also Tokyo olympics 100fly. He compete two race in today. He resistence is better than earlier.

Chlorine
5 years ago

Doing a Dara Torres!

Rafael
5 years ago

His finish cost him a new wr but amazing!!! He even said the swim podium swim again took some focus of him

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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