Noe Ponti Breaks 50 Fly World Record in Shanghai; First Swiss World Record in Almost 40 Years

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP-SHANGHAI

Swiss swimmer Noe Ponti, who has had a fast weekend in Shanghai already, broke through with a new World Record in the men’s 50 fly on Sunday morning during the prelims session, touching in 21.67. The World Record swim comes with a $10,000 bonus and is the first World Record of this year’s series (though Gretchen Walsh broke one in the 100 IM on domestic soil in America on Friday, coincidental timing).

Ponti’s swim broke the old record that was shared by Nicholas Santos of Brazil and Szebasztian Szabo of Hungary at matching 21.75s. Santos’ swim was done in October 2018 at the Budapest stop of the World Cup, while Szabo’s was done in November 21 at the European Short Course Championships in Kazan, Russia.

Ponti’s swim also breaks Szabo’s European Record, Santos’ World Cup Record, and Ponti’s own Swiss Record of 21.79 from last December’s European Championships that itself narrowly-missed the World Record.

Top 5 Performers All-Time, Men’s 50 SCM Fly

  1. Noe Ponti, Switzerland, 2024 – 21.67
  2. (TIE) Nicholas Santos, Brazil, 2018/Szebasztian Szabo, Hungary, 2021 – 21.75
  3. Steffen Deibler, Germany, 2010 – 21.80
  4. Roland Schoeman, South Africa, 2010 – 21.87

Ponti becomes the first Swiss swimmer to set a World Record in swimming in a World Aquatics approved event since Dano Halsall set the long course World Record in the 50 meter free on July 21, 1985 (22.52).

Ponti is the top seed by about three-tenths over the Netherlands’ Nyls Korstanje, whose 21.96 split breaks his own Dutch Record of 22.25 from 2022. That makes Korstanje just the 9th man in history to break 22 seconds in this event.

Ponti previously finished 3rd in the 200 IM in 1:51.78 and won the 100 fly in 48.40. Both were new Swiss Records and the latter is both a World Cup and European Record.

He was scheduled to swim the 200 free on Sunday as well, but scratched the race.

In This Story

37
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

37 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Andrew
29 days ago

You could make an NCAA men’s superteam with all the recruits that didn’t make it at NC state

Dan
30 days ago

It is a shame that the World Record bonuses are not better, been the same or gotten worse since the early 1990’s, Word Athletics have at least increased theirs to $50,000

Last edited 30 days ago by Dan
Fly Faster
30 days ago

Super Congratulations to Noe Ponti! 👏👏👏

Alison England
30 days ago

Of course Ponti’s WR broke those other ones!

Alison England
Reply to  Alison England
30 days ago

Sorry, this was a bit sarcastic. Would delete if I could.

Smglsn12
30 days ago

Did Dressel just never swim this? I feel like he’d have been able to drop a nasty 50 fly scm back in the day

Alison England
Reply to  Smglsn12
30 days ago

Why does everything have to be about Dressel?

Swimdad
Reply to  Alison England
30 days ago

Because he’s the greatest sprinter in history!

AquaDuck
Reply to  Swimdad
30 days ago

Is he?

Dan
Reply to  AquaDuck
30 days ago

In my book you have to get past Popov to be the best sprinter of all time. I know he did mostly Free, but he swam some very fast sprint backstroke races early on in the 90’s. Not sure if any were a WB/WR but EB/ER at least.

GOATKeown
Reply to  Swimdad
30 days ago

Yeah if you ignore the numerous sprinters who are better than him

Lisa
Reply to  GOATKeown
30 days ago

2017-2021 proves he’s one of the best sprinter in history.

Troyy
Reply to  Lisa
30 days ago

No one’s claiming he’s not one of the best in history.

Lisa
Reply to  Troyy
30 days ago

He probably one of the best sprinter in the last 20 years and he may not have the longevity like Phelps but those five years proves he belongs in the conversation for GOAT of sprinters.

Thomas The Tank Engine
Reply to  Lisa
29 days ago

Lol

Dressel is no GOAT sprinter.

Popov is.

50 100 double double Olympics gold

WR in both 50 and 100 free

Dressel can’t even break 50 or 100 free LCM WR

Dressel is only successful in 1 Olympics.

Even Chalmers has 100 free medal in 3 Olympics lol

Popov has also medaled in 100 free in 3 Olympic

Last edited 29 days ago by Thomas The Tank Engine
Troyy
Reply to  Swimdad
30 days ago

In order to be the GOAT sprinter he’s gonna have to start winning golds again because currently his longevity is not looking so great.

Lisa
Reply to  Troyy
30 days ago

Unless you decided to ignored 2017-2021 cause those five years proves he is one of the best sprinter and the guy almost won seven gold at 2019 world championship which is mind boggling.

Last edited 30 days ago by Lisa
Joel
Reply to  Lisa
30 days ago

He lost in 2018.
And didn’t race in 2020 (no one did).
Popov was more dominant for longer.

Joel
Reply to  Joel
29 days ago

Sorry… did forget ISL in late 2020.

Thomas The Tank Engine
Reply to  Lisa
29 days ago

He didn’t win in 2018.

Got beaten by Chalmers lmfao

artiebeer
Reply to  Smglsn12
30 days ago

12 times(14 including skin race) in ISL from 2019 to 2021 including semi-final and final 2020 when he set all of his SC WRs.

Dan
Reply to  artiebeer
30 days ago

Popov was near/at the Top of the World Rankings 1991-2004, even if his Championship racing was not quite as good post 1996 (post stabbing)

Last edited 30 days ago by Dan
Dan
Reply to  Smglsn12
30 days ago

Dressel never broke 22

Dimitar
Reply to  Smglsn12
17 days ago

Of course he swam it. Despite being a great sprinter, he managed to do 22.04 PB and never managed to drop under 22

Facts
30 days ago

NC State legend Noe Ponti

Fly Faster
Reply to  Facts
30 days ago

You mean Nyls and Noe are both Wolfpack Teammates? I met Nyl’s parents and brother, who also swims for NC State, in the Paris Games this August.

Thomas The Tank Engine
30 days ago

Swimswam, do you have another photo of Noe Ponti?

You did him dirty, no pun intended.

Alison England
Reply to  Thomas The Tank Engine
30 days ago

My first thought too!

Tan
Reply to  Thomas The Tank Engine
30 days ago

My first thought as well about the picture.

snailSpace
Reply to  Thomas The Tank Engine
29 days ago

Intend your puns, coward!

NotHimAgain
30 days ago

Clutch photo.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

Read More »