World Championships, Day Four Men’s Finals: Confusion Reigns After Start Mishap In Men’s 50 Backstroke Forces a Re-Swim

A Special Thanks to Deep Blue Media for providing the images from this meet

World Championships, Day Four Men’s Finals: Confusion Reigns After Start Mishap In Men’s 50 Backstroke Forces a Re-Swim

There was a sensation in the men’s 50m backstroke at tonight’s World Short Course Swimming Championships after half the field failed to hear a false start buzzer – with the race having to be re-swum.

Australia’s Isaac Cooper, American Ryan Murphy and South African Pieter Coetze all swam what was a “no race” after the 15m false start rope failed to activate.

Cooper won the “no race” in 22.49 – a time under the World Junior Record and there was deathly silence when he looked around trying to make sense of what happened.

It was announced that the race would be re-swum at 9:15 local time.

After the eight athletes heard the starting signal for the title race, multiple beeps from the starting system immediately rang out. The signals caused immediate chaos, with three of the athletes stopping and five proceeding through their races.

According to reports, the situation was the result of a starting error and officials were forced to determine a new time for the event. Ultimately, the decision was made to place the event later in the Night Four program, following completion of the 100 individual medley races.

The havoc in Melbourne marks the second straight edition of the World Championships in which the final of the 50 backstroke has been controversial. At the long-course World Champs in Budapest last summer, American Justin Ress initially appeared to capture the gold medal, only to be disqualified for a finishing violation. Eventually, that DQ was overturned and Ress was awarded the title, with countryman Hunter Armstrong given the silver medal.

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Peta Smith

1 year ago

Is there a false start rope ? I couldn’t see it strung across the pool …

HunXPlayboy

1 year ago

there is no false start rope at swimming events for a long while!

Francesco

1 year ago

“the 15m false start rope failed to activate.” The rope is not used at least 20 years….

Brandon

1 year ago

The American broke, simple as that!