Watch Ben Proud Scorch 22.80 50 Fly British Record

by Retta Race 6

April 23rd, 2017 News

2017 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

After already crushing a new British national record in the men’s 50m freestyle last night, 22-year-old Ben Proud turned around and clocked another stunner in the 50m butterfly race. After nabbing a swift morning swim of 23.60, the Energy Standard athlete turned on the jets tonight in Sheffield to register a scorching mark of 22.80. That easily overtook the previous national record held by Proud himself at 22.93 from his gold medal-winning performance at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Per the race video provided courtesy of British Swimming, Proud dares to just take one breath near the closing flags of the race, after nailing a superb dive, underwater dolphin kicks and breakout. He scored the only sub-23 second swim of the night and has now established himself as the #1 swimmer in the world in this butterfly splash n’ dash event this season.

In his post-race interview below, Proud said that he really hasn’t had a ‘good 50 butterfly since the Commonwealth Games’, so this race represents his coming back ‘to where he should be.’ He says he can now swim with ‘a bit more confidence’ with two national records under his belt.

 

As originally reported:

MEN’S 50 BUTTERFLY – FINAL

  • FINA A – 23.67
  • British 1st place standard – N/A
  • British consideration standard – N/A
  • The Podium:

22-year-old Ben Proud manhandled this 50m butterfly field tonight, crushing a monster 22.80 to not only top the podium, but also clock a new British national record. He held the previous mark in 22.93 from when he won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, but blasted off another .13 to notch a super speedy 22.80. With that one-breath effort in Sheffield tonight, Proud now ranks #1 in the world and collects his 2nd gold of the meet to go with his 50m freestyle stunner last night.

Runner-up status tonight went to Adam Barrett, who touched in 23.52, while Robert Fannon wound up on the podium as well in his bronze medal-garnering time of 24.28. Between prelims and finals, Barrett was the only other swimmer besides Proud to dip beneath the 24-second threshold, but he simply couldn’t match Proud’s start and underwater blast-off tonight. He still notches a time within the world’s top 10 on the season.

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Harry
7 years ago

That is not even very fast considering Cavic went out 22.69 in the 100 fly in Rome

M L
7 years ago

Is this swim by Munoz still the WR? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoMi2URZVnk

IMs for days
Reply to  M L
7 years ago

Yep, he really had a huge boost from the Polyurethane super suits. He swam 22.4, 22.5, then a 22.7 at worlds that year, he also swam a 50.4 100 fly that year. He was never even close to that pevel afyer the suits were banned. It’s a shame the suits still have just a big stain on the mens records. For example when cavic swam a 49.9 behand phelps’s 49.8 he went out in 22.69, this is with breaths and all. Than their beidermann, and Zhangs ridicoulous 800 with a 25 second last lap. They’ll eventually fall, butbin the meantime these unfair times are still their.

ricky bobby
7 years ago

does ben have a nipple piercing ???

coacherik
7 years ago

Dang.. That was purdy..

Zemhaj
7 years ago

The British are coming, the British are coming to compete at worlds! 1 lantern if by short course, 2 lanterns if by long course! The British are coming!!

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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