Alexei Avakov Rips 26.86 Lifetime Best In 50 Breast, #5 U.S. Performer All-Time

2026 AP RACE LONDON INTERNATIONAL

The 2026 AP Race London International got underway from the London Aquatics Centre, with the three-day competition attracting talent from the host nation, Germany, Denmark, and beyond.

There is a strong American contingent racing here as well, including 21-year-old Indiana University standout Alexei Avakov.

Avakov took on the men’s 50m breaststroke heats this morning, which meant he was up against the meet’s namesake swimmer, Olympic champion Adam Peaty. However, Avakov held his own, powering his way to a big-time performance of 26.86 to secure the top seed for tonight’s main event.

The Hoosier represented the sole athlete to dip beneath the 27-second barrier thus far, as Peaty settled for the 2nd seed in 27.02, followed by World Junior Championships multi-gold medalist Filip Nowacki, who earned the 3rd seed in 27.18.

As for Avakov, his 26.86 outing crushed his former best-ever mark of 27.36, a time he established at the 2025 U.S. Open Championships. He now ranks as the 5th-fastest American 50m breaststroke performer in history.

Top 6 USA Men’s LCM 50 Breaststroke Performers All-Time

  1. Van Mathias – 26.39, 2026
  2. Nic Fink – 26.45, 2022
  3. Michael Andrew – 26.52, 2022
  4. Kevin Cordes – 26.76, 2015
  5. Mark Gangloff – 26.86, 2009 & Alexei Avakov, 26.86, 2026

Avakov ranks 9th in the world on the season, with the final yet to come.

2025-2026 LCM Men 50 BREAST

VanUSA
MATHIAS
04/19
26.39
2Simone
CERASUOLO
ITA26.5104/18
3Melvin
IMOUDU
GER26.5704/25
4Sam
WILLIAMSON
AUS26.6106/10
5Michael
Houlie
RSA26.6305/28
6Adam
PEATY
GBR26.6404/15
7Chris
Smith
RSA26.6804/17
8Ivan
Kozhakin
RUS26.6905/24
9 Emre
SAKCI
TUR26.7105/21
10Haiyang
QIN
CHN26.7511/12
View Top 26»

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11 Comments
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seaturtleturtlesea
19 days ago

MA not in the top 10 nor in top 2 for usa. better speed things up if he wants to keep getting free eggs.

Tani
20 days ago

Oh dear oh dear for Michael Andrew!!

NornIron Swim
20 days ago

The “Top 6 USA Men’s LCM 50 Breaststroke Performers All-Time” lost needs updating to include Van Mathias’ AR. He’s still listed as 3rd.

idreamofswimming
20 days ago

MA not in top 10? Hmmmm.

Anonymous
20 days ago

IU is the best program in the country, in my opinion.

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Anonymous
20 days ago

They dropped the ball at 2025 NCAAs

Old Gulf Coach
Reply to  Bobthebuilderrocks
19 days ago

The difference between 1st and 3rd was Chris Giuliano. He goes to IU…they win. TX outbids IU, he goes there…they win.

I wouldn’t say they dropped the ball.

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Old Gulf Coach
19 days ago

Yes, one more stacked transfer is what they needed…

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Bobthebuilderrocks
19 days ago

If IU got Guiliano it wouldn’t have mattered because he’d have pooped out like the entire IU roster did

Show me one guy on this list that was on at that meet. Probably Yep and that was it

Carson Tyler20049–2Quentin Henniger11049–3Owen McDonald00142907.84Zalan Sarkany10032911.75Jassen Yep10029899.06Caspar Corbeau00027874.07Finlay Brooks00022861.88Max Weinrich00019–9Matthew King00015861.510Kai Van Westering00013888.511Joshua Matheny00010906.012Luke Barr0007887.813Brian Benzing0006846.714Tomer Frankel0004872.015Rafael Miroslaw0001863.316Miroslav Knedla000–839.717Dylan Smiley000–821.018Toby Barnett000–817.019Dash Glasberg000––

sjostrom stan
20 days ago

another year, another IU breastoker whose name i need to learn. van is the man.

Zeph
20 days ago

HAH YES I SAID THIS BACK WHEN THE LINEUP WAS ANNOUNCED. He was a 59 low when he went 51 and then went faster at NCAAs. Can’t wait to see his 100 LCM

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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