By Sharon Robb
BUDAPEST, Hungary, June 19, 2022–Caeleb Dressel won his 15th world championship gold medal Sunday night at the 19th FINA World Aquatics Championships at Duna Arena.
The 25-year-old Clay High School and Bolles Swim Club alum led from start to finish with 18 strokes to win the 50-meter butterfly in 22.57, defending his title in the event.
“It was good,” Dressel said. “I knew I had to hit it. If I hit 18 strokes, I knew I had a chance to win it. I was right at 18. I was a little long on the finish, but I didn’t want to jam it. Not a perfect plan, but the best race plan I had for tonight.”
The 50 butterfly is not an Olympic event.
“It’s not an event I really train for,” Dressel said. “It just kind of comes from my 100 fly training. It’s a tricky one. My stroke is pretty long for the 50, but it worked.”
It was Dressel’s 17th world championship medal overall, the fourth most medals at worlds behind Michael Phelps (26), Ryan Lochte (18) and Katie Ledecky (17) and second gold at this meet. He also won gold leading off the winning 4×100 relay.
Ageless Brazilian Nicholas Santos, 42, was second in 22.78. American Michael Andrew was third in 22.79, winning his first long course individual championship medal.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Dylan Carter, swimming in Lane 7, just missed a medal placing fourth in a best time, breaking his own national record for the second time in the meet in 22.85.
Carter was the top Florida Gold Coast finisher on Day Two. The Plantation American Heritage and USC alum started out strong in the event with the fastest prelim in a then best time and national record 22.87. It was the first time Carter broke 23 seconds. He came back in a fast semifinal to qualify sixth in 22.98 for the final.
South Florida Aquatic Club Honduran Olympian Julio Horrego, 23, 32nd in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:02.07, will swim the 50-meter breaststroke on Monday, his final event at worlds.
There are 21 Florida Gold Coast swimmers competing on one of swimming’s biggest international stages.
Other swimmers who competed on Sunday with Florida Gold Coast ties are:
Dylan Carter, 26, Trinidad & Tobago, 50-meter butterfly final, Plantation American Heritage, fourth, 22.85.
Yeziel Morales, 26, Puerto Rico, 100-meter backstroke, Azura, 32nd, 56.52.
Patrick Groters, 23, Aruba, 100-meter backstroke, NSU University School, Pine Crest Swim Club, University of South Carolina, 37th, 57.37.
Nicole Frank, 18, Uruguay, 100-meter breaststroke, Azura, 32nd, 1:10.48.
FGC swimmers competing on Monday are:
Izaak Bastian, 21, Bahamas (St. Andrew’s, Florida State), 50 breaststroke.
Kito Campbell, 19, Jamaica (Azura), 50 breaststroke.
In Sunday night’s final events:
MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE: Italian Nicolo Martinenghi turned it on in the back half with a 30.87 split to win gold in 58.26. Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands was second in 58.62 and American Nic Fink, 28, was third in 58.65, winning his first long course world medal. British Olympic champion Adam Peaty is not competing in the meet because of a foot injury.
WOMEN’S 100 BUTTERFLY: American Torri Huske, 19, flirted with the world record while breaking her own American record to win her first world title in 55.64. She was the only swimmer to crack 56 seconds and first U.S. woman to win gold in the event since five-time Olympic gold medalist Dana Vollmer in 2011. Marie Wattel of France was second in 56.14 and China’s Yufei Zhang was third in 56.41. American Claire Curzan was fifth in 56.74.
WOMEN’S 200 IM: American Alex Walsh went out faster than she thought she would to lead from start to finish to win gold in 2:07.13, fifth fastest swim in history. Sixteen year old Leah Hayes was third in a Junior world record in 2:08.91. Aussie Kaylee McKeown took second in 2:08.57.
Team USA won six more medals for a two-day total of 12.
Monday prelim events are men’s 50 breaststroke, women’s 200 freestyle, men’s 200 butterfly and men’s 800 freestyle.
The swimming runs through June 25 with the pool events. The aquatics championships that also features diving, water polo, high diving, open water swimming and synchronized swimming end July 3.
The Olympic Channel and Peacock, on the NBC platform, is televising the finals at noon each day. A highlights show will be on NBC at noon on June 26. The FINA facebook page is also posting competition news. Canada’s CBC will also broadcast the swimming.
There were huge cheers for any Hungarian swimmers from spectators at Duna Arena. FINA, the sport’s governing body, appealed for fans to clap rather than cheer as a precaution against coronavirus infections. There were no other requests or restrictions.
Finals Schedule
Sunday, June 19: 100 men’s breaststroke, 100 women’s butterfly, 50 men’s fly, 200 women’s IM.
Monday, June 20: 200 men’s free, 1500 women’s free, 100 women’s and men’s backstroke, 100 women’s breast.
Tuesday, June 21: 800 men’s free, 200 women’s free, 200 men’s fly, 50 men’s breast, 4×100 mixed medley relay.
Wednesday, June 22: 200 women’s fly, 100 men’s free, 50 women’s back, 200 men’s IM, 4×200 women’s free relay.
Thursday, June 23: 100 women’s free, 200 women’s breast, 200 men’s back, 200 men’s breast, 4×200 men’s free relay.
Friday, June 24: 50 women’s fly, 50 men’s free, 100 men’s fly, 200 women’s back, 800 women’s free, 4×100 mixed free relay.
Saturday, June 25: 50 men’s back, 50 women’s breast, 1500 men’s free, 50 women’s free, 400 women’s IM, 4×100 men’s and women’s medley relay.
Sunday, June 26: Open water, 6K team relay.
Monday, June 27: Open water, men’s and women’s 5K.
Wednesday, June 29: Open water, men’s and women’s 10K.
Thursday, June 30: Open water, men’s and women’s 25K.
Sharon Robb can be reached at sha11cats@aol.com
http://www.swim4soflo.com
South Florida Aquatic Club's Blog 