Brazilian Men Miss 50 BR Top 5 For First Time Since 2007 (Day 4 S. America Recap)

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
• Budapest, Hungary
• Duna Arena
• LCM (50-meter format)
• Full Aquatics Schedule
• How To Watch
• Psych Sheets
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Day 4 Finals Heat Sheets

Many people think of the 50 freestyle when they consider what Brazil’s best event is on the world stage. World record-holder Cesar Cielo and Olympic medalist Bruno Fratus have occupied space in the elite 50 freestyle conversation for more than a decade.

But Brazil has also been a dominant force in the men’s 50 breaststroke for over 10 years, having won a total of 5 medals in the event since the event’s inception at the World Championships in 2001. That makes Brazil #3 on the list of World Champs medal-winning countries in the men’s 50 breast.

All-time Medal Totals in the Men’s 50 Breast – World Championships

1. South Africa – 7
2. USA – 6
3. Brazil – 5
4. Great Britain – 4
5. Italy – 3
6. Ukraine – 3
7. Russia – 1
8. Germany – 1
9. Australia – 1
10. Hungary – 1
11. Japan – 1

Brazil’s medals in the 50 breaststroke have come from 3 different men spanning 10 years. Felipe Franca Silva won silver in 2009 and followed that up with gold in 2011. Then in 2017 Joao Gomes Jr landed on the podium and took silver. In 2019, Felipe Lima took silver, and Gomes Jr took bronze, bringing the total to 5.

Fast forward to the 2022 World Championships and things look a bit different for Brazil in this event. This marks the first time since 2007 that Brazil didn’t have a swimmer place within the top 5 in this event.

For 6 straight World Championships Brazil had someone place 5th or better but this year their top finisher was Felipe Franca Silva who wound up in 7th with a 27.42. That’s almost a second slower than the 26.76 that Silva used to win silver back in 2009.

Brazil’s Top Finishers in the Men’s 50 Breaststroke 2007 – 2022

One of the contributing factors to Brazil’s out-of-the-top-5 finish is the fact that two-time medalist Joao Gomes Jr got disqualified from this event during semi-finals. Gomes Jr has a best time of 26.42, which is faster than the 26.45 that Nic Fink of the USA used to win the event.

It’s impossible to say whether Gomes Jr would have landed on the podium or broken into the top 5 here, but it seems possible considering his history in the event. During prelims, he posted a 26.75 to rank 3rd overall.

Without the 50 breaststroke, Brazil is likely out of contention for medals in the breaststroke events in 2022. In the 100 Brazil’s top finisher was Felipe Franca Silva who finished 24th with a 1:01.41. In the 200 breaststroke, Brazil has entered Caio Pumputis as their only entrant.

Pumputis is the 22nd seed in the 200 with a 2:11.12, meaning he’ll need to pull off a PB in order to contend for a medal or a finals swim. Brazil has 2 medals so far at the 2022 World Championships courtesy of Nicholas Santos‘ silver in the 50 butterfly and Guilherme Costa‘s bronze in the 400 free.

Quick Hits

• Guilherme Costa looked strong on the opening few lengths of the men’s 800 freestyle final. He lead the pack until the 300-meter mark, splitting a 2:51.70 but was overtaken after that, flipping in third at the 350. He ultimately placed 5th overall in the final but managed to break the Brazilian and South American records in the event with a 7:45.48.
• Brazil’s contingent of Guilherme Basseto, Joao Gomes Jr, Giovanna Diamante, and Stephanie Balduccini swam a 3:48.07 in the mixed 4×100 medley prelims. They were just under 2 seconds slower than 8th place Germany (3:46.54), meaning that they missed the final.

South American Medal Table Through Day 3

South American National Records Through Day 3

• Guilherme Costa broke his own Brazilian and South American records in the 400 freestyle with a 3:44.52 during prelims to take out his 3:45.85 from 2021. He then lowered that time to a 3:43.31 during finals, winning bronze.
• Guilherme Costa broke another South American record in the 800 freestyle, hitting a 7:45.48 to lower it from the 7:46.09 he set at Tokyo 2020.