Almost 11 years ago, at the 2009 World Championships, Cesar Cielo set world records in the 50 and 100 freestyles. Both records, set during what is now called the “super suit era”, have repeatedly stood the test of time. The closest that anyone has gotten to his 20.91 50 free record in textile is the 21.04 American Caeleb Dressel threw down during last year’s World Championships. Similarly, the closest that anyone has gotten to his 46.91 100 freestyle record is 46.96, also by Dressel.
However, now Bruno Fratus, one of Cielo’s former understudies, is saying that his records will fall before the start of the 2021 Olympics. In an interview with the Brazilian site Globo Esporte, when asked about what it would take to medal at the 2021 Olympics, Fratus stated that “It will take a swim below 21 seconds to think of something.” This would be an extremely tough feat, given that only Cielo and Frédérick Bousquet of France have broken the 21-second barrier.
He also said he felt that the World Records will be gone before the Tokyo Olympics.
Fratus has never been under the 21-second barrier, but has been under the 22-second barrier more than any other man in history. He overtook that mantle in the summer of 2018 when he hit his 60th 21-point swim. The prior record holder was none-other-than Cielo himself.
Fratus and Cielo’s careers share an interesting history. For a long period of time, they competed alongside each other, including an Olympic berth together in 2012 where Cielo out-touched Fratus for bronze in the 50 freestyle. Since then, Fratus has outperformed his world-record holding counterpart, securing silver medals at both the 2017 and 2019 World Championships in the 50 free, the former with a time of 21.27 that makes him the 10th best performer of all-time. Additionally, he put up his 60th sub-22 50 freestyle at the Mare Nostrum Monaco in 2015 to surpass Cielo for the most sub-22 swims all-time.
Cielo on the other hand, has faced many injuries and setbacks in recent years. After the 2012 Olympics he had to get surgery on both knees and pulled out of a majority of his races at the 2015 World Championships due to a shoulder injury. Although Cielo failed to make the 2016 Olympic team for Brazil, he bounced back to secure an 8th place finish in the 50 freestyle at the 2017 World Championships. Since then, he has remained active, but has stated that he is uncertain of his future in the sport.
Fratus too has dealt with a shoulder injury, undergoing surgery in September of 2018. He bounced back to win silver in the 50 free at the 2019 World Championships.
Going into the 2021 Olympics, Fratus is amongst the medal favorites, including the aforementioned Dressel, who won the World Championship titles in 2017 and 2019, in addition to recently breaking Florent Manaudou’s short course 50m free world record. Additional competitors include Ben Proud of Great Britain, Vladimir Morozov of Russia, and Kristian Gkolomeev of Greece.
FINA recently released a video of Cielo’s 50m freestyle world record swim from the 2009 World Championships in Rome. Included for comparison is a video of the 50m freestyle final from the 2019 World Championships.
The 50m free sc WR was Manaudou’s not Cielo’s
Cielo broke the 100 free WR in Rome2009, not the 50. The 50 was broken at the Brazil Open in December 2009
Yep, just days before the suit ban went into effect.
The SCM WR wasn’t Cielo’s
Also, I doubt this, unless some huge major breakout in technique doesn’t happen
i believe this as much as the fact that the 200 back wr will be broken in the next 2 years
60th sub 21 swim? That seems wrong ? Maybe 60th sub 22 swim. The article seems to say two different things. The videos are the 100 free races
My call: Chalmers breaks the 100 free WR at Aussie trials then loses to Dressel (who re-breaks the WR) at the Olympics. Caeleb goes 20.9 in Tokyo but the WR survives.
Yes except I reckon Chalmers wins gold at the Olympics too in the 100
Just like James?
Winning twice in a row in the 100 free would be something. I think the last man to do that was Popov, right? And I can’t imagine there were many before him.
van den Hoogenband in 2000 and 2004.
People stay sleeping on my boy PVDH. And NOBODY speaks Gary hall jrs name in the top sprinter name. Back to back Golds in the 50, AFTER double silver 50/100 the cycle before, is up there with anybody in the splash and dash
Unfortunately for Hall, Jr., he’ll forever be remembered primarily for having to watch Klim strum his air guitar after the relay loss. Just like Bernard will primarily be remembered as the guy Lezak ran down. It’s the equivalent of a great NBA player getting posterized on a dunk.
WHY. DOES. MY. MAN. KEEP. GETTING. DISRESPECTED.
Too many frickin syllables. Chalmers/Dressel — nice and crisp.
On the contrary, Pieter van den Hoogenband rolls off the tongue with the rhythmic smoothness of Ian Thorpe’s freestyle.
Chalmers breaks the 100 Free WR at Aussie Trials, Dressel re-breaks it in the Semi-finals in Tokyo and Chalmers out-touches Dressel in the final for Gold but without a WR.
Remember what I said in a year
I think his trials will be similar to the California meet in June last year. He’ll be around 21.2/47.1/50.1 partially ready at trials and proceed to go 3/3 at the olympics.
Agree completely. He’ll throw in a 1:46 low to make the team in the 800 free relay. Troy even planned to partially rest for that meet to simulate Trials before he headed off to Worlds.
Dressel and Chalmers are going to need to be by each other to break the record
I think you have this confused with the 100 freestyle
Title implies he’s talking of both records and yes I meant 100 free. I don’t think anyone outside Dressel is getting close to Cielos 50.
Manaudou might be with him as well
Article is about the 100 too. The 100 free videos are even embedded at the bottom.
King Dressel can break the 50/100 and needs nobody. Having the Baron Chalmers next to him will only sweeten the deal.