2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
- Thursday, April 5th – Tuesday, April 10th (swimming)
- Optus Aquatic Centre, Gold Coast, Australia
- Prelims at 10:30am local (8:30pm previous night EDT)
- Finals at 7:30pm local (5:30am EDT)
- Official Commonwealth Games website
- Entries
- Meet Schedule + Results
- Live Stream (Canada)
- Live Stream (US)
- Live Stream (Australia)
On the penultimate night of competition on the Gold Coast, Ben Proud, representing England at these Commonwealth Games, produced a monster 21.30 in the men’s 50m freestyle to claim the top seed heading into tomorrow night’s final. This outing out performs the 21.45 Games Record Proud earned during heats, setting him apart from the rest of the field by a mile.
Proud’s enormous 21.30 effort also establishes a new British national record, as it shaved .02 off of the 21.32 the 23-year-old clocked in Sheffield at the 2017 British Championships. The Brit now sits atop the world rankings by almost half a second. Pause for a moment – in a 50m, among the best racers in the world, Proud leads the global pack by almost half a second currently.
2017-2018 LCM MEN 50 FREE
PROUD
21.11
| 2 | Bruno FRATUS | BRA | 21.35 | 04/21 |
| 3 | Andrea VERGANI | ITA | 21.37 | 08/08 |
| 4 | Kristian GKOLOMEEV | GRE | 21.44 | 08/09 |
| 4 | Vladimir MOROZOV | RUS | 21.44 | 08/08 |
Proud remains as the 13th fastest performer ever in the men’s 50m freestyle, an event which still sees Brazil’s Cesar Cielo’s mark of 20.91 from the rubber suit era as the world record.
For Proud, tonight’s race was a small consolation for his 50m fly false start that cost him a chance to defend his Commonwealth gold medal from 2014.
Below are the final 8 headed into tomorrow night’s 50m freestyle final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games:
- Ben Proud, ENG, 21.30
- Brad Tandy, RSA, 21.92
- Cameron McEvoy, AUS, 22.00
- Yuri Kisil, CAN, 22.09 (tied)
- Thomas Fannon, ENG, 22.09 (tied)
- James Roberts, AUS, 22.11
- David Cumberlidge, ENG, 22.15
- James Magnussen, AUS, 22.20
Proud hyper-specialized in the 50 free, it’s a long time since he swam a decent 100. But it’s working for him. I wonder whether he found his true nature or it’s his imprinting. I read once that in his early years in Malaysia he would never swim long distances in training and would never race over 50 meters – as opposed to Dressel, a sprinter with much more versatility. This is of course a much debated topic now, with URSPT and all that.
It’s worth saying that in the period 2014-2016 Proud worked hard on improving his 100, in order to help the GB medley relay. There was a feeling that maybe that was a bit to the detriment of his 50s. Then Scott broke out in Rio which has allowed Proud to focus solely on the shorter distance. And the times have followed, with decent drops over the last two years.
He did swim a 48.3 relay split in the 100 this meet mind, which is quicker than he’s been since the 2016 trials.
That is a 49 flat start and I am being generous. You would expect a 48 flat from a 21 low guy. Even old Anthony Ervin who is also a 50 guy could swim a 48 mid flat start and a 47 relay start at 35.
how is that a 49 flat? you assumed 0.7 RT for a swimmer like him? he split 48.35 with a 0.13 RT, with a perfect RT this is 48.22. He had 0.57 RT in the 50 free now. that’s 48.79. Plus that relay could have been a little compromised as well as he was already behind Australia after the first leg and had to swim in not so favorable turbulence. I’m sure he could go around 48.5 if he put his mind to it but why do it when that’s an “”average”” time and he is one of the best on the world in the 50.
He has 21.1-21.2 potential. Maybe being dq’d in the 50 fly was a good thing after all, built a fire under him. He’s not messing around now.
21.1 maybe if he loses the nipple ring.
So he is 85% Caleb Dressel
4th Fastest Textile performer now..
Great article. BTW, where is SwimSwam’s Live Finals Recap with full results from Day 5 please? Nowhere to be found! Only the 2018 Commonwealth Games: Day 5 scratch report & various single articles. Thank you.
Bet Dean Farris could go faster
Proud VS Dressel is going to be a great rivalry in 50 free LCM.
I would love that!
Lord and saviour king Dressel will crush
If I’ve learned anything in the 50 FR, it’s not to make definitive statements about results.
Wise words.
In 2012, Cielo was the heavy favorite to win 50 free at Olympics, after winning by the biggest margin ever in 2011 Worlds.He got Bronze.
In 2016, Manaudou was the heavy favorite after winning by the second best margin ever in 2015 Worlds (and Textile best at the time).He got Silver.
There is no certainty in a 50free.
Kind of hard to “crush” anyone in the 50 free. Even in Budapest, Fratus was slightly gaining on Dressel and the margin wasn’t huge. This isn’t the NCAAs where he can beat someone in a 50 by a body length.
Tbh, I think Dressel will definitely win by a good margin 20.7 to 21.1