Cam McEvoy Swims 21.13 in 50 Free PRELIMS at 2024 World Championships

2024 WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The field in the men’s 50 freestyle prelims lit up the pool in Doha on Friday morning, led by the defending World Champion Cam McEvoy in a time of 21.13.

That’s just .07 seconds shy of his Australian Record and is the 10th-best swim in history, and the third-fastest swim ever done outside of an event final.

Fastest Performances, Men’s LCM 50 Free (All Rounds)

  1. 20.91, Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 2009 Brazilian Nationals
  2. 20.94, Fred Bousquet, France – 2009 French Nationals
  3. 21.02, Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 2009 Brazilian Nationals
  4. (TIE)21.04, Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2019 Worlds/2021 US Olympic Trials
  5. 21.06, Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2023 Worlds
  6. 21.07, Caeleb Dressel, USA – Tokyo 2020 Olympics
  7. 21.08, Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 2009 World Championships
  8. 21.11, Ben Proud, Great Britain – 2018 Euros
  9. 21.13, Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2024 Worlds

Fastest Performances, Men’s LCM 50 Free (Non-Finals

  1. 21.02, Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 2009 Brazilian Nationals
  2. 21.11, Ben Proud, Great Britain – 2018 Euros (semis)
  3. 21.13, Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2024 Worlds (prelims)
  4. 21.18, Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2019 Worlds (semis)
  5. 21.20, George Bovell III, Trinidad & Tobago – 2009 World Championships (swim-off)
  6. 21.21, Fred Bosquet, France – 2009 Worlds (semis)
  7. 21.24, Ashley Callus, Australia – 2009 AIS Invitational (semis)
  8. 21.25, Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2023 Worlds (semis)
  9. 21.27, Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2023 Australia Trials (prelims)
  10. (TIE)21.29, Duje Draganja, Croatia – 2009 Worlds (semis)/Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2021 US Olympic Trials (prelims)/Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2017 Worlds (semis)

McEvoy, who early in his career was a 100/200 freestyler with great closing speed, came close to a World Record in the 100 free in 2016.

While he never fully stopped competing after that, he did go into a lull while focusing on his education in physics and mathematics, never really regaining the form he showed in 2016.

Last year, though, he re-emerged as one of the fastest ever in the 50 freestyle, armed with a new training regiment that included more than a dozen hours a week of rock climbing and a focus on strength.

Now McEvoy rolls into the semi-finals with a .43 second advantage on his next-closest competitor, 21-year-old Vladyslav Bukhov of Ukraine.

26
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

26 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
JimSwim22
8 months ago

Semis are much closer to finals than to prelims. With only 21 seconds to play with they guys have to be today’s focused to qualify for finals. I don’t think anyone is holding back in semis

Steve Nolan
8 months ago

What’s the deal with Proud’s 21.11? With doing literally no research I want to just guess it was swum with a tornado behind him, like Sjostrom’s 50 fly WR. (A ridiculous time done by someone who is also very, very good.)

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Steve Nolan
8 months ago

dude just peaked in 2018. he was 21.16 5 weeks prior

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
8 months ago

oh huh didn’t see that on those lists so assume he’s just never been near it before/after

i am now beginning to think that list is “fastest performers, but with cam mcevoy listed twice”

The world at his feet
8 months ago

Cam is much more likable without Hawke sweating his every breath. He’ll somehow find a way to take credit for Cam’s success

Verram
Reply to  The world at his feet
8 months ago

Yeah I don’t get the Brett Hawke obsession with Cam McEvoy .. is he trying to correlate or attach his speed program with Cams success recently

Elite male sprinter
Reply to  Verram
8 months ago

He absolutely is.

I’ve been told that he makes sure he gets credit for every male sprinter in the world because he forbids them from conducting interviews with organizations like SWIMSWAM to ensure that they’re only associated with him and his cronies.

Caroswim
8 months ago

I’m not sure the prelims/semis vs finals distinction is so relevant for a 50. Even the best aren’t going to hold back because it can get tight and you don’t want to miss out. The main distinction is probably adrenaline.

Swemmer
8 months ago

Petition to void all 2009 world records

Irrelevant Swim Productions
Reply to  Swemmer
8 months ago

Actually sane opinion?! Supersuit records are just stupid (Also i jsut want thorpe to hold the 400 free WR because i have beef with biedermann)

Mr Piano
Reply to  Swemmer
8 months ago

It should have been done in 2010, but there’s little reasoning to do it now.

Sub13
8 months ago

Why do I feel like there’s a 50% chance the WR is broken and 50% chance he doesn’t swim this fast for the later rounds?

snailSpace
Reply to  Sub13
8 months ago

That’s the magic of 50s.

Dudeman
Reply to  Sub13
8 months ago

I think given his training philosophy now he’s more likely to be roughly the same time all 3 rounds rather than having a slower swim. He trains almost exclusively at top speed/top power output emphasizing consistency and repeatability. What’s crazier is he could have something more to give after 21.1 in prelims

Emily Se-Bom Lee
8 months ago

first list should have dressel’s 21.04 and 21.07 from 2021

second list should be:

1. 21.02 Cesar Cielo, Brazil – 2009 Brazilian Nationals (h)
2. 21.11 Ben Proud, Great Britain – 2018 Euros (sf)
3. 21.13 Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2024 Worlds (h)
4. 21.18 Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2019 Worlds (sf)
5. 21.20 George Bovell, Trinidad & Tobago – 2009 Worlds (so)
6. 21.21 Fred Bousquet, France – 2009 Worlds (sf)
7. 21.24 Ashley Callus, Australia – 2009 AIS International (h)
8. 21.25 Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2023 Worlds (sf)
9. 21.27 Cam McEvoy, Australia – 2023 Australian Trials (h)
10. 21.29 Duje Draganja, Croatia – 2009 Worlds (sf) / Caeleb Dressel, USA – 2020 US Olympic Trials (h)

200_fly
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
8 months ago

Ah great catch on Cielo! I forgot how much he was pushing for that record.

Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
8 months ago

and cielo’s 21.08 for the first list

200_fly
8 months ago

The all time list is missing Dressel’s 21.07 from Tokyo Olympics final. And the fastest “non-finals” list is missing Dressel’s 21.32 prelims swim also from the Tokyo Olympics.

Last edited 8 months ago by 200_fly

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

Read More »