Cameron McEvoy wins blistering 50m freestyle gold at world swim champs

Veteran Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy has broken through for a maiden individual gold medal in an absolutely blistering swim.

FUKUOKA, JAPAN - JULY 29: Cameron McEvoy of Team Australia celebrates winning gold in the in the Men's 50m Freestyle Final on day seven of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 29, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Australia’s Cameron McEvoy has won gold with an absolutely blistering swim in the 50m freestyle at the world swimming championships.

McEvoy, 29, is a three-time Olympian and has reinvented himself into a bulked up sprinting beast after making his name as the fastest Australian man to swim the 100m freestyle.

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The decision to focus on the one lap dash has proved a masterstroke, as McEvoy backed up his ominous form at the Aussie trials by smoking the field in the world championships final.

Starting from lane 4, McEvoy rocketed off the blocks and was well clear of the field at the 25m mark.

Cam McEvoy celebrates winning 50m freestyle gold at age 29. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

That feeling when you’re world champion. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)

That was some winning margin over just 50 metres. (Photo by Manan VATSYAYANA / AFP)

He was never challenged, touching the wall in a red hot time of 21.06, half a body length clear of America’s Jack Alexy (21.57) and Great Britain’s Ben Proud (21.58).

CAM MCEVOY 21.06!!!!

Coming for the WORLD RECORD!

1st Aussie to ever win the 50 Free!#swimming

pic.twitter.com/GE5ngOcHjK

— SWIMNERD (@SwimNerds) July 29, 2023

That is absolutely smoking by Cameron McEvoy 21.06s 50m freestyle world Champion. Sensational to see him reinvent himself.

— Todd Balym (@balymt) July 29, 2023

Australian Cameron McEvoy entered the 2016 Olympics as the world's fastest man in the 100m free by a whopping 68 hundredths. He went on to have a best individual Olympic finish of seventh between Rio and Tokyo. Today, he earns his first global gold medal at age 29.

— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) July 29, 2023

Still can’t over that Cam McEvoy swim. What a great yarn. To think what he can do by the time Paris rolls out… 🥇

Australia hit 11 gold medals. Two to equal team of 2001. Three to get the record.

— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) July 29, 2023

Cam "The Professor" McEvoy just ripped a 21.06 in the 50 freestyle en route to picking up ANOTHER Aussie Gold Medal 🥶

Class is in session, nerds. pic.twitter.com/7tgCBcYBow

— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) July 29, 2023

Dannnngggg. 21.06 Cam McEvoy

— Loretta Race, MBA (@RettaRace) July 29, 2023

McEvoy’s winning time was a new personal best and also broke the Australian record held of 21.19 by Ashley Callus since 2009.

McEvoy also became the first Australian man ever to win the 50m freestyle at a world championships, acheving something Callus, Eamon Sullivan and Michael Klim were never quite able to do.

The sprinter also became Australia’s oldest individual swimming world champion at age 29.

McEvoy told Channel 9 post race: “That was incredible. To swim like, feel so nice in the water and do such a good time.

“Everything to do with why I love swimming just culimated in that one lap.”

Commenator Mat Thompson said: “Well done Cam McEvoy. This is a triumph of perserverance.

“To win by half a body length over 50m, that is staggering!”

Giaan Rooney said: “Wow, what a swim. He had it won at the 20m mark.

“His start was brilliant, he did not breathe the whole way. Really, the only thing in question was could he get the world record.”

Kaylee McKeown puts up three fingers to celebrate winning the backstroke treble. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

In other events, Kaylee McKeown won the 200m backstroke in a time of 2:03.85 to complete the backstroke treble and beat her American rival Regan Smith for the third time at this meet.

Australia wrapped up Day 7 by winning gold in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay in a world record time.

It was Mollie O’Callaghan’s fifth gold medal of the meet and Australia’s 13th overall, equalling their previous record haul of golds from the 2001 and 2005 world championships.

Australia’s best chance to break it on the final day will be with Shayna Jack in the 50m freestyle and the women’s 4x100m medley relay.

Ariarne Titmus came third in the 800m freestyle behind Katie Ledecky and China’s Li Bingjie.

It was Ledecky’s sixth 800m gold and saw her overtake Michael Phelps with the most individual golds (16) in world championship history.

Originally published as Cameron McEvoy wins blistering 50m freestyle gold at world swim champs