{"id":511640,"date":"2022-08-17T09:06:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-17T16:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=511640"},"modified":"2022-08-17T13:30:19","modified_gmt":"2022-08-17T20:30:19","slug":"european-championships-ben-proud-writes-unique-line-in-history-after-winning-50-free-gold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/european-championships-ben-proud-writes-unique-line-in-history-after-winning-50-free-gold\/","title":{"rendered":"European Championships: Ben Proud Writes Unique Line In History After Winning 50 Free Gold"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Championships: Ben Proud Writes Unique Line In History After Winning 50 Free Gold<\/h3>\n

Ben Proud<\/strong> made history as he added European 50 free gold to his world and Commonwealth titles in Rome.<\/p>\n

The Briton became the first swimmer to win the world, Commonwealth and European golds in one season, Proud doing it in less than eight busy weeks.<\/p>\n

He rose ahead after his customary superb start and a huge finish saw him take the win in 21.58, 0.02 ahead of Leonardo Deplano<\/strong> (21.60) and Kristian Gkolomeev\u00a0<\/strong>(21.75).<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old has won everything available to him since finishing outside the medals at the Tokyo Olympics<\/strong>, leaving him in despair and in a state of shock.<\/p>\n

World short-course gold was followed by the global long-course title in Budapest in June, where he became the first British swimmer to claim that particular crown.<\/p>\n

Weeks later, Proud headed to Birmingham where he won the Commonwealth title after which he told Swimming World<\/a>: \u201cI thought this was going to be the end of my career this Commonwealth Games; after this year I just think it\u2019s the start of my sprinting career.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a second European gold for Proud, who is coached by James Gibson<\/strong> at Energy Standard, following victory at Glasgow 2018 and fourth 50 free medal overall.<\/p>\n

Proud stood atop the podium for the third time this European summer in the 50 free alone having been awarded his medal by two-time Olympic champion Anthony Ervin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n