Cesar Cielo sprinted home in a tight finish to retain his 50m butterfly crown and claim the fifth world title of his career. The Brazilian flyer, world 50 and 100m freestyle champion in 2009 and 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly champion in 2011, made it five world golds but it was a very close-run thing. Cielo, Olympic 50m freestyle champion in 2008, hit the wall in the one-length lung-buster in 23.01 as Eugene Godsoe (USA), the slowest qualifier in outside lane 8, scooped the silver in 23.05, just 0.04 seconds adrift. Fred Bousquet (FRA), now 32, claimed the bronze in 23.11 to add to a collection which includes world silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 100m free from 2009.Cielo's Brazilian team-mate Nicholas Santos, the fastest final qualifier and at 33 the oldest man in the race, finished just 0.20 seconds behind the winner and 0.10 behind Bousquet in fourth place (23.21). Five of the semi-final times were quicker than Cielo's winning time in the final.
Reigning Olympic 50m freestyle champion Florent Manaudou, a Barcelona gold medal already in his possession from the victorious French 4x100m freestyle relay, was eighth and last, a mere 0.34 seconds behind champion Cielo. World record holder Rafael Munoz (ESP) and 2005 and 2007 world champion Roland Schoeman (RSA) failed to make the final.
World Record: Rafael Munoz (ESP), 22:43 – April 5, 2009 in Malaga (ESP)
Championships Record: Milorad Cavic (SRB), 22.67 – July 27, 2009 in Rome (ITA)
Best performance of the current season (since January 2013): Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.81 – July 28, in Barcelona (ESP)
2003-2011 winners in this event: 2003 – Matt Welsh (AUS, 23.43); 2005 – Roland Schoeman (RSA, 22.96); 2007 – Roland Schoeman (RSA, 23.18); 2009 – Milorad Cavic (SRB, 22.67); 2011 – Cesar Cielo (BRA, 23.10)
The best in this event (1. most victories or 2. fastest time): Roland Schoeman (RSA, 2005 & 2007)
Not in the Olympic programme
source : Barcelona 2013 - FINA Live Blog
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