Yohann Ndoye-Brouard Topples French Record in 100 Back En Route to Bronze Medal Finish

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

On day three of the 2025 World Swimming Championships, France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard became the first Frenchman under the 52-second barrier in the men’s 100 backstroke, touching in 51.92 to win the bronze medal.

Ndoye-Brouard finished 3rd behind Rising South African star Pieter Coetze (51.85) and current world record holder Thomas Ceccon of Italy (51.90). The top three were separated by a mere seven one-hundredths of a second.

MEN’S 100 BACKSTROKE – FINAL

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2022)
• World Junior Record: 52.08 – Miron Lifintsev, Russia (2024)
• Championship Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2022)
• 2023 World Champion: Ryan Murphy, United States – 52.22
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Thomas Ceccon, Italy – 52.00

1. Pieter Coetze (RSA), 51.85
2. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 51.90
3. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA), 51.92
4. Hubert Kos (HUN), 52.20
5. Oliver Morgan (GBR), 52.37
6. Kliment Kolesnikov (NAB), 52.38
7. Miron Lifintsev (NAB), 52.51
8. Apostolos Christou (GRE), 52.62

Ndoye Brouard split 25.37 for the first 50 and flipped 7th at the turn. But it was his last 50 that catapulted him into medal contention, splitting the 2nd fastest last 50 in the field in 26.55 (only behind Ceccon’s 26.51), overtaking Neutral Athlete Kliment Kolesnikov, Great Britain’s Oliver Morgan, and Hungarian Hubert Kos to secure a spot on the podium.

That 51.92 takes off more than half-a-second from his best of 52.47, set last night in the semifinals, bringing his total time drop to .59 seconds at these World Championships from his all-time mark before Singapore of 52.50.

Yohann Ndoye-Brouard Splits Comparison:

Ndoye-Brouard now sits as the 6th fastest performer all-time in the men’s 100 backstroke, sitting just ahead of American Aaron Peirsol at 51.94.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 100 Backstroke (LCM):

1. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 51.60 – 2022
2. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 51.82 – 2023
3. Ryan Murphy (USA) / Pieter Coetze (RSA), 51.85 – 2016 / 2025
4. –
5. Xu Jiayu (CHN), 51.86 – 2017
6. Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (FRA), 51.92 – 2025
7. Aaron Peirsol (USA), 51.94 – 2009
8. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 51.97 – 2019
9. Hunter Armstrong (USA), 51.98 – 2022
10. Matt Grevers (USA) / Miron Lifintsev (RUS) – 2012 / 2024

Ndoye-Brouard is currently set to compete in the 200 backstroke later in these World Championships, and will be a key component to French medley relays moving forward in Singapore.