This is the Swim Poll of the Week for Thursday, May 5, 2022, sponsored by Strechcordz Swim Training Products. In our last poll, we wanted to know: Which Men’s World Record will be Broken in Budapest?
We saw the men’s 100 backstroke world record nearly fall this year already. At the 2022 U.S. Team Trials, Hunter Armstrong, after setting a world record in the 50 backstroke, stopped the clock in 52.20. This ousted world record holder Ryan Murphy, who finished second behind Armstrong, for the title. Both of these swimmers will represent Team USA in Budapest later this summer. Based on their performances at trials, the 100 backstroke WR may just be up for grabs.
Caeleb Dressel set the current world record in the men’s 100 butterfly in Tokyo last summer. Dressel continued to defend his event touching the wall in 50.20 at U.S. Trials last month. Surprisingly this was slower than his prelim swim time of 50.01, good enough for the fastest in the world heading into Budapest. Japanese swimmer Naoki Mizunuma (50.86) and Canadian swimmer Josh Liendo (50.88) round out the top three fastest times in this event. The men’s 100 butterfly will be a can’t-miss event at World Championships.
The men’s 200 IM record has stood since 2011 when Ryan Lochte took gold at the 14th FINA World Championships. While Lochte has since retired, there is another US favorite headed to Budapest this year. Chase Kalisz has claimed an Olympic gold meal in this event and is the two-time World Championship title defender (2017, 2019). Kalisz came in first at Trials with a time of 1:56.21. He is potentially within reach of Lochte’s record, but Carson Foster who finished .44 seconds behind the 28-year-old veteran is in the mix as well.
Swim Poll of the Week: Which World Record will be Broken in Budapest?
Men’s 100 Backstroke — 32%
Men’s 100 Butterfly — 57%
Men’s 200 IM — 9%