Grousset Clips Fratus At The Wall To Win 50 Free Swim-Off In New Best of 21.59

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

France’s Maxime Grousset upset Brazilian Bruno Fratus to earn the eighth spot in tomorrow night’s final of the men’s 50 freestyle, out-touching him by three one-hundredths of a second in the swim-off.

The two men had tied for eighth in the semis in 21.83, and in a razor-thin battle where the two appeared to trade the lead a few times, Grousset got his hand on the wall first in a new best time of 21.59.

Fratus, who was going for his fifth career World Championship final in this event, just missed out in 21.62, though it stands up as his 100th-career swim under 22 seconds.

If Grousset and Fratus had gone those same times in the semis, they would’ve qualified second and third into the final.

Great Britain’s Ben Proud is the top seed at 21.42, and then Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri is nearly three-tenths back for second in 21.70.

The 32-year-old Fratus had won a medal in this event at three straight LC World Championships, earning bronze in 2015 and consecutive silvers in 2017 and 2019, and he also won bronze last summer at the Tokyo Olympics.

Grousset, 23, goes well under his previous best of 21.74 and moves into #30 all-time in the event. He is coming off a strong performance in the 100 free where he won silver in a time of 47.64, with his PB sitting at 47.52 from the Tokyo Games.

At the 2021 Olympics in the 50 free, Grousset tied for 12th in a time of 21.87.

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Fobby Binke
2 years ago

I knew Fratus wouldn’t go through to Final after Swimswam put a curse on him:

https://swimswam.com/2022-world-championships-day-6-prelims-preview/

Only legends are immune to photo curse

Marchand GOAT
2 years ago

Don’t sleep on Grousset in Paris, or even in the final tomorrow

Greg
2 years ago

Missed by 0.03 seconds. Wonder if the stache held him back.

Goated Mcintosh
2 years ago

What a swim from Maxime. Smashed his own PB !!!!

Bruno-no-no
2 years ago

No, we don’t talk about Bruno-no-no.

Can’t wait to see his follow-up post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd3_zcGDNp2/?hl=en

GrameziPT
Reply to  Bruno-no-no
2 years ago

Bruno is so cocky

HJones
Reply to  GrameziPT
2 years ago

He blocked me for saying he needs to work on his start

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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