Nicholas Santos Breaks Men’s 45-49 Masters’ World Record With A 23.26 50 Fly

Nicholas Santos retired from professional swimming over two years ago but that does not mean he has stopped breaking records. Santos, who won the 50-meter butterfly at the 2022 Short Course World Championships at 42 to become the oldest World Championship medalist in history, just broke the men’s 45-49 masters’ world record in the same event.

Santos, 45, ripped a 23.26 at the Brazilian Masters Championship in Porto Alegre last weekend. His time shattered the former record of 24.96, swum by the U.S.’s Mark Kevin Allan last year, by 1.70 seconds, a huge margin for a stroke 50.

Though Santos is retired from professional swimming and has stayed in shape with only three weekly swimming sessions and a “controlled fitness and bodybuilding program,” according to BestSwimming’s Alex Pussieldi, you would not know that just from this time. It clears the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut for the 2025 World Aquatic Championships by a tenth and would have won silver behind Gui Caribe’s 22.95 at the recent Maria Lenk Trophy. Further, it would rank 21^st among the fastest professional swimmers in the world this season, behind Shaine Casas’ 23.25 from the Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim Series. Noe Ponti leads the world rankings in 22.77.

Nicholas Santos venceu os 50m borboleta do Brasileiro Masters em Porto Alegre novo Recorde Mundial 45+ 23.26

Tempo seria prata no Maria Lenk 2025 e indice para o Mundial de Singapura pic.twitter.com/ktMBXJTYCZ

— Coach Alex Pussieldi (@alexpussieldi) May 4, 2025

A Brazilian Olympian, Santos enjoyed a decorated international career. He first participated in a World Championships in 2001; over his two decades of racing, he earned four long-course World Championship medals (three silver, one bronze) all in the 50-meter butterfly. He earned the last of those medals at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, claiming his third silver medal. Santos was even more successful at the short-course World Championships, earning 12 medals—including six gold—between 2004 and 2022.

Santos was a sprint freestyle and butterfly specialist and though he did race the 100 freestyle as part of Brazil’s relays, he shined brightest in the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly. He is a former world record holder in the short-course 50 butterfly (21.75) and still holds the South American record in that event and the long-course edition (22.60). There’s been much talk about whether the recent introduction of the 50s of stroke to the LA 2028 Olympic schedule will extend the careers of some of the sport’s current veterans. But, the change could also bring a recently retired sprint specialist like Santos back to the sport.

This is Santos’ second long course masters’ world record. He swam 23.72 in the 50 butterfly last August, establishing a new standard in the men’s 40-44 age group before he aged up this February.