Maxime Grousset Drops 49.27 Fly Split On Medley Relay, Second-Fastest Ever

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

On France’s 4×100 men’s medley relay at the 2023 World Championships, Maxime Grousset split a massive 49.27 butterfly leg to bring his team from fourth to second. Although France got passed by China and Australia on the freestyle leg and didn’t get on the podium, Grousset recorded the second-fastest 100 fly relay split ever.

Grousset’s split was the eighth sub-50 100 fly split in history. The only person who has ever been faster than him on a relay is Caeleb Dressel, who went 49.03 on Team USA’s world record-breaking relay at the Tokyo Olympics.

All-Time Fastest Men’s 100 Fly Splits:

  1. Caeleb Dressel, United States — 49.03 (2021)
  2. Maxime Grousset, France — 49.27 (2023)
  3. Caeleb Dressel, United Stated — 49.28 (2019)
  4. Caeleb Dressel, United States — 49.33 (2019)
  5. Michael Phelps, United States — 49.72 (2009)
  6. Caeleb Dressel, United States — 49.76 (2017)
  7. Caeleb Dressel, United States — 49.92 (2017)

Just a day ago, Grousset became the world champion in the individual 100 fly, clocking a time of 50.14 to become the fifth-fastest performer in history. With his success as well as the success of Leon Marchand, the Frenchmen are in a very strong position come time for their home Olympic games next year.

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A C
10 months ago

That full stroke at the 50 made him so much faster than in the individual, he definitely has a 49 flat start in him. I think the 50.61 at Trials was misleading as he was very long on the finish, it could have been a 50.3-4. We‘ll see what Milak and Dressel are worth now after their deserved hiatus going into the Olympics. (But people will sleep on Grousset like this year and forget he is Top 3 material in 50-100 fly and free)

Bobo Gigi
10 months ago

Where does that fly come from? 😯
The last time he swam a 100 fly in long course before this year was in 2018.
Last February 52.00
Last March 51.72
Last June at French nationals 50.61
And this week 50.14 in individual and 49.27 relay split.
Crazy!

Hindirien
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
10 months ago

He shaved his moustache, you need to follow the news!

Wanna Sprite?
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
10 months ago

Dressel had a similar trajectory in 2017 if you remember

Joe
Reply to  Wanna Sprite?
10 months ago

But he is from the USA so no one question his progress

ButtertheChicken
Reply to  Bobo Gigi
10 months ago

Grousset is also only 24. So, a swim from 5 years ago in 2018 would have made him 18/19. Lots of growth can happen in that time. Just look at Dressel.

D3 Warrior
10 months ago

First 50 22.4 is absurd

‘Murica
Reply to  D3 Warrior
10 months ago

With .07 RT but still pretty good

Mclovin
Reply to  D3 Warrior
10 months ago

Ideally their splits could be 52,2-58,5-49,2-47,5 to add up 3,28,4 and be medal contenders. Next year in Paris they are going to be dangerous

Matt
Reply to  Mclovin
10 months ago

Most likely they won’t. They need everything to go right and they just don’t have a consistent free or back leg. Or an elite one besides grousset who can’t swim both free and fly.

David S
10 months ago

How did the French not medal with a 49.2 fly split ???????????????

mclovin96
Reply to  David S
10 months ago

They had a weak breast 59,00 and free 48,40

Khachaturian
Reply to  mclovin96
10 months ago

and weak Backstroke

David S
Reply to  Khachaturian
10 months ago

So basically France only has a butterflyer

Bobo Gigi
Reply to  David S
10 months ago

😆 😆 😆 😆

Matt
Reply to  David S
10 months ago

They have a good free leg, too bad it’s also the guy who has a fantastic fly leg.

Smglsn12
Reply to  David S
10 months ago

I was actually pretty shocked that marchand wasn’t faster. I bet it was a combination of his long schedule and not being used to racing sprint breast in LCM. Cleaning up the second one could make France a medal contender in Paris (not much he can do about the first one tho)

Jason
Reply to  David S
10 months ago

Mostly the anchor. 48.4 is kinda horrendous when you have a 49.2 fly split, especially since it came down to a margin of 0.2 for the podium. It came down to certain people having off meets. Their backstroker had a skiing accident I think a few months ago, and he was abt half a second slower than what he went earlier in the individual. Marchand going 59.00 was expected, he’s probably just not used to that sort of swimming yet. He might be faster if they decide to focus that relay. And manadeau was really off form from what he was at their trials. He would’ve been an easy 47 kid anchor on form with that new 48.1 PB. A… Read more »

Thamos Hailmen
10 months ago

This is just the beginning ⭐️

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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