World Championships, Day 4 Finals: Sam Williamson Gets 50 Breast Gold, Lowers His Aussie Record
On Day 4 of the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, the Australians have their first gold courtesy of Sam Williamson.
Williamson bested the field in the men’s 50 breaststroke Wednesday, earning gold ahead of a deep pack. In the process, he lowered his Australian and Oceania record to 26.32 seconds.
Second was Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy in 26.39. Nic Fink added a second medal, the American winner of the 100 breast third in 26.49, while world record holder Adam Peaty of Great Britain was fourth in 26.77.
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Williamson has long been in pursuit of that 50 breast mark, stubbornly held by Christian Sprenger at 26.74 since 2014. Williamson went 26.76 in prelims in Fukuoka last year, a time that would’ve won bronze. But he was slower in finals at 26.82 to finish fourth.
Williamson finally downed the mark last fall in Japan with a 26.51. He went lower in prelims at 26.41 and cut it further in finals.
“It’s been a long journey getting here,” Williamson said. “Eighteen months ago I wasn’t on the Australian team. I was sitting in my living room watching this race on television. Coming away with that and being the fastest of the final tonight is something I’m incredibly proud of. I thought I’d step out onto the blocks, win, lose, it doesn’t matter, just go there with a smile and have fun. And I came away with the gold medal.”
That speed was needed. Fink is in good form, the American having won the 100 breast. He claimed gold in this event in 2022 and silver last year. Martinenghi was the silver medalist in 2022 and was fifth last year.
“I lost the gold medal that I was longing for, but I am glad to stand on the podium,” Martinenghi said. “To win with 26.3 is amazing and congratulations to all these guys. I think I missed a little bit on the dive so the first strokes were not really perfect and also the touch was not the best one, but the fifty is like that so I am glad.”
“I think the 100 was a good result and obviously I wanted to win this,” Fink said. “I knew I could put in a pretty good time, but those guys just put better ones and that’s what makes it fun. I still have other races here and I don’t really have to focus on the 50 for the rest of the summer.”
Peaty, who earned bronze in the 100 breast, seems to be coming along as he looks to ramp up toward Paris. He went 26.79 at the World Cup in Budapest in the fall. The 26.77 in his fastest time since the 2021 European Championships (26.21).
For the 26-year-old Williamson, it’s his first individual gold at a major international meet. He won relay silver and bronze at Worlds last year with Australia. His best solo results were silver in the 50 breast and bronze in the 100 breast at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
German’s Lucas Matzerath made the final in this event for the third straight year, finishing fifth. He was sixth in Fukuoka. Italy’s Simone Cerasuolo, Mikel Schreuders of Aruba and Slovenia’s Peter Stevens rounded out the final.
