{"id":469921,"date":"2021-04-17T11:24:38","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T18:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=469921"},"modified":"2021-04-17T17:31:26","modified_gmt":"2021-04-18T00:31:26","slug":"ben-proud-scorches-to-21-42-in-50-free-owns-45-top-british-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ben-proud-scorches-to-21-42-in-50-free-owns-45-top-british-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Proud Scorches To 21.42 In 50 Free; Owns 45 Top British Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ben Proud<\/strong> threw down the gauntlet as he went 21.42 in the 50 free at the British Swimming Selection Trials<\/strong> to go 0.01 behind\u00a0 Vlad Morozov\u00a0<\/strong>at the top of the rankings.<\/p>\n

It was the seventh-fastest time of his career and means he now holds the top 45 British performances.<\/p>\n

Proud, who won gold at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, had shot to third in the rankings with a morning heat of 21.68 to match the time in which he came fourth at Rio 2016 <\/strong>and\u00a0within the consideration time of 21.78.<\/p>\n

The 2017 world bronze medallist emerged with a clear lead after his customary fine start and put clear water between him and the rest of the field to all but book a spot on the plane for Tokyo.<\/p>\n

Yusuke Legard<\/strong> was second in 22.10 with 16-year-old Jacob Whittle<\/strong> third in 22.55 following a national age group record of 22.40 in the heats.<\/a><\/p>\n

2021 Rankings<\/strong><\/p>\n

21.41, Vlad Morozov, Russian National Championships, April<\/p>\n

21.42, Ben Proud, British Swimming Selection Trials, April<\/p>\n

21.62, Ryan Held, Iron City Invite, April<\/p>\n

21.72, Florent Manaudou, FFN Golden Tour, March<\/p>\n

21.73, Bruno Fratus, Mission Viejo<\/p>\n

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Ben Proud: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu \/ ISL<\/p><\/div>\n
Proud set the British record of 21.11 at the 2018 European Championships<\/strong> which places him as fourth-fastest man in history.<\/p>\n
Only Cesar Cielo<\/strong> with his world record of 20.91, Fred Bousquet<\/strong> (20.94) and Caeleb Dressel<\/strong> (21.04) have gone quicker than the Briton.<\/p>\n
Cielo set the global mark in December 2009 with just days left of the shiny-suit chaos which continues to distort the landscape.<\/p>\n
Bousquet went sub-21 that same year and when Proud delivered the national record, it was a world textile mark until lowered further by Dressel at the 2019 World Championships<\/strong> in Gwangju<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Proud finished 0.17 off the third step of the podium which was occupied by Nathan Adrian<\/strong> of the USA and looking to Tokyo, he said:<\/p>\n
“Going to last Olympics it was all quite new.<\/p>\n
“I’ve had a host of experience since then and now I’m looking to do the best I can, do the best work leading into it and see what happens.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The 50 free was Proud’s sole event of the meet but he was required to be in the bubble for the duration of the championships because of Covid regulations.<\/p>\n
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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick<\/p><\/div>\n
He said:<\/p>\n
“It’s a different one this year. I’ve taken away the 100 – normally it’s something to get into the competition.<\/p>\n
“For the Olympics this year, I really want to hone in on that 50 and if I want to do that then I really have to be able to get up and go when needed.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Asked by double Olympic silver medallist Jazz Carlin on poolside about there being no margin for error in the one-length dash, Proud said:<\/p>\n
“It’s a short race but lots to think about. We work on details every single day and I’ve always had a passion for it, over-thinking through the complete details and it pays off.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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