Brendan McHugh tested the waters at the Los Angeles Invite today with a 50 breaststroke time trial on the campus of the University of Southern California.
McHugh posted a 27.82, which makes him the second-fastest American in the non-Olympic event so far this year. Kevin Cordes swam a 27.54 last month in Singapore to rank 18th in the world. Cordes and McHugh are headed to the world championships in the 50 breaststroke.
McHugh’s holds the U.S. Open record with a 27.10, which he swam in the prelims of the U.S. nationals last summer. That night in finals, he won the event with a 27.24.
McHugh now goes to the world championships to represent Team USA in the 50 and 100 breaststrokes, making his long course world championship debut. The 25-year-old burst onto the scene as a postgrad swimmer while studying for a law degree, and will look to earn a spot on the medal podium at worlds in Russia next month.
McHugh is scheduled to swim the 200 breast Saturday at the LA Invite and the 100 breast on Sunday.