2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
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In the finals of the men’s 800 free at the 2022 FINA World Championships, Brazilian swimmer Guilherme Costa finished fifth in a time of 7:45.48, beating out his old South American record mark of 7:46.09 set at the prelims of the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.
This is Costa’s second continental record of this meet, as he previously broke his own South American record in the men’s 400 free en route to taking bronze in the race with a time of 3:43.31. The bronze was Costa’s first medal from a World Championships or Olympic Games.
Top 5 South American Performers, Men’s 800 Free:
- Guilherme Costa, Brazil – 7:45.48 (2022)
- Alfonso Mestre, Venezuela – 7:50.81 (2021)
- Miguel Leite Valente, Brazil – 7:55.73 (2019)
- Martin Naidich, Argentina – 7:57.70 (2013)
- Stephan Stevernik, Brazil – 7:57.70 (2022)
Costa took his swim out extremely fast, even being under world record pace in the beginning portion of his race. However, he ended up fading after the 200-meter mark, but was still fast enough to end up in fifth. This is an improvement from his last-place finish in the Tokyo finals in a time of 7:53.31, adding over six seconds from his prelims time. This year, he went 7:46.90 in prelims and went to drop 1.42 in finals.
Splits Comparison:
| Guilherme Costa, 2022 World Championships (New South American Record) | Guilherme Costa, 2021 Olympic Games (Old South American Record) | |
| 50m | 26.75 | 26.84 |
| 100m | 27.85 | 28.41 |
| 150m | 28.90 | 28.92 |
| 200m | 29.07 | 28.92 |
| 250m | 29.53 | 29.22 |
| 300m | 29.60 | 29.27 |
| 350m | 29.66 | 29.73 |
| 400m | 29.51 | 29.37 |
| 450m | 29.61 | 29.64 |
| 500m | 29.36 | 29.32 |
| 550m | 29.69 | 29.80 |
| 600m | 29.56 | 29.75 |
| 650m | 29.69 | 30.03 |
| 700m | 29.53 | 29.65 |
| 750m | 29.17 | 29.48 |
| 800m | 28.00 | 27.74 |
| T0tal | 7:45.48 | 7:46.09 |
He can already be considered the best long-distance swimmer in the history of South America. He will completely surpass Tetsuo Okamoto and Djan Madruga, just need an Olympic medal to clear any doubts about that.