Campbell Sets 100 Free Commonwealth Record With #2 Swim Of All-Time

2018 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, August 9 – Tuesday, August 14, 2018
• Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center, Tokyo, Japan
• Meet site
• Psych Sheet
• Start Lists
• Meet Results

Australian Cate Campbell swam the 2nd fastest 100 freestyle in history to win gold at the Pan Pacific Championships and lower her own Commonwealth, Oceanian, Australian and Championship Meet Records.

We knew Campbell was on good form after her record-breaking relay leg on day 1, splitting the fastest ever in 50.93, but still came into this final with her hands full as American Simone Manuel had won gold at both the 2016 Olympic Games and 2017 World Championships.

Campbell left no doubt with the fastest opening (25.09) and closing 50 splits (26.94) in the field to hit a time of 52.03 and lower her Commonwealth, Oceanian and Australian marks of 52.06, set in July of 2016, and take out her Pan Pac Record of 52.62 set four years ago in the heats. She did win gold back in 2014 on the Gold Coast and has now successfully defended her title.

Campbell’s performance does end up as the #2 performance of all-time, trailing only Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and her world record of 51.71 done at last summer’s World Championships. The 26-year-old now owns the #2 and #3 swims of all-time.

Manuel won silver in a time of 52.66, and Canadian Taylor Ruck took bronze in a new personal best of 52.72. For Ruck, she falls just .02 shy of Penny Oleksiak‘s National Record set at the 2016 Games.