Michael Houlie Sets, then Lowers, WUGs 50 Breast Record on Day 5

2019 World University Games/Summer Universiade – Swimming

• July 4th-9th, 2019
• Napoli, Italy
• LCM (50m)
• Live Stream: Olympic Channel (in US), Rai Sport (in Italy)
• Entry Lists & Live Results

Men’s 50 Breaststroke

• World Record – 25.95, Adam Peaty (GBR), 2017
• Meet Record – 27.06, Andrea Toniato (ITA), 2015
• Meet Record – 26.98, Michael Houlie (RSA), 2019
• Meet Record – 26.82, Michael Houlie (RSA), 2019

South Africa’s Michael Houlie, a rising sophomore at the University of Tennessee, took two swipes at the World University Games record in the men’s 50 breaststroke on Monday. Coming into the meet with the fastest seed time of 26.91, he swam 26.98 in the ninth heat of prelims, winning the race by .35 and setting a new Universiade meet record. On Monday evening, he blasted a 26.82 to win his semi-final by nearly half a second, lowering his new meet mark by another .16.

Houlie now moves to 6th in the world in the 50 breaststroke for the current season. He had ranked 8th after his 26.91 at South African Nationals in April.

Houlie will face 100 breaststroke champion and Games Record-holder Ian Finnerty (qualified 3rd in 27.32) and while 100 breaststroke runner-up Kirill Prigoda (qualified 2nd in 27.28) in the 50 breast final on Tuesday.

Houlie is one of only about 20 swimmers ever to have broken 27 seconds in the 50 breast.

In October 2018, he broke both the 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke records at Youth Olympic Games. His 50 records came from the opening 50s of the 100s in prelims and semi-finals, where he went 27.51 and 27.44, respectively, for the two fastest 50 breaststrokes ever swum at that meet. He also went 27.51 to win the gold medal in the 50 breaststroke individual event. 27.83 won gold in the individual 50 breaststroke at the 2014 YOG and 28.55 won gold in 2010.