Bruno Fratus Edges Out Caeleb Dressel for Top Seed in Men’s 50 Free

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

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Men’s 50 Free

Brazil’s Bruno Fratus, who anchored his team to a silver medal in the men’s 400 free relay back on night one, topped the field in prelims of the men’s splash-and-dash, touching in 21.51. That put him a tenth ahead of American Caeleb Dressel, who qualified second in 21.61.

Dressel returned to the pool after winning gold in the men’s 100 free Thursday night, and he will also swim the men’s 100 fly later in the session.

Greece’s Kristian Gkolomeev qualified third in 21.69, just ahead of Russia’s Vladimir Morozov (21.72). Poland’s Pawe Juraszek was the surprising fifth seed as he touched in 21.74.

Great Britain’s Ben Proud, the top-ranked swimmer in the world at 21.32, qualified sixth in 21.93. Proud has already won gold in the 50 fly this week. Proud was followed by Australia’s Cameron McEvoy (21.95) and Italy’s Luca Dotto (21.98), while the USA’s Nathan Adrian and Brazil’s Cesar Cielo tied for ninth in 21.99.

Adrian won the silver medal behind Dressel in the 100 free at this meet in addition to a relay gold, while Cielo was also a part of Brazil’s silver medal-winning 400 free relay. Cielo won Olympic gold in the 50 free back in 2008 and has won World titles in the event in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

Germany’s Damian Wierling (22.00), Ukraine’s Andrii Govorov (22.05), Finland’s Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (22.12), Ukraine’s Sergii Shevtsov (22.13), Japan’s Shinri Shioura and Hungary’s Kristian Takacs (22.18) also made the semis.

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