Nicholas Santos Swims #2 50 Fly of All-Time, Missing His WR By .03

2020 INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING LEAGUE – MATCH 9

40-year-old Brazilian Nicholas Santos swam the second-fastest 50 butterfly (SCM) of all-time on Tuesday, clocking 21.78 during Match 9 of the International Swimming League’s 2020 season.

Representing Iron, Santos’ swim narrowly misses his own world record of 21.75, which was actually set in the same pool he swam in today just over two years ago while on the FINA World Cup circuit, and now gives him three of the four-fastest swims in history.

He also now owns the three-fastest textile swims of all-time, as Steffen Deibler, who held the world record prior to Santos breaking it in 2018, swam his 21.80 in 2009 during the super-suit era.

All-Time Performances, Men’s 50 Butterfly (SCM)

Rank Swimmer Time Year
1 Nicholas Santos (BRA) 21.75 2018
2 Nicholas Santos (BRA) 21.78 2020
3 Steffen Deibler (GER) 21.80 2009
4 Nicholas Santos (BRA) 21.81 2018
5 Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) 21.86 2020
6 Roland Schoeman (RSA) 21.87 2009
7 Chad Le Clos (RSA) 21.95 2014
T-8 Nicholas Santos (BRA) 21.96 2018
T-8 Szebasztian Szabo (HUN) 21.96 2020
10 Chad Le Clos (RSA) 21.97 2018

Prior to Santos’ swim, the only man to break 22 seconds in ISL history was Hungarian Szebasztian Szabo, who has done so twice this season in Match 3 (21.96) and Match 6 (21.86) for the Aqua Centurions.

Santos jackpotted all but one swimmer, Tokyo’s Takeshi Kawamoto, in the event, scoring a massive 30 points for his club. He also predicted that he would break his world record in the semi-finals after the swim.

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leisurely1:29
3 years ago

Jesus.

DCSwim
3 years ago

This guy is living every 10U’s dream I never want to see him retire

Markster
3 years ago

Wow this is fun to see

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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