Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook breaks world record at Australian Swimming Championships

Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook has broken the men’s 200m breaststroke world record at the Australian Swimming Championships.

Australia's Zac Stubblety-Cook reacts after setting a new world record. Photo by Brenton Edwards / AFP

Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook has broken the men’s 200m breaststroke world record at the Australian Swimming Championships in Adelaide, setting a blistering time of 2:05.95.

The 23-year-old shaved 0.17s off the world record time set by Russia’s Anton Chupkov’s in 2019 to claim gold on Thursday evening.

Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

He also becomes the only Australian to hold a current long-course men’s world record.

“I’m very happy with that,” he told Amazon Prime Video after the triumph.

“I’m just stoked.

“I was just trying to swim fast — I didn’t think that fast.

“Last year, you put everything in and we got that result (Olympic gold). This year there’s a lot less pressure, so it’s a different kettle of fish. I’m just stoked.

“The end goal is Paris (2024 Olympics) and whatever happens in between I’m just going to enjoy my swimming.”

Zac Stubblety-Cook after breaking the world record in the men’s 200m breaststroke final at the Australian Swimming Championships. ⁦@abcsport⁩ ⁦@abcnews⁩ pic.twitter.com/KaYl1C7yPz

— David Mark (@davymark1) May 19, 2022

Australian swimming icon Grant Hackett said on commentary: “That last 50 was absolutely superb.”

Matthew Wilson placed second with a time of 2:10.14, while Adam Selwood claimed the bronze medal.

Stubblety-Cook claimed gold at last year’s Olympic Games, registering a time of 2:06.38 in the men’s 200m breaststroke final in Tokyo.

He was Australia’s first Olympic champion in the event since Ian O’Brien achieved the feat in 1964.

“I always had the goal in the back of my mind to be the first guy to go 2:05 and you don’t get many opportunities and tonight was one of them,” Stubblety-Cook told reporters after the race

“It’s a bit surreal, to be perfectly honest.

“Doesn’t feel real yet, hasn’t really sunk in. Probably sink in over the next few days, still got a few jobs to do before then.”

“I was obviously hoping to swim fast and hoping to swim close to my best and that’s just something else.”

Australia's Zac Stubblety-Cook. Photo by Brenton Edwards / AFP

Meanwhile, Olympic freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers has all but confirmed he will represent Australia at this year’s FINA World Championships, displacing pop phenom Cody Simpson.

Speaking to Amazon Prime Video after Thursday evening’s 50m butterfly final, Chalmers he would “love” to be part of the Australian team at the world championships, meaning Simpson misses out.

“Eight weeks ago I wasn’t swimming at all, didn’t know if I’d be swimming at all this year,” he explained, pointing to ongoing shoulder injuries.

“It would’ve been disrespectful to say I was going to swim at the world championships.”

Chalmers was then asked whether Simpson had crossed his mind while making the decision. He bluntly replied: “No.”

Originally published as Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook breaks world record at Australian Swimming Championships