Sprenger’s complete race footage is courtesy of swimswam partner Universal Sports Network.
South African Cameron van der Burgh is the World Record holder and defending Olympic Champion, and looked every bit of that in the first 50 meters of this 100 breaststroke. He turned out well ahead of his own World Record pace from London and with at least a 12-inch lead on Monday evening.
Coming home, though, Christian Sprenger looked like every bit of the World leader that he’s been all year, and the Australian came home for his team’s first individual gold medal at a year’s ‘big meet’ (long course worlds or the Olympics) since Magnussen won the 100 free in Shanghai in 2011.
Van der Burgh wound up 2nd, in easily his best time of the year, and Brazil’s Felipe Lima brought home bronze in 59.65. This is the coming-to-fruition of years of Lima professing to the world that he was capable of such a time and standing in the world in this event.
Slovenia’s Damir Dugonjic took 4th in 59.68, followed by Fabio Scozzoli of Italy, the defending Worlds silver medalist, in 5th in 59.70.
Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima was 6th in 59.98, with the two Americans, Kevin Cordes (1:00.02) and Nic Fink (1:00.10) having maxed out in the semi-finals, and finishing 7th-and-8th respectively.