2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet site
- Competition Schedule
- FinaTV Live Stream
- Entry Lists
- Results
The event focus of 21-year-old Clyde Lewis‘ career has taken a decisive turn from the IM events to freestyle and it already appears to be paying off for the St. Peters Western athlete. Lewis took gold in the men’s 400m IM on the Gold Coast at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, as well as bronze in the 200m IM, but opted to focus on freestyle at the Aussie World Trials, which took place this past April.
At those Trials in Brisbane, Lewis nearly overtook winner Kyle Chalmers in the men’s 200m free, clocking a new personal best mark of 1:45.88. That wiped out his old PB of 1:46.54 he established at Pan Pacs last year.
Flash forward to Gwangju, however, and Lewis is racing his way to a bona fide medal threat to reigning World Champion Sun Yang and others, leading the pack in a massive new lifetime mark of 1:44.90.
Lewis hit a time of 1:46.93 in this morning’s heats to sneak into the semis as the #14 seed. His splits included 52.13/54.80 to give him the sub-1:47, enough to move on to tonight’s semi-finals.
Competing in the 2nd set of 8 men, Lewis went out like a rocket and never looked back, leading the stacked field wire-to-wire. His splits included 50.35/54.55, hitting a time of 24.20 on the first 50m to tell the field he simply wasn’t messing around tonight.
Lewis seemed after the race to be as surprised as anyone by the result.
“That was sick. I was out there in lane one by myself, I knew I was out fast at the 150m, I just knew I had to bring it home…I did everything I could, that’s a sick result.”
The world was thirsty for someone to break through from the sea of 1:45s we’ve been in the midst of since 2015. The last 1:44 performance came from Sun Yang‘s gold medal-winning 1:44.39 that set the Asian Record at the 2017 edition of the World Championships. He’ll be hungry to defend his title, so Lewis will certainly have his hands full tomorrow night.
In terms of Aussie swimming history, Lewis now represents just the 2nd swimmer ever from his nation to dip under the 1:45 threshold, joining legendary Ian Thorpe’s time of 1:44.06 from way back in 2001.
But, just like that with tonight’s performance, Lewis inserts himself into the worldwide all-time performers list at #9, kicking American Dave Walters out of the top 10.
All-Time Men’s 200m Freestyle Performers:
| 1 | 01:42.00 | Paul Biedermann | GER | 2009 World Champs | 7/28/2009 | Rome |
| 2 | 01:42.96 | Michael Phelps | USA | 2008 Olympic Games | 8/13/2008 | Beijing |
| 3 | 01:43.14 | Yannick Agnel | FRA | 2012 Olympic Games | 7/28/2012 | London |
| 4 | 01:43.90 | Danila Izotov | RUS | 2009 World Champs | 7/30/2009 | Rome |
| 5 | 01:44.06 | Ian Thorpe | AUS | 2001 World Champs | 7/25/2001 | Fukuoka |
| 6 | 01:44.39 | Sun Yang | CHN | 7/25/2017 | Budapest | |
| 7 | 01:44.44 | Ryan Lochte | USA | 2011 World Champs | 7/26/2011 | Shanghai |
| 8 | 01:44.80 | Park Tae Hwan | KOR | 2010 Asain Games | 11/14/2010 | Guangzhou |
| 9 | 01:44.89 | Pieter Van Den Hoogenband | NED | 2002 LEN European Champs | 8/2/2002 | Berlin |
| 10 | 01:44.90 | Clyde Lewis | AUS | 18th FINA World Championships 2019 | 7/22/2019 | Gwangju |
That face says it all – Lewis clocking a new PB in 1:44.90 in the Men's 200m Freestyle 1/2 semi-finals #Gwangju19 #WorldChamps pic.twitter.com/1FniE5BYau
— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) July 22, 2019
All time 200 free performers (textile)
1. Agnel 1:43.14 2012
2. Phelps 1:43.86 2007
3. Thorpe 1:44.06 2001
4. Sun 1:44.39 2017
5. Lochte 1:44.44 2011
6. Park 1:44.80 2010
7. Izotov 1:44.87 2013
8. Biedermann 1:44.88 2011
9. Hoogenband 1:44.89 2002
10. Lewis 1:44.90 2019
I find it interesting he lands in the same place alltime without the super suits, I guess the only super ridiculous times from that era are from Biedermann, Phelps, and Izotov, who all have faster textile times anyway so no one gets bumped out.
That is a world class list of swimmers right there.
This is what I wanted to see but was too lazy to check myself. Thanks.
Izotov , one of the best Russians of all time …..so reliable & stable
He might be the most popular man in the building tomorrow night
Phelps went his 1:42.96 best time in Beijing, not 1:43!
If Jack and Elijah returns with their top form in next year, Aussie 4*200 free will be untouchable.
If the US relay is
Dressel 1:44.90
Blake 1:45.20
ZAPPLE 1:45.10
Dean 1:41.30
Then the US relay will be untouchable
I wouldnt call anything untouchable a year out. Aussie relay looks very strong, but I’d guarantee you the American’s will find a few at Oly trials, they always do.
Former WJ champion in 200 im.
Former Commonwealth Champion in 400im
Gave up those and focused on freestyle and now become a major force in 200 free.
Hope he would focuse on more other events in future , specially ims.
US 200 freestylers are pathetic, that 800 free relay could be really rough
Hahahaha, I admire the fight/troll in you.
heard that 10 times in 8 hours – like they all forgot Us had Pieroni , Zapple and Zane Grothe left ……comment as pathetic as Haas/Seli debacle
Yannick Agnel, a phenomenom
Chalmers still at Baron status after that 200 free. Maybe the 100 will move him up to a Viscount on his journey to King?