The Last 25 Meters Led Cameron McEvoy Towards Olympic Glory: Men’s 50 Free Analysis

by Sofia Altavilla 13

September 25th, 2024 News, Paris 2024

The French Swimming Federation has released detailed statistics on all the swimming finals at the Paris Olympics, and in this article, we will analyze the women’s 100-meter fly final.

In a race like the 50 freestyle, every detail is essential: reaction time, choice of underwater distance, dolphin kicks, number of breaths, strokes, and finish. EVERYTHING must be executed perfectly, as every detail can result in the loss or gain of precious hundredths of a second.

Cameron McEvoy arrives in Paris as a world champion, having won gold at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka. Despite the unpredictable nature of this race, he doesn’t let the weight of his titles intimidate him and wins his first Olympic gold medal of his career. This race is very emotional, as not only does the 30-year-old Australian win his first individual Olympic medal, but 29-year-old Ben Proud also secures silver. Finally, Florent Manaudou stands on the podium in front of his Parisian crowd, at 33, for his fourth Olympic medal in the 50 freestyle, completing one of the most experienced podiums of the entire edition.

  • The gap separating McEvoy and Proud, gold and silver medalists respectively in this race, from the other finalists is significant.
  • The segment between 25 and 45 meters is where the Australian built his advantage.
  • Josh Liendo lost time on the start.

*Manaudou

Let’s analyze meter by meter

We’ll break down the race into two parts and focus on specific details. The first part section the non-swimming segments, such as the start and the underwater. The second section focuses on the swimming phase, including the finish.

NON-SWIMMING SEGMENTS

Start

Rank at start Swimmer Reaction time (s) Speed exiting underwater
1 Cameron McEvoy 0.56 3.70
2 Ben Proud 0.59 3.86
3 Florent Manaudou 0.63 3.75
4 Kristian Gkolomeev 0.63 3.85
5 Caeleb Dressel 0.63 3.84
6 Jordan Crooks 0.63 3.79
7 Josh Liendo 0.64 3.57
8 Leonardo Deplano 0.66 3.81
  • It is interesting to note that the fastest reaction times at the start reflect what the final podium would be.
  • The fastest reaction off the blocks was McEvoy (0.56s), just like in the women’s race, where Olympic champion Sarah Sjostrom recorded the fastest reaction in the final (0.62s).
  • However, it was Proud who had the fastest exit from the underwater phase (3.86m/s).
  • Liendo didn’t capitalize on his start, as he registered the lowest speed exiting the water (3.57m/s).

15-Meter Standings

Rank Swimmer Time
1 Caeleb Dressel 4.97
2 Ben Proud +0.05
3 Jordan Crooks +0.05
4 Florent Manaudou +0.13
5 Cameron McEvoy +0.14
6 Josh Liendo +0.24
7 Kristian Gkolomeev +0.30
8 Leonardo Deplano +0.31
    • At 15m, Caeleb Dressel is, as expected, in the lead thanks to his optimal start and ability to quickly engage the water with his strokes.
    • After just 5 seconds into the race, the advantage gained by the leaders over the seventh and eighth swimmers, Kristian Gkolomeev and Leonardo Deplano, is already 0.3s
    • Ben Proud is just behind the American, having made up the hundredths that separated him from the podium after the block start.

SWIMMING SEGMENTS

25-Meter Standings

Rank Swimmer Time Speed 15-25m (m/s)
1 Caeleb Dressel 9.50 2.21
2 Ben Proud +0.04 2.21
3 Jordan Crooks +0.06 2.18
4 Cameron McEvoy +0.09 2.23
5 Florent Manaudou +0.12 2.21
6 Leonardo Deplano +0.29 2.22
7 Kristian Gkolomeev +0.32  2.20
8 Josh Liendo +0.33 2.16
  • At 25 meters, Caeleb Dressel is still in the lead with 9.50s: so far, his swimming has been consistent, with a stroke frequency of about 61.1 strokes per minute.
  • McEvoy starts his progression, gaining five precious hundredths and proving to be the fastest in this segment with a speed of 2.22 m/s.
  • Also, Leonardo Deplano, although still 0.29s behind the leader, is one of the fastest between 15 and 25m, reaching a speed of 2.22m/s.
  • Proud and Manaudou maintained the same gap they had at 15m, placing second and fourth, respectively.
Swimmer Stroke Rate 0-25m (strokes/min) Stroke Rate 25-50m (strokes/min) Efficiency (m/cycle stroke)
Cameron McEvoy 63.7 62.5 2.08m
Benjamin Proud 63 61.2 2.10m
Florent Manaudou 60.9 59.8 2.13m
  • During the race, McEvoy, like Sjostrom in the women’s field, manages to maintain a high stroke rate consistently throughout the race, oscillating between 63 and 62 strokes per minute.
  • Manaudou (2.13m/stroke) and Gkolomeev (2.17m/stroke) are the swimmers with the most efficient strokes. Because of this, the Frenchman’s stroke rate is indeed lower than those of the other two medalists.

Final Phase

45-Meter Standings

Rank Swimmer Time Speed 25-45m (m/s)
1 Cameron McEvoy 18.91 2.15
2 Ben Proud +0.08 2.12
3 Jordan Crooks +0.34 2.07
4 Florent Manaudou +0.36 2.07
5 Caeleb Dressel +0.40 2.04
5 Kristian Gkolomeev +0.40 2.11
7 Josh Liendo +0.43 2.10
8 Leonardo Deplano +0.47 2.09
  • Within 20 meters, McEvoy managed to take the lead, increasing the gap to 0.08s over the consistent Proud.
  • The Australian, along with the Brit, experienced the least drop in speed, going from 2.23m/s to 2.15m/s, highlighting the importance of maintaining the same stroke rate and efficiency, especially between 25 and 45 meters.
  • Dressel, while maintaining a high stroke rate (around 64 strokes per minute), clearly showed a decline in stroke effectiveness, dropping from 2.06m/stroke in the first 25 meters to 1.92m/stroke in the second half. In fact, he was the slowest in this segment.
  • Manaudou also began to feel the pressure from McEvoy and Proud, who now had nearly a 0.4s lead over the Frenchman. Nevertheless, the other finalists also suffered speed drops, allowing Manaudou to claim fourth position, closing in on Jordan Crooks.
Swimmer Speed last 5m (m/s) Approach to the wall
(m)
Wall touch
(s)
Cameron McEvoy 2.14 0.77 0.36
Ben Proud 2.16 0.52 0.24
Florent Manaudou 2.18 1.22 0.56
Josh Liendo 2.23 0.29 0.13

FINAL RESULTS

  1. Cameron McEvoy 21.25
  2. Benjamin Proud 21.30
  3. Florent Manaudou 21.56
  4. Joshua Liendo 21.58
  5. Kristian Gkolomeev 21.59
  6. Caeleb Dressel 21.61
  7. Leonardo Deplano 21.62
  8. Jordan Crooks 21.64
  • In the final meters, Liendo proved to be by far the fastest, with a speed of 2.23 m/s that brought him from seventh to fourth place, just 0.02s from the podium.
  • Proud and Manaudou managed to execute a final sprint, further increasing their stroke rate and speed, although the Frenchman overshot the finish slightly.
  • McEvoy lost a few hundredths to the British at the finish, but still managed to touch just enough (0.05s) ahead to win the title.

CONCLUSION

There is some analogy between the women’s race won by Sarah Sjostrom and this race. In both cases, the Olympic gold medalists had the fastest reaction times at the start, but they were not in the lead at 15m. However, while the Sweden managed to take the lead by the 25m mark, the Australian unleashed his power during the final 20 meters, partly due to the explosive start characteristics of swimmers like Caeleb Dressel and Jordan Crooks and the underwater work of Benjamin Proud. A race of great consistency, instead, was that of Benjamin Proud, who secured his first Olympic medal by maintaining second place throughout the race.

Experience then rewarded the home idol Florent Manaudou, who remained in contention for fourth-fifth place and, taking advantage of Jordan Crooks‘s decline, secured his fourth Olympic podium in this event with a great final sprint.

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Swimmer
12 days ago

That battle for bronze was nuts! 0.08 between 3rd to eighth. McEvoy and Proud were clear for medals but that battle behind them is absolutely mental. I know it’s a 50 but still we don’t normally see the field that close

Emma Eckeon
12 days ago

Although I kind like Finis, I hope Speedo or Arena or Mizuno sign Mcevoy.

In similar fashion I think Ledecky’s contract with Tyr in running out…I really hope she signs with Speedo for the next 4 years. Her best years were with Speedo

Robbos
12 days ago

McEvoy lost some time with a poor touch too, on Australian TV, even McEvoy said the same thing after watching replay it was a poor touch.

Sapiens Ursus
12 days ago

IMO Dressel has seemed all around less athletic during his comeback, including during his starts. So still beating Cam by a tenth to 25 meters in his less than ideal form is a very good sign, I think he can do big things buy narrowing his focus this olympiad.

I hope every coach has paid attention to what Cam has done with his training. I think it’s also quite intriquing to compare it to USRPT, specifically I dare say Cam’s ridicolous analyitical work to perfect his stroke is the necessarily legwork to really realize the “scientific” merit USRPT claims that created so much hype. “Practice makes perfect” must be accompanied by the addendum “practice makes permanent”, something I think… Read more »

JimSwim22
13 days ago

Number of breaths is not a determining factor in elite 50Fr. Nobody breaths!

X Glide
13 days ago

Vlad Bhukov won in Doha

RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

Dressel will always be better

snailSpace
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

Lmao.

RealCrocker5040
Reply to  snailSpace
13 days ago

Peak Dressel would not lose to Mickey Mouse bukhov

snailSpace
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

Not the point dude.
Also, cope.

Last edited 13 days ago by snailSpace
Jeff
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

How did Dressel go in the final in Paris?

Sapiens Ursus
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

We’re still pretending Doha was a real world championship?

Noah Fence
Reply to  RealCrocker5040
13 days ago

I am borderline a Dressel Stan but he literally beat Dressel this summer so maybe stop?