Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's 50 metre freestyle

The men's 50 metre freestyle event at the 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in 2021 at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.[1] It will be the event's tenth appearance, first held in 1904 (as 50 yards) and then at every edition since 1988.

Men's 50 metre freestyle at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Venue	Olympic Aquatics Centre
Dates	TBC

Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World record	César Cielo (BRA)	20.91	São Paulo, Brazil	18 December 2009	[2][3]
Olympic record	César Cielo (BRA)	21.30	Beijing, China	16 August 2008	[4]

Qualification

The Olympic Qualifying Time for the event is 22.01 seconds. Up to two swimmers per National Olympic Committee (NOC) can automatically qualify by swimming that time at an approved qualification event. The Olympic Selection Time is 22.67 seconds. Up to one swimmer per NOC meeting that time is eligible for selection, allocated by world ranking until the maximum quota for all swimming events is reached. NOCs without a male swimmer qualified in any event can also use their universality place.[5]

Competition format

The competition consists of three rounds: heats, semifinals, and a final. The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advance to the semifinals. The swimmers with the best 8 times in the semifinals advance to the final. Swim-offs are used as necessary to break ties for advancement to the next round.[6]

Schedule

All times are Japan standard time (UTC+9)[1]

Date	Time	Round
TBC	19:00	Heats
TBC	10:30	Semifinals
TBC	10:30	Final

Results

Heats

The swimmers with the top 16 times, regardless of heat, advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals

The swimmers with the best 8 times, regardless of heat, advanced to the final.

References

1. "Tokyo 2020: Swimming Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
2. "Brazil's Cesar Cielo breaks 50m freestyle world record". France24. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
3. "Brazil Long Course Championships: Cesar Cielo Sets World Record". Swimming World Magazine. 18 December 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
4. "'Big Cesar' races to first Brazilian swim gold". ESPN. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
5. "Tokyo 2020 – FINA Swimming Qualification System" (pdf). Tokyo 2020. FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
6. "FINA Swimming Rulebook, 2017–21" (PDF). FINA. Retrieved 29 January 2020.