Caeleb Dressel Breaks First Short Course Meters World Record of Career in 50 Free at ISL Vegas Final (RACE VIDEO)

Caeleb Dressel prepares to break the mould at the ISL Final in Las Vegas - Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse

International Swimming League Final (Caeleb Dressel)

Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, USA

Caeleb Dressel, the 2019 World Swimmer of the Year, broke his first ever world record in short course meters with a 20.24 in the 50 freestyle at the International Swimming League final in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dressel erased the previous world record of 20.26 by Florent Manaudou set in 2014 as Dressel took down Manaudou in the race with a 20.69. London Roar’s Kyle Chalmers (20.74) finished in third with Ben Proud (20.85) of Energy Standard in fourth.

“I didn’t even know what the world record was – it wasn’t on my mind at all,” Dressel said. “Maybe it does fall into the idea we were talking about. Sometimes you do get so caught up in the time and it’s not about going someone else’s time. It’s about going what I am capable of doing. So at that moment I was capable of going 20.24.

“What if I was so caught up on what Flo was going. But I wasn’t thinking times and I had no idea of what the record was but I think that was what stopped me in 2017 in the fly. I was so caught up in Michael’s time rather than what I am capable of going and that’s really my mindset nowadays.

“With ISL not so much because it is truly about racing but I don’t want to lose that age-group mindset of coming into practise every day to make people around me better, make me better and then when it comes to a meet go best times. I think that is every age-grouper’s mindset: I don’t ever want to lose that even with money getting involved, media getting involved, all these travel appearances. I want to keep the same mindset I’ve had since a 12-year-old.”

Dressel gave the win for the Cali Condors as he swam his third swim of the day, racing the 100 fly and 50 breast already in the session. He won the 100 fly with a 49.10 and was seventh in the 50 breast at 26.89.

“It hurt – it wasn’t easy – but then again I wanted to swim wherever I was needed,” Dressel said. “I said in college whichever one needs me, that is where I am going to swim. I want to swim wherever the team needs me because we are here to get points, that is what my job is to do, they need to use me as the workhorse then I will be more than happy to be the workhorse.

“50 breast was not to try and rack up my MVP points – I want to clear that up – someone asked me earlier and I was like ‘oh no, that was not was I trying to do’ – it was just to try and get points for the team. I did a horrible job of doing that 50 breast but that is what my job is here and I am happy in that.”

Dressel improved on his best time of 20.43 from last year’s World Short Course Championships as he moved from fourth all-time to the top. The Cali Condors have been off to a great start in the International Swimming League final as they won the first five events of the match today.

Caeleb Dressel is also the first American to hold the world record in the 50 SCM freestyle since Anthony Ervin had the WR of 21.21 set in March 2000 which stood for ten months. This is also Caeleb Dressel’s first world record in short course meters as he broke the 100 fly LCM world record this summer and moved up to second all-time in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

This was the second world record of the day and the third of the ISL season as Dressel’s record came just minutes after Japanese ace Daiya Seto broke Ryan Lochte’s WR in the 400 IM for Energy Standard. Minna Atherton has the other world record in the ISL with the 100 back in Budapest.

Race Results:

Caeleb Dressel – Condors – 20.24 WR
Florent Manaudou – Energy – 20.69
Kyle Chalmers – Roar – 20.74
Ben Proud – Energy – 20.85
Nathan Adrian – Current – 20.99
Michael Chadwick – Current – 21.32
Bowe Becker – Condors – 21.33
Alex Graham – Roar – 21.84

World Record Progression (Last 11 Records)

20.24, Caeleb Dressel, USA (2019)
20.26, Florent Manaudou, FRA (2014)
20.30, Roland Schoeman, RSA (2009)
20.48, Amaury Leveaux, FRA (2008)
20.64, Roland Schoeman, RSA (2008)
20.81, Duje Draganja, CRO (2008)
20.93, Stefan Nystrand, SWE (2007)
20.98, Roland Schoeman, RSA (2006)
21.10, Fred Bousquet, FRA (2004)
21.13, Mark Foster, GBR (2001)
21.21, Anthony Ervin, USA (2000)

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