Caeleb Dressel Officially Breaks American Record in 50 SCM Free in Heats

Caeleb Dressel; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

American superstar Caeleb Dressel officially broke the 50 free American Record on Thursday morning at the 2018 FINA World Short Course Championships in Hangzhou. Dressel won his prelim heat from lane 9 as he swam a 20.62.

It was slower than his lead-off on the mixed free relay the other night, but it will officially count as an American Record since lead-off swims of mixed relays do not count for American or US Open Records.

Caeleb Dressel broke the official American Record that was held by Anthony Ervin from 2012 World Cup at 20.85. Dressel was also faster than Nathan Adrian’s unratified American Record from the 2009 Duel in the Pool of 20.71. Adrian’s time was unratified since it was done after the super suits were banned in the United States, but not the rest of the world.

Dressel will have his hands full in the 50 free moving to the semi-finals with Russia’s Vladimir Morozov, Brazil’s Cesar Cielo and Great Britain’s Ben Proud.

All-Time Rankings:

Florent Manaudou, FRA, 20.26 (2014)
Roland Schoeman, RSA, 20.30 (2009)
Vladimir Morozov, RUS, 20.31 (2018)
Amaury Leveaux, FRA, 20.48 (2008)
Cesar Cielo, BRA, 20.51 (2010)
Evgeny Sedov, RUS, 20.59 (2014)
Caeleb Dressel, USA, 20.62 (2018)
Alain Bernard, FRA, 20.63 (2008)

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