How ‘Perfect Swim’ Could Propel Jordan Crooks to Global Superstardom | Caymann Compass

On Sunday, Crooks successfully defended the world title he first won two years ago by clinching gold in the men’s 50-metre freestyle in Budapest. But it was the 22-year-old’s performances a day prior that have the wider swimming world even more abuzz with excitement.

First sneaking under the previous world record in the event’s heats, Crooks blew the competition out of the water as he further lowered that all-time best in the semi-finals, clocking in at 19.90 seconds to become the first human in history to finish the event in fewer than 20 seconds – a barrier long-tested but never broken, until now.

Reacting to the moment, leading swim commentator Kyle Sockwell said the performance should earn Crooks “the fast pass to the swimming hall of fame”.

Sockwell, a former American collegiate swimmer who has become one of the biggest names in swimming media, told the Cayman Compass the past week has only further cemented Crooks’ status as an A-lister in the sport and “the fastest swimmer on the planet”.