Matthew Wilson Ties Watanabe’s 200 Breast World Record In Semis

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

After chasing the world record line throughout his prelim swim before succumbing to it on the last 50, Australian Matthew Wilson held on and tied the all-time mark in the semi-finals of the men’s 200 breast in Gwangju.

The 20-year-old Australian stormed his way to a final time of 2:06.67, equalling the record established by Japan’s Ippei Watanabe at the 2017 Kosuke Kitajima Cup.

His previous best time, which stood as the Commonwealth, Oceanic and Australian Records until today, was 2:07.16 from the Australian Nationals in Adelaide, and he had gone 2:07.29 during the prelims here at Worlds.

SPLIT COMPARISON

Comparing the splits of the two world records, Wilson was out much faster to the 100.

Watanabe, 2017 WR Wilson, 2019 WR
28.95 28.80
1:01.33 (32.38) 1:00.77 (31.97)
1:34.02 (32.69) 1:33.68 (32.91)
2:06.67 (32.65) 2:06.67 (32.99)

Wilson joins Watanabe and Anton Chupkov as the only men in history to go sub-2:07.

ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES, MEN’S 200 BREAST (SUB-2:07 SWIMS)

  1. Ippei Watanabe (JPN) / Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:06.67 – 2017/2019
  2. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.80 – 2018
  3. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.83 – 2019
  4. Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.96 – 2017

Chupkov hit 2:06 for the third time in the first semi, breaking his own Championship Record of 2:06.96 in 2:06.83 before Wilson broke it minutes later.

The two of them qualified over a second clear of the field, with American Andrew Wilson sitting third in 2:07.86. Australia will look to get two men on the podium tomorrow night after Zac Stubblety-Cook had a strong swim to advance in fourth (2:07.95).

The Penrith native will be seeking his first individual World Championship medal tomorrow night, owning two relay golds in the mixed medley relay from both Budapest and Gwangju. He also won gold in that same event at the Commonwealth Games last year and added a pair of bronze medals from those Games and Pan Pacs in the 200 breast in 2018.

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Good but not Great
4 years ago

Comparison: Wilson’s splits:
50m (1) 28.80
28.80

100m (2) 01:00.77
31.97

150m (3) 01:33.68
32.91

200m (4) 02:06.67
32.99

And Chupkov

50m (1) 29.62
29.62

100m (2) 01:02.82
33.20

150m (3) 01:34.67
31.85

200m (4) 02:06.83
32.16

So wilson split 1:00.77 1:05.90
And Chupkov split 1:02.82 1:04.01

These two couldn’t swim there races more differently, I sense an epic race in the making

UKnowWho
Reply to  Good but not Great
4 years ago

chupkov will go 2.05 tomorrow

you heard it here first

Scott Morgan
4 years ago

Prenot waaaay out of it. Wish his arrgant attitude was based on something. Sad.
comment image

Yabo
Reply to  Scott Morgan
4 years ago

I mean he is the American record holder….

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Scott Morgan
4 years ago

Prenot is bae

SD3914
4 years ago

Am really anticipating an epic two-man race for the WR and gold here (Matthew Wilson, Chuphov) highlighting different race strategies, akin to Dressel/Chalmers. Races like this are why I watch this sport. If I had to bet money on it, and I’m glad I don’t, I’d give the edge to Chuphov based on how he closes…but then again with Chuphov next to him Wilson might find an extra gear coming home. Would love to see them push each other under 2:06.50.

DRAMA KING
4 years ago

Come on Matty Boy,,, You can do it tomorrow too.
2.06.36 for the Gold with another World Record.

billtill
4 years ago

Ol Longhorn: what a loser only tied the world record lol

Philip
Reply to  billtill
4 years ago

LOL

yinz
4 years ago

The listed time(s) is wrong in the text:

ALL-TIME PERFORMANCES, MEN’S 200 BREAST (SUB-2:07 SWIMS)
Ippei Watanabe (JPN) / Matthew Wilson (AUS), 2:07.16 – 2017/2019

Joel Lin
4 years ago

Andrew Wilson is just a 32 point on the last lap away from the very top. Love the way he swam his race…the other Wilson had more to put into the last 50.

THEO
Reply to  Joel Lin
4 years ago

This. Andrew Wilson has, by all accounts, had an excellent meet. He is straddling the 100/200 breaststroke distances very well, which is a really tough thing to do as we see an increasing share of elite breaststrokers focus on one distance or another. In fact, pretty much all the major contenders in each can be sorted into either a 100, or 200 bucket. Andrew Wilson was 58.9 in the 100 and now 2:07.8 in the 200. Great progress in both. I hope he can snag a medal in this 200 (and also the medley relay, potentially), but even if he tanks the final here, it’s hard to think of this meet as anything other than a big success for him.… Read more »

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  THEO
4 years ago

What was Andrew Wilson’s background in the sport?

Facts
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

D3 swimming

JimSwim22
Reply to  Facts
4 years ago

At Emory. I have read he entered college at 1:00 in the 100yard breast.

N P
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

I believe @Theo was referring to the fact that he was not even close to being a blue-chip recruit coming out of high school. I believe he was a 1:08 LCM 100 breaststroker when he was 18. So he went to a D-3 school (Emory) and then became an international-calibre swimmer.

THEO
Reply to  N P
4 years ago

@all yes, I was talking about the d3 background (and not even fast by d3 standards until he was a sophomore). Also just realized he split 58.3 in the mixed medley prelims… a huge meet. Should be a big asset on the men’s medley later.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  THEO
4 years ago

best surprise with Apple during these Champs so far

Daaaave
Reply to  Joel Lin
4 years ago

Yes, you have to hope that with a good night’s rest and no swims tomorrow, he can have the same race strategy but just a bit more left to hang on at the end. 32-point is not likely, but .4-.5 improvement on his 34.1 last 50 would really firm up his podium chances. In a 200br that can be a matter of holding your stroke together for 10 more meters before The Tightening sets in. And he’ll be next to M Wilson who swims the same way.

Roch
4 years ago

So in future races when they show the world record pacing throughout the race and Rowdy is telling me someone is X amount under/over world record pace… Which WR pace do they use?

Might not be a question for very long, if someone can go faster in finals, but I’m definitely curious to see how they handle that.

Jred
Reply to  Roch
4 years ago

Probably use the cumulative split of whoever was leading at that turn. So in this case Wilson for all 3.

That would be my guess

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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