FLASH! Jordan Crooks Visits Uncharted Territory; Blasts WR and Goes Sub-20 in 50 Freestyle
In early 2023, Jordan Crooks joined a special club when became just the second man – along with Caeleb Dressel – in history to break the 18-second barrier in the 50-yard freestyle. Now, Crooks is in even more exclusive company, thanks to his effort in the semifinals of the 50-meter freestyle at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest.
Hours after he set the world record in the event in prelims, the Cayman Islands swimmer became the first person to crack the 20-second barrier in the short-course version of the 50 freestyle. Racing at Duna Arena, which has seen its share of world-record swims, Crooks blasted to a time of 19.90. The time improved the 20.08 that Crooks delivered in the morning heats and set him up as the top seed for Sunday’s championship final.
An NCAA champion at the University of Tennessee, Crooks was mesmerizing en route to his sub-20 showing. He fired off the blocks to take an immediate lead over the opposition. That initial momentum remained, as he powered over the water, executed a sharp turn and nailed the finish. Crooks will be the overwhelming favorite for the gold medal in the final, with the primary question of the race whether he can take the world record ever lower.
