Swimming World Performance of the Week: Mehdy Metella’s 100 Free

Mehdy Metella 2012 US Open
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

France has a lot of work to do in order to defend its world championship title this summer in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, but a little bit of help came its way last weekend in the form of Mehdy Metella at the Golden Tour meet in Nancy.

Metella, mostly known as a butterflyer, won the 100 free with a 48.44. The time is pretty good on a global scale – 10th in the world rankings – but the major note is that it is the fastest time swum by a Frenchman in 2015. Metella would have won the French national title last month with that time (he finished sixth with a 48.94), and it gives the French a bit of a boost for the 400 free relay.

With James Magnussen out of the world championships, Australia suffers a major blow for the relay, giving Russia and the United States a clearer path to gold in Kazan. But with Metella’s swim in Nancy, the French might be able to, at the very least, get on the medal stand.

Metella is the younger brother of Olympic medalist Malia Metella, who became one of the few black swimmers to win an Olympic medal with a silver in the women’s 50 free in 2004. It’s likely that Mehdy will become an Olympian as well next year, and could be one of the guiding forces behind France’s goal of repeating as Olympic champions. He’s had some experience helping France’s 400 free relay win gold as part of the 2014 European championships squad and the short course world championship team later that year.

Congratulations to Mehdy Metella on earning the Swimming World Performance of the Week!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
luka
luka
8 years ago

Duje Draganja won silver on 50 free in Athens, not brother of this guy.

Carlton
Carlton
8 years ago
Reply to  luka

You are correct his brother didn’t win the silver his sister Malia Metella did. Read the sentence again. Article could have used some pronouns.

Mzee Klim Färber Wolf

All the way from youth Olympics

4
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x