50 metres Freestyle, Men

As always the event was hard to predict because of the nature of the shortest sprint. France’s Florent Manaudou was the 2015 World Champion, the defending champion, and had the year’s fastest time of 21.41. American Nathan Adrian had won silver at the 2015 Worlds, and had the third fastest time of the year, also trailing Australian Cameron McEvoy. A medal longshot was felt to be the second American Anthony Ervin, who was a former champion in the event, but that was 16 years ago, in 2000.

Ervin stunned the swimming world by coming back to win the gold medal in 21.40, 16 years after he had done so in Sydney. Manaudou was only 1/100th back in second, while Adrian won the bronze medal in 21.49.

Ervin equaled the mark of Dara Torres, who won swimming gold medals 16 years apart, but hers included relays. Among male swimmers, Australian Frank Beaurepaire had won medals over 16 years (1908-24), but not golds. The record span for individual swimming gold medals was only 8 years, prior to Rio, although Michael Phelps won individual golds over 12 years, counting Rio. At 35 years, 78 days old on the day of the 50 metre final, Ervin became the oldest Olympic swimming gold medalist, surpassing Torres, who was 33-162 in 2000. The oldest previous individual gold medalst was Dutch woman Inge de Bruijn, also in the 50 freestyle, in 2004 at 30-363.