2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 18-25, 2022 (pool swimming)
- Budapest, Hungary
- Duna Arena
- LCM (50-meter format)
- Full Aquatics Schedule
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- Meet Central
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- Day 2 Finals Live Recap
The United States won three gold medals and three bronze medals on night two of the 2022 FINA World Championships.
Caeleb Dressel earned back-to-back world titles in the 50 butterfly, becoming the first American to do so. Dressel spoke to USA Swimming on his win saying it, “Feels good to get the first individual [gold] out of the way. It’s always the most nerve wracking. Feel like I executed well. Of course – you hear me say it a million times – it could have been better but that’s okay. It worked good tonight so I’m just happy for Michael. I didn’t know it was his first medal so it will be good to share the podium with him tonight.”
Tonight’s gold was Dressel’s first individual medal of the meet after being a part of the US gold medal-winning men’s 4×100 freestyle relay last night. Dressel also spoke on his mentality for the meet saying, “Looking forward to the rest of the meet but looking forward to the day off tomorrow. I’m as good as I can be. Cards are different every single day so I’m trying to deal with them the best I can. Can’t change how my body feels. Felt good enough today – wouldn’t really change anything and I’m sure I’ll be fine the rest of the meet.” Dressel has the day off tomorrow and is expected to be back in the heats of the 100 freestyle Tuesday morning.
In addition to Dressel’s gold, the US also had a bronze medal won by Michael Andrew which is the first time two Americans medaled in the event together at a FINA World Championship. Andrew set a new best time and won his first long course individual championship medal. Andrew spoke to USA Swimming on his race and Dressel saying, “As much as he’s a teammate, I always want to beat him. It’s nice having a guy like him in a lot of the events I race because it pushes me to work that much harder so I’m excited for the next couple years to race him. I see the way he pursues excellence so as an athlete, I look up to that. So, every day I hope to be on top of the podium with Caeleb.”
Also highlighting the night was an American Record set by Torri Huske. Huske swam to a gold medal in a time of 55.64 breaking her own American Record time of 55.66 which she swam at Wave II Olympic Trials last summer. Huske also became the first American to win the event since 2011. Huske spoke to USA Swimming on her record saying, “It’s really amazing. I really don’t know how to put it into words because it’s kind of surreal. I feel like I haven’t really processed it yet. I’m just happy I went a best time more than the place. At the end of the day, I just want to see that I’m improving myself.” US teammate Claire Curzan finished fifth overall.
Also winning gold tonight for the US was Alex Walsh after swimming a time of 2:07.13 in the 200 IM. Walsh won silver in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Walsh spoke to USA Swimming on the experience saying, “I forgot what it’s like to have so many people in the crowd and I was shocked, honestly, looking up from my race and seeing the stadium was full of people. I think that just brought me a lot of adrenaline and it’s just such an honor to race Katinka [Hosszu]. I’ve really looked up to her all of these years and it was fun. I know her home crowd was rooting for her, but it made me really excited to race and I’m just grateful to be here in Budapest.”
The Tokyo Olympics did not have any spectators. Katinka Hosszu of host country Hungary was in tonight’s final placing seventh. Hosszu is the world record holder in the event. Walsh became the first American to win gold in the event since 2009 setting a personal best time in the process.
Walsh also spoke on US bronze medalist Leah Hayes saying, “I knew she was super nervous in the ready room. I was just super happy she was next to me and I didn’t even see that she got third I was so shocked by my time and then when I saw she got third and beat the 2:09 barrier at such a young age – she’s on a really great path.” Walsh and Hayes held the top two seeds coming into the final so they were in lanes four (Walsh) and five (Hayes) respectfully.
In addition to winning bronze, Hayes also set a World Junior Record in the process. Hayes spoke on her record saying, “I’ve had my eyes on that record for a while now and I’m so happy to finally get it.” Hayes also spoke on winning her first medal at an international meet saying, “It’s surreal – to be on the podium with my teammate and to get a world record when I wasn’t even expecting myself to win a medal at this world championships? I gave it my all!” Both Walsh and Hayes combined to have the fastest splits on all four 50s in the field.
American Nic Fink also earned a medal tonight after touching first at the 50 mark. Fink won bronze in the men’s 100 breaststroke swimming a time of 58.65, just 0.03 off of tying silver. After swimming a four long course World Championships, Fink earned his first medal. He spoke on how it feels to win his first medal saying, “It feels good. First one, can’t complain about the result. Looking forward to hopefully getting more this week.” Fink is also entered in the 50 and 200 breaststrokes later in the meet.
Michael Andrew needs to take the lesson from these championship:
Specialize in 50, and you’ll be very successful.
He is American Record holder in 100 breast
I’d rather settle for a medal at a major international competition in the men’s 100 meter breaststroke.
How interesting. He couldn’t even final in Budapest, and Peaty and the Russians aren’t even swimming.
That is a PB for MA
Dressel complaining how his body feels after 3 50 flys and a 100 free is not a good sign. Probably realizes Milak and ChorineDaddy have his number this meet.
On cue, the Dressel critique. You’ve been hoping for 5 years now that he’ll be a bust at a major meet so who knows, maybe you’ll get your wish, and he won’t sweep his events.
No, I’ve been complaining for 5 years that he’s not the second coming of Phelps, and won’t beat Peaty in the 100 LCM breast, win the 200 LCM IM, and has a 1:44 200 free in him —- all of which have been the prominent themes here for years since his breakout NCAAs. Now I hear his start might not be up to bar in the comments… losing his hops. He loses, and there will be an avalanche of excuses on these boards. Great swimmer, but not the myth people here have made him out to be.
He’s said that he’s not the second coming of Phelp’s and doesn’t want to be compared to him. People who do so know nothing of our sport. People who say he’ll beat Peaty are mental, and if he trained 2 free I could see a 1:44
Peaty actually going a 55 is more likely than Dressel doing a 1:44.
Actually Greg Troy said in an interview with Brett Hawke that Caeleb could be a 1:44 200 freestyler.
lol I said his start had nowhere to go but down – either he loses a bit of that pop or the field catches up, most likely both. Still seems pretty good.
Well now that he’s got his individual Olympic golds and world records he should have earned the respect of Ol’ longhorn but the goal posts keep a shiftin’!
Preach it, brother!
But people were saying he was TOO good!
Which I can kinda see, sometimes people got carried away with his potential long course in off-strokes. But he’s still been the best swimmer in the world for five years now.
I just want him to wear his USA pants appropriately formal on the awards podium instead of halfway up his legs. Not only that his workout suits are X rated.
But he was People magazine’s “sexiest Olympian”
What Milak and ChlorineDaddy will continue to have is a view of him in front of them … from the instant they hit the water until he touches the finish wall.
Those that haven’t, come aboard ChlorineDaddy hype train now. The train will soon depart to the next station: GREATNESS.
Remember the Joseph Schooling comparison? As of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Caeleb Dressel has the “elusive” Olympic Gold Medal and a World Record.
Where was Joseph Schooling’s World Record? I’m still looking. Still can’t find one.
I don’t even understand your rants and rambling.
I’m with you, I genuinely don’t understand people who didn’t pick Popovici for his events prior to the start of the meet.
MA seems to click in his different events at different times. Obviously the 100br semi was a disappointment and I don’t know if it was more a result of his training and execution or having the 50fly semi right before. Either way he walked away with a medal and Fink came through on the 100br so it was a great team effort and result.
He needed his Dad coaching him on the breastroke. His dad seems to be able to dial him in on that event.
His vlog gave the appearance his breaststroke was on-point. He did a split 100 out in 27 and back in 29 w/ 30 sec rest between 50’s while in Croatia.
I mean he was also 58 in the prelims. He just gassed himself out
No he wasn’t gassed out his stroke was off. He was out too slow for him and he tried too hard to speed up once he realized he was too far behind. He counts his strokes so he knew he was off.
no. He was tired and his technique fell apart.
Nope. He has talked about this before.
Love you, Tina!
MA swam at US world swimming trials finals 100 fly 50.8, 50 breast American Record 26.52 and 50 back 24.8 He is capable of swimming multiple events in one final session even setting an AR.
This ain’t Croatia
Like…he wants to tie?
That’s funny
good to see MA on the podium finally
Congrats! Great job to all our American athletes!
#AthleteLivesMatter
Congrats! Great job to all our American athletes!
#WhiteLivesMatter
Knew this radical would show up
Please tell me your joking Fobby Binke
I made sarcastic fun of the radical right #WhiteLivesMatter
Super stoked for Michael
Congrats Michael🥉