Jordan Crooks Breaks 50 Free World Record With 20.08 in Worlds Prelims

2024 Short Course World Championships

Jordan Crooks smashed the world record in the 50 free with a time of 20.08, the latest in a string of world records to go down in the prelims at SC Worlds in Budapest.

The 22-year-old Cayman Islands swimmer blasted into the wall to take down the previous record of 20.16, set by Caeleb Dressel back in 2020, in the third-to-last heat in the preliminary session of the event.

Shaving .08 off of the record, Crooks also knocked .23 off of his previous lifetime best time of 20.31, posted in 2022.

Crooks was previously the 4th-fastest performer of all time in the 50 free and came into the meet seeded 23rd before launching himself to the top of the world rankings with his show-stopping performance.

Crooks also competed in the 100 free earlier this week, where he took 3rd overall in a time of 45.48 behind American Jack Alexy (45.38) and Brazil’s Guilherme Santos (45.47).

Both Alexy and Santos will join Crooks in the semifinals of the 50 free, with Alexy in the runner-up spot and Santos in 6th.