Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps has seen his world record legacy nearly wiped out at the FINA world championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
Just days after a 19-year-old from Hungary shattered a world record Phelps held for 18 years in the 200-meter butterfly, another young gun ― this one from the United States ― broke Phelps’ record in the 100 butterfly.
Caeleb Dressel did the honors during a Friday semifinal, clocking 49.50, well ahead of Phelps’ 49.82 from 2009.
That leaves Phelps with just one individual world record still standing: the 400 individual medley.
Phelps told The New York Times earlier this week that he was “frustrated” to see his 200 butterfly record fall, but was happy to see how Hungary’s Kristof Milak accomplished the feat.
Dressel, who has already won multiple golds in the meet, told ESPN of besting Phelps’ 100 butterfly mark: “I hope he was happy watching me do that.”
Dressel’s “speed and versatility is similar to Phelps’ back in the day,” USA Today’s For the Win wrote.
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