Morozov Hits 21.27 Russian Record To Become World’s 10th Best 50 Freestyler

2019 FINA WORLD CUP #3 – SINGAPORE

Last year’s overall men’s winner of the FINA World Cup Series is kicking off the 2019 circuit with a bang, as Vlad Morozov of Russia just hit a lifetime best mark in the men’s 50m freestyle.

Entering this 3-day meet in Singapore, Morozov’s personal best and Russian National Record in the 50m free rested at the 21.44 he produced at the 2017 Russian National Championships and then matched at the 2018 European Championships. Tonight, however, the 27-year-old former USC Trojan cranked out a massive time of 21.27 to drop .17 off of that previous LTB and take gold handily at the UCBC Aquatic Centre.

Morozov’s time beat out the 21.53 he notched in Gwangju to fall just short of the podium in 4th. In fact, his 21.27 outing tonight would have taken the silver at those World Championships, surpassing the runner-up time of 21.45 logged by both Brazil’s Bruno Fratus and Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev that took silver behind World Champion Caeleb Dressel (USA) and his time of 21.04.

For Morozov, his 21.27 monster effort this evening now checks the Russian in as the 10th fastest performer ever in the event worldwide, tying Fratus. His time also represents a new World Cup Series Record, overtaking his own previous standard of 21.49 from last year’s stop in Kazan.

Morozov already started his World Cup season off right with a sub-48 second 100m freestyle last week in Jinan, China, an outing which represented his first time under the 48-second barrier in over a year.

Men’s All-Time 50m Freestyle Performers Worldwide

#1 20.91 Cesar Cielo BRA 2009 BRA Open 12/18/2009 Sao Paulo
#2 20.94 Fred Bousquet FRA 2008 Olympic Invite 4/26/2009 Montpellier
#3 21.04 Caeleb Dressel USA 18th FINA World Championships 2019 7/27/2019 Gwangju
#4 21.11 Ben Proud GBR 8/3/2018 Glasgow
#5 21.19 Ashley Callus AUS 2009 Australian Champs 11/26/2009 Canberra
#5 21.19 Florent Manaudou FRA 2015 World Champs 8/8/2015 Kazan
#7 21.20 George Bovell TRI 2009 World Champs 7/31/2009 Rome
#8 21.23 Alain Bernard FRA 2008 Olympic Invite 4/26/2008 Montpellier
#9 21.25 Amaury Leveaux FRA 2009 World Champs 8/1/2009 Rome
#10 21.27 Bruno Fratus BRA 7/29/2017 Budapest
#10 21.27 Vladimir Morozov RUS FINA Swimming World Cup 2019 8/15/2019 Singapore

Update since publishing: A SCM swim from Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov was included in the USA Swimming database on the list of top 10 swims, but this has since been removed. As such, Fratus & Morozov are now the 10th fastest performers ever in the men’s 50m free.

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Jjran
5 years ago

Ive been skeptical of Vlad ever since the disappearance of his sample. His times are suspect.

Well
5 years ago

Vlad still owns MA

Plavalec
5 years ago

It is smart on his side. How much money would he make with silver medal at worlds or how much money he is about to make in this World Cup Series. It is all about the benjamins.

Luigi
5 years ago

4th, not counting supersuits

HOYA13
5 years ago

Morozov is such a babe

swimJon
5 years ago

He just keeps hitting those times at the wrong meets… i feel sorry for him. His a bit like Asafa Powell was. Soooo fast but not a champion

Mummy Napkin
5 years ago

Meanwhile, Phelps never broke 22 seconds.

Andy
Reply to  Mummy Napkin
5 years ago

But he could sure make it look like he did on his 2nd 50!

DLSwim
Reply to  Mummy Napkin
5 years ago

He also never broke 1:00 in the 100 breast. So?

Mr Piano
Reply to  Mummy Napkin
5 years ago

And vlad never broke 4:04 in 400 IM

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Mummy Napkin
5 years ago

Did he ever break 23 seconds?

monsterbasher
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

Phelps went our 23 mid in his 100 fly. I’m sure he can break 23 in free

Ol’ Longhirn
Reply to  monsterbasher
5 years ago

But the answer is he never has.

Outside Smoke
5 years ago

I think it’s more than just a missed taper. It was probably easier for Morozov to swim a 21.27 in clean water than the 21.5 he swam at worlds in a tsunami of waves. He was the dominant leader here rather than choking on Dressel’s and Fratus’ wake.

Virtua
Reply to  Outside Smoke
5 years ago

I know your probably being figurative but it’s pretty hard to choke on water when u only take 1 or 2( or none) breaths in a 50 free

Hmmmm
Reply to  Virtua
5 years ago

go swim in someone’s wake, tell me how it goes

it’s like a bouncy ball tryna swim

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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