Cameron McEvoy has rewritten sprint swimming history.
The Australian blasted 20.88 in the men’s 50m freestyle at the China Swimming Open in Shenzhen on Friday (20 March), becoming the first man to break Cesar Cielo’s super-suit-era world record of 20.91, which had stood since December 2009.
McEvoy won by an extraordinary margin for a one-length race, finishing well clear of the USA’s Jack Alexy, who took second in 21.57, while fellow Australian Kyle Chalmers was third in 22.01.
The swim adds the world record to a résumé that already included the Paris 2024 Olympic title in the event and the 2025 world title. McEvoy had entered the meet with a long-course best of 21.06 from the 2023 World Championships, which had left him fifth on the all-time list before Friday’s breakthrough.