'Incredible' 42-year-old swimmer stuns Thorpe

1 year ago 95

Brazilian swimmer Nicholas Santos has proved property is nary obstruction b claiming golden successful the men's 50m butterfly last astatine the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships.

The 42-year-old begetter edged retired rivals fractional his property to triumph his 4th abbreviated people satellite title.

Santos acceptable a caller title grounds with a blistering clip of 21.78 arsenic Swiss swimmer Noe Ponti (21.96), 21, and Hungarian Szebasztian Szabo (21.98), 26, rounded retired the podium places successful Melbourne.

Swimming successful his 10th and last World Championship, Santos qualified 4th fastest for the last connected Wednesday night.

After turning successful 3rd place, 0.09 down the leader, Santos motored location to interaction the partition 0.18 up of his closest competitor.

With his victory, Santos becomes the oldest swimmer to ever triumph a abbreviated people satellite title - adding to the grounds helium has already held for respective years.

Speaking afterwards, he confirmed the dash would beryllium the past of his 22-year planetary career.

The FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) volition beryllium broadcast exclusively unrecorded and escaped connected Nine and 9Now from December 13-18.

"It's the past contention of my career," helium said.

"I americium getting aged and leaving this to the young guys. I permission swimming astatine 42 years of age. I americium truly blessed and proud.

"I americium a four-time satellite champion successful this lawsuit and I permission the athletics arsenic the satellite grounds holder, a Pan-American champion and an Olympian.

"I person travelled to much than 40 countries but contiguous was the past lawsuit of my vocation and I privation to accidental a large thankyou to World Aquatics.

"I tried to animate people, including galore young kids who person watched maine swim.

"I've been doing this for 25 years truthful it is repetition, repetition and resilience. You get pushed each the time.

"These kids are swimming truthful accelerated now."

Santos archetypal represented Brazil astatine a World Championship astatine the 2001 lawsuit successful Fukuoka, Japan. Michael Phelps besides made his debut astatine the aforesaid meet.

When helium was 38 years young, Santos acceptable a caller satellite record successful the event, clocking a clip of 21.75 astatine the FINA Swimming World Cup successful 2018.

Santos is older than erstwhile Australian swimmers turned Nine commentators Gian Rooney and Ian Thorpe, some 40.

Sitting poolside, Thorpe was amazed by the carnal feat.

"I've enjoyed this contention the astir retired of thing yet," helium said connected Nine's coverage.

"It's an unthinkable performance, particularly considering his property and however agelong he's been swimming astir successful this race. This was a tract of immense names."

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