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Subirats Takes Fly Dash By A Slither

Dec 18, 2010  - Craig Lord

Dubai, World s/c Championships, day 4 finals:

Men's 50m Butterfly

The dash went to Albert Subirats (VEN) courtesy of a knockout turn that took him past leader Steffen Deibler (GER) off the wall underwater into a discernible lead a fraction ahead of the pack. The damage done the 100m silver medallist maintained position and took the crown in a championship record of 22.40.

Just 0.03sec away was Ukraine's Andrii Govorov, silver his 0.01sec up on Deibler's bronze, which locked out Nicholas Santos (BRA) by a further 0.01sec. The German got the best start, the only man out of line with the field but at the turn, Subirats rocketed off the wall and established the edge he had glided for on his way to cracking Deibler's championship record of 22.57 from semis.

Subirats sent his Venezuelan fan club into a frenzy as he booked his first podium visit over 50m at world s/c titles. There was almost as much support among Americans: the champion was born in Tuscon, Arizona and is coached by Frank Busch and former world champion freestyler Rick Demont at the Arizona Wildcats.

Among those denied were long-course kings this year, the Commonwealth champion Geoff Huegill (AUS) and the European champion Rafael Munoz (ESP).

The result:

  • Subirats (VEN) 22.40 CR
  • Govorov (UKR) 22.43
  • Deibler (GER) 22.44 
  • Nicholas Santos (BRA) 22.45
  • Geoff Huegill (AUS) 22.75 
  • Rafael Munoz (ESP) 22.77
  • Masayuki Kishida (JPN) 22.79
  • Glauber Silva (BRA) 22.87

Deibler remains the fastest man in textile and best of 2010, with his 22.34 European title blast last month.

History in the making:

World s/c Podiums

  • 2010: 22.40; 22.43; 22.44
  • 2008: 22.78; 22.86; 22.94
  • 2006: 23.05; 23.06; 23.07

Most world titles in this event:  2

  • Mark Foster (GBR) 1999-2000

Records (TB = best ever in a textile suit)

  • WR: 21.80 Steffen Deibler (GER) 14.12.09
  • TB: 22.34 Steffen Deibler (GER) 28.11.10

Most world records in this event (since specific 25m records began in 1991): 3

  • Mark Foster (GBR) 1995-2001; Geoff Huegill (AUS) 2001-2004

All-time textile rankings top 5:

  • 22.34 S Deibler 2010
  • 22.39 Schoeman 2010
  • 22.40 Subirats Dubai 2010
  • 22.43 Govorov Dubai 2010
  • 22.45 Santos Dubai 2010

From the archive: 

Ian Crocker (USA) and Geoff Huegill (AUS) are the only men to have won both the 50m and 100m crowns at the same championships, while those on the podium in the 50m can often be found winning medals in the 100m. But no medal winner who has appeared on both 50 and 100m podiums has ever made the stretch to winning a medal over 200m as well.